Named after dishwasher-turned-James-Beard-Award-winning-superstar-chef Hugo Ortega, Hugo’s is a Montrose mainstay. Hugo’s is housed in a 1925 art deco building by Houston architect Joseph Finger. Here, the dishes dive deep into Mexico’s rich culinary heritage, like fall-off-the-bone tender garlic-marinated goat and lechón (roast pork) with crackling, crispy skin. But save room for dessert—options include churros stuffed with dulce de leche and flan topped with tangy passion fruit glaze, candied pistachios, strawberries, and whipped cream.
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Hugo’s
When the James Beard Foundation named chef Hugo Ortega the 2017 Best Chef in the Southwest, it confirmed what Houstonians have known for decades. His namesake restaurant has long been a go-to spot for anyone seeking delicious regional Mexican cuisine. Expect fresh seafood appetizers such as shrimp cocktail with cherry tomato, avocado, and diablo sauce; excellent salads and soups; and entrées such as roasted duck in mole poblano, braised tender suckling pig, and fish tamales in tomato sauce. If you can make it to Hugo’s for only one meal, get here for weekend brunch—you can try a little bit of everything.