Editor's Favorites: Nikki Metzgar

9741 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77042 (map)

I’ve come to expect a lot from a breadbasket--despite the fact that it's free and I’ve done nothing to deserve it. The pre-meal flatbread at Kasra, served with feta cubes, mint leaves and radishes, is fresh, warm and uncommon. The effect is a satisfied feeling that I've come to associate with my meals there. The pomegranate chicken, slow-cooked lamb shank with sour cherry rice and the kebabs are all delicious entrees, best finished off with a hot cup of tea.

2349 Bissonnet St, Houston, TX 77005 (map)

All good Texas girls drink their beer but when it’s time for a cocktail I always head to the Volcano. I love the focus on vintage drinks like the Singapore Sling, Pimm’s Cup and best of all the Bloody Mary. The Volcano version is a pint-glass portion garnished with a celery stalk and skewer of pickled vegetables and summer sausage.

2115 Taft St, Houston, TX 77006 (map)

There are a dozen coffee shops in Montrose to choose from but Taft Street has this unnameable X-factor that sets it apart. It's not just that there is always an available chair, or that the friendly baristas who remember your name constantly offer to top off your drink. Somehow, something odd or heartwarming is happening every time I visit.

2421 Bissonnet St, Houston, TX 77005 (map)

Sunny, cozy and somehow designed so that it’s impossible not to stumble across just the right book, Brazos is a book-nerd sanctuary. Best of all, the store hosts several readings every month that bring famous authors like Nobel Prize winner Doris Lessing to Space City. Oh, and they’re almost always free. So, maybe that’s the best.