The Room
Sergio Conde opened Mastrantos in the Heights in 2018 — a Venezuelan-American chef-driven Latin-American dining room. The Michelin Texas guide assigned a Bib Gourmand designation. The dining room is intentionally relaxed: exposed brick, an open kitchen at the back.
Eater Houston has held Mastrantos on its top-twenty Heights rankings every year of operation.
The Food
The empanada programme — a serious in-house dough operation — runs the menu's centre. The arepa-and-Latin-American small-plates programme handles the menu's spine. The seasonal-rotating Latin-American preparations, including a serious Venezuelan-leaning bench, handle the menu's wider draws.
Cocktail programme runs Latin-spice-led. Wine programme is short, weighted toward Spanish and Latin-American producers.
Best Occasion Fit
First Date: The bar at Mastrantos is one of the Heights' most-reliable first-date seats.
Birthday: Birthdays at Mastrantos are warm, Latin-American chef-driven affairs the room handles with seven years of practice.
Solo Dining: The bar at Mastrantos is one of the better Heights solo-dining seats.