Houston brims with healthy-eating options in specialty grocery stores, farmers markets, organic urban gardens, and vegetarian restaurants. The following neighborhoods make healthy eating easy and accessible to residents who are health-conscious, following special diets, or interested in building better and sustainable communities through food.

Upper Kirby

Levy Park photo courtesy of Jay Ford

Upper Kirby is a thriving commercial district with upscale townhomes accommodating small families and professionals. With both a Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, the neighborhood is the pinnacle of Houston’s health contingent, and busy residents have countless healthy eating options.

The lush and modern Levy Park is Upper Kirby’s green jewel. Levy Park is the site of a 27-plot community garden. On Sundays, Grit Grocery, a mobile grocery truck and eatery, stops by the park to bring healthy produce and meals straight to residents. Across from Levy Park, the Urban Harvest Farmers Market is a year-round Saturday market. Community members bike, walk, or ride to peruse artisan booths, listen to local musicians, and sample fresh farm goods.

Bellagreen is an area fast-casual health food chain. The expansive menu features scratch-prepared gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian offerings. Dishes include salads, tacos, sandwiches, pasta, and wood-fired pizza. Also, Juicewell offers organic cold-pressed fruit and vegetable juices, smoothies, and antioxidant-rich acai bowls. The neighborhood juice bar has a selection of board games and a sticky note wall where patrons are invited to doodle and scribble messages.

Third Ward

Community garden / Shutterstock

The Third Ward is one of Houston’s six historic districts. The neighborhood is home to a vibrant and culturally diverse population, two universities (TSU and UH), and organizations like Project Row Houses, a group that aims to empower residents and enrich the neighborhood through art and community engagement.

Though long considered one of the city’s food deserts, the neighborhood is experiencing a resurgence. Two community gardens, Blodgett Urban Gardens and the Third Ward Community Garden, are seeking to bridge the gap in food access along with Nuwaters, a co-op and natural foods store with its own three-acre urban farm. In the Third Ward, healthy eating is a collaborative effort where neighbors come together to plant, pick, and distribute produce to the community.

Vegans have some delicious options here. The Doshi House cafe serves locally roasted Greenway coffee, full leaf teas, and fruit smoothies as well as vegan and vegetarian twists on cultural cuisines like Creole red beans and rice, “Not So Butter Chicken”, and three bean chili. Crumbville satisfies Third Ward’s sweet tooth with scrumptious vegan desserts and baked goods. The local bakery makes cookies, cupcakes, and brownies from scratch and offers happy hour dessert specials throughout the week. In the neighboring Museum District, Green Seed Vegan presents a 100 percent vegan menu—with paninis, burgers, and tacos packed with planet-based proteins—with gluten-free options.

Montrose

Vibrant photo courtesy of Kirsten Gilliam

Montrose is a flourishing neighborhood with single-family bungalows and walkable streets. Many residents—from long-time homeowners to the influx of young professionals—are health conscious and socially engaged. A surplus of natural food options means those who value healthy living will feel right at home.

Montrose is home to a Whole Foods as well as Central City Co-Op, a long-standing organic market. Central City Co-Op distributes CSA (community-supported agriculture) farm shares to members, and 80 percent of their produce comes from local farmers. The organization also holds weekly open markets featuring fresh produce, dairy, and meat. The neighborhood also includes an outpost of the chain Snap Kitchen, which offers ready-made meals that adhere to Whole 30, vegan, gluten-free, paleo, and many other diets.

Montrose staple Baba Yega has bustled with brunchers for over 40 years. The vast menu accommodates various diets including vegan, vegetarian, gluten-friendly, and organic, and it features dishes with humanely raised meats. Sprawling oaks surround the quaint cottage cafe, and Montrose residents spend Sunday mornings on the homey veranda and tranquil evenings in the garden. On the newer side, Vibrant crafts gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free dishes. Vibrant has an on-site garden and uses locally sourced and organic ingredients when possible. Vibrant also uses solar energy, recycles, and composts.