MHL slows down @ Byzantio Cafe and Bar

The more I visit restaurants around town that have been converted from old homes, the more I realize how uniquely “Houston” these establishments are. I especially enjoy when the owners of the restaurant leave intact the major architectural features of the re-purposed home. Byzantio Cafe and Bar on West Gray, just outside of Midtown, is a great example.

The small cafe has subtly become a popular Greek eatery for patrons that are craving Mediterranean cuisine but are also looking to avoid the sometimes chaotic atmosphere of other similar eateries in more populated areas. Now that’s not to say Byzantio does not get crowded because on certain nights, it is nearly impossible to find a table. But things seem to move a bit slower here, the atmosphere is more attuned to sitting back and enjoying all the aspects of this hidden, Houston eatery.

Depending on the day or time of day that you find yourself at Byzantio, you could find yourself in drastically different dining experiences. Visit on a weeknight and find yourself among a lingering dinner crowd and a laid back coffeehouse atmosphere. Go later in the week on a weekend and catch a hipster crowd wining and dining on merlot and gyros. Wander in for the late night crowd and witness the interior of the cafe and bar turn into a late-night hot spot with the help of a house DJ while the outdoor seating areas become wrapped in the sweet aroma of hookah.

Some highlights of the expansive Byzantio menu include a gyro sandwich plate, a juicy 16 ounce rib eye steak plate, and several varieties of Greek salads and pita pizzas. I can generally depend on a good gyro sandwich when visiting most Mediterranean restaurants and it’s my fall back if I can’t decide what to order. Byzantio’s gyro sandwich is good but contains too much tzatziki sauce for my taste. Although I’d order it again, I would probably ask for them to lighten up on the sauce a bit.

One dish that can not be missed here can be found in the appetizers section of the menu. The Pita with Tirokafteri appetizer is ridiculously good. This “fire feta dip”, as Byantio calls it, is an addictive mixture of feta cheese, serrano peppers and olive oil — perfect for dipping toasted triangles of pita in. In fact, they should slathered this sauce onto their gyro sandwiches instead of their tzatziki sauce! 

After dinner be sure to take a look over the coffee menu and ask your waiter about what desserts are available that night (they tend to sell out of certain desserts fairly often so it’s always a good idea to ask before getting your hopes up). Speaking of servers… there seems to only be 2 waiters that are servicing both the dining areas inside as well as the tables outside at a time. On a busy night it can become increasingly hard to get your server’s attention but when you do… they are always very accommodating. So rather than get frustrated, lean back in your chair, take a sip of coffee and enjoy the cooling Houston weather.

One more thing… Byzantio has one of the latest happy hours around town, going from 4 to 9pm daily!

[Byzantio — 403 West Gray — Sun – Wed: 10am to 12am, Thur – Sat: 10am to 2am]