In search of a great meal? We present our list of the best restaurants in the Woodlands and surrounding areas, as of the fall of 2017.

Our expert panel of foodies, chefs, and writers have worked together to assembled this guide. We’ve seen lots of these sorts of lists published, but they usually leave us scratching our heads and wondering how some marginal establishments made the list. To make our list, a restaurant has to deliver a consistently great experience, and has to make foodies want to come back for more.

Our expert panel is anonymous by design, so restaurants aren’t tempted to provide special service.

We defined “The Bubble” as the region bounded by I-45, Sawdust Road, FM 2978, and FM 1488. We’ve included a few select restaurants outside the bubble if they’re outstanding and close enough to be a reasonable drive for dinner.