Turning up the heat this holiday season, Houston’s beloved Candente has officially opened the doors to its brand-new Bellaire location — marking a fiery expansion for one of the city’s only Tex-Mex restaurants recognized by the prestigious Michelin Guide.
Turning up the heat this holiday season, Houston’s beloved Candente has officially opened the doors to its brand-new Bellaire location — marking a fiery expansion for one of the city’s only Tex-Mex restaurants recognized by the prestigious Michelin Guide.
Fans of the original Montrose spot, which has packed tables since launching in 2019 next to Sambrooks Hospitality’s award-winning The Pit Room, know exactly what’s coming: bold flavors, live-fire cooking, and margaritas that don’t play.
Now, Bellaire families don’t have to cross the tracks for their fix of brisket-studded queso, wood-grilled fajitas or those melt-in-your-mouth birria tacos.
Candente takes over the former Mandito’s Tex-Mex address at 5101 Bellaire Blvd., transforming the space into a vibrant fiesta of copper-top tables, pops of signature orange and maroon, and a colorful mural by Houston artist Franky Cardona. The new spot seats 125 inside, 24 on the patio, and includes a cozy 10-seat bar perfect for sipping something icy and salted.
Owner Michael Sambrooks says the move is all about meeting diners where they are:
“It’s a privilege to open in Bellaire and get to know and serve a new clientele,” Sambrooks said. “We’re excited to introduce our style of authentic, handcrafted Tex-Mex that has made us a Houston dining staple.”
This opening reinforces what food lovers already know: Sambrooks Hospitality Group is on a roll. With both Candente and The Pit Room earning back-to-back spots in the Texas Michelin Guide, the team is stacking wins like chips at happy hour.
The Bellaire menu mirrors Montrose, so your cravings are covered:
🌮 Birria tacos
🔥 Wood-grilled fajitas (Prime skirt steak, ribeye, chicken, shrimp, carnitas & more)
🧀 Brisket-rich chile con queso
🥣 Tortilla soup + campechana
🥘 Chile gravy enchiladas & carne guisada
🍽️ Feed-the-whole-table combos & burritos
🥗 Ceviche and fresh aguas frescas for balance (or not, no judgment)
And because a great Tex-Mex meal deserves a great cocktail — premium margaritas (shaken or frozen), palomas, mojitos, ranch waters, sangrias and more are flowing from open to close.
Candente Bellaire comes ready for the season with bulk to-go and full catering, meaning your tamalada, office lunch or Friendsmas fiesta is instantly upgraded.
Candente Bellaire Hours:
Mon–Thu: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Fri: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Weekend Brunch: Starting at 10 a.m.
(Closing early at 3 p.m. Christmas Eve; closed Christmas Day; back open Dec. 26)
Candente’s arrival adds a welcome spark to Bellaire’s dining scene — and something tells us those sizzling fajitas and dangerously good margaritas will keep tables full long after the holidays.
