Town Center offers more than 450 shops and restaurants in all, and the wider Woodlands area has well over 150 places to eat.
Spotlight: Market Street
Market Street is The Woodlands' open-air main street: about 34 acres of shops, restaurants, offices and a hotel wrapped around a lawn called Central Park. It opened in November 2004, when The Woodlands still lacked a walkable downtown, and it's now one of the country's top-performing outdoor shopping centers.
- Where: 9595 Six Pines Drive, across Lake Robbins Drive from The Pavilion
- What's there: 90+ stores, from local boutiques to luxury names such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci, plus a Central Market by H-E-B, a movie theater, the Hyatt Centric hotel and patio restaurants facing the park
- Central Park: the heart of Market Street, with a splash pad, pop-up fountains, public art, rocking chairs and a stage for live music
- Getting there: park in the garages or use valet, or ride the free Town Center trolley
- Help desk: a concierge and Visit The Woodlands information desk can point you around Town Center
Through the year: live music on the lawn on many weekend evenings; a Christmas tree lighting in late November, followed by "Market Street in Lights" shows through December; the H-E-B Wine Walk each fall; and the South County Fourth of July Parade, which runs through Market Street.
Village centers
Each village has its own center anchored by a grocery store, usually an H-E-B or Kroger, with everyday restaurants and services. Creekside Park Village Green is the newest, built around a park and splash pad.
Farmers markets
- The Woodlands Farmers Market at Grogan's Mill: every Saturday morning at the Grogan's Mill Village Center, since 2008.
- Tamina Farmers Market: a food-focused market just east of The Woodlands, running since 2016.
Where to eat
A starter list by area. Restaurants change often, so check hours before you go.
The Goose's Acre: Irish pub with a double-decker deck over the water
Cyclone Anaya's: Tex-Mex, margaritas and tableside guacamole
Grimaldi's Pizzeria: coal-fired, New York–style pizza
Morton's Grille and Fleming's: steakhouse dinners near the mall
Rose: lounge with views of the Waterway Square fountain
Truluck's: seafood, steak and crab
Postino: wine café with a string-lit patio
Whole Foods and several quick-casual spots for lunch
Central Market by H-E-B: prepared foods and a café
Kirby's Prime Steakhouse and Perry's Steakhouse: special-occasion steak dinners
Tris: chef-driven fine dining; reservations recommended
Xalisko Cocina Mexicana: regional Mexican from Jalisco
Local Table: neighborhood favorite with a big patio off Research Forest
Tip: Houston Restaurant Weeks runs each August, and dozens of Woodlands restaurants offer prix-fixe menus that benefit the Houston Food Bank.