Houston Travel Guide
Eating Houston
Why Houston is one of the great food cities in the United States — Tex-Mex, barbecue, Gulf seafood, Viet-Cajun crawfish and the international neighborhoods where locals actually eat.
Ask Houstonians what makes their city special and many will start with the food. Houston is one of the most ethnically diverse metropolitan areas in the United States, and that diversity shows up on the plate: in the strip malls of Bellaire Boulevard, the taquerias of the East End, the curry houses of the Mahatma Gandhi District and the oyster bars that ring Galveston Bay. Add the Texas staples of barbecue and Tex-Mex, a fine-dining scene that regularly earns national awards, and prices that are friendly by big-city standards, and you have one of the best places in the country to eat. This guide explains what to look for and where.
Tex-Mex and Mexican. Houston has a deep claim to Tex-Mex: sizzling fajitas, cheese enchiladas in chili gravy, puffy tortilla chips and frozen margaritas are all part of the city's culinary DNA, and old-school Tex-Mex restaurants are local institutions. Beyond Tex-Mex, the city has outstanding regional Mexican cooking, especially in the East End and the Second Ward, historic Mexican American neighborhoods east of downtown, where you will find taquerias, panaderias and food trucks serving tacos al pastor, barbacoa and breakfast tacos. Taco trucks are everywhere, and many of the best tacos in the city come from a window in a parking lot.
Barbecue. Houston has become a serious barbecue city in its own right, with pitmasters smoking brisket, beef ribs and sausage in the Central Texas style and adding their own twists, from Gulf Coast and Mexican flavors to Asian influences. The best places often sell out, so go early, especially on weekends, and expect a line. Brisket is the benchmark; order it by the pound with sides and white bread, and do not skip the sausage.
Viet-Cajun crawfish. If there is one dish that sums up Houston, it is Viet-Cajun crawfish. After the fall of Saigon, many Vietnamese families settled along the Texas Gulf Coast, and their cooks combined Louisiana-style crawfish boils with garlic butter, lemongrass and chili. The result is messy, fragrant and addictive, served by the pound in plastic bags with corn and potatoes. Crawfish season runs roughly from late winter into early summer, peaking in spring; outside it, look for the same flavors on shrimp and crab.
Asian Houston. Southwest Houston, along Bellaire Boulevard, is home to one of the largest Asian communities in the South. The area often called Chinatown is in fact a sprawling district of shopping centers packed with Vietnamese pho and banh mi shops, Chinese dumpling and noodle houses, Taiwanese tea shops, Korean barbecue and Japanese ramen. Midtown, closer to downtown, also has a cluster of Vietnamese restaurants. The best approach is simply to drive out, park in a busy plaza and follow the crowds.
South Asian, African and Middle Eastern. The Mahatma Gandhi District along Hillcroft Avenue is lined with Indian and Pakistani restaurants and sweet shops, and nearby Gulfton and Sharpstown hold Middle Eastern, Nigerian, Ethiopian and Latin American spots. Houston has one of the largest Nigerian communities in the country, and jollof rice, suya and pepper soup are easy to find.
Gulf seafood. With the Gulf of Mexico an hour away, seafood is a staple. Look for Gulf oysters on the half shell or chargrilled, redfish and snapper on the grill, shrimp every way imaginable and seafood gumbo. Kemah and Galveston have waterfront seafood houses where the view is part of the meal, while in the city, oyster bars and modern seafood restaurants show off local catch.
Fine dining. Houston's top chefs have earned national awards, and the city's high-end restaurants are often more relaxed and better value than equivalents in New York or Los Angeles. Many of the most ambitious kitchens draw on the city's diversity, blending Texan, Mexican, Vietnamese, Indian and Southern traditions. Montrose, the Heights, Midtown, Rice Village and Uptown all have strong dining scenes; book weekend tables ahead.
Where to eat by neighborhood. For a walkable food night, choose Montrose, with its mix of bistros, bars and casual spots, or the Heights, where 19th Street and the surrounding blocks hold cafes, breweries and buzzy restaurants. For variety and value, drive to Bellaire Boulevard or Hillcroft. For the East End and Second Ward, go for Mexican food and craft breweries. Downtown has improved greatly, particularly around Market Square and Discovery Green.
Practical tips. Do not judge a Houston restaurant by its location; some of the best food in the city is served in modest strip-mall storefronts. Bring cash for some food trucks and smaller places, though most take cards. Weekends are busy everywhere, so eat early or reserve. During the rodeo, look out for the barbecue contest on the grounds just before opening day. And come hungry: portions here are generous, in the Texas way.
Breakfast and coffee. Start the day the Texas way with breakfast tacos — eggs, potatoes, chorizo or bacon folded into fresh flour tortillas — from a taqueria or food truck, or try kolaches, the Czech-Texan pastries filled with fruit, cheese or sausage that are sold at bakeries across the city. Houston also has a thriving independent coffee scene, particularly in Montrose, the Heights and Midtown, and Vietnamese iced coffee is never far away.
Food and the rodeo. If you visit in March, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is a food event as much as anything else: the barbecue contest on the grounds just before opening draws hundreds of teams, and the fairgrounds are famous for over-the-top fried treats. It is the city at its most Texan, and most indulgent.