Bakery$Wed-Sun 11:00-19:00Walk-in onlyCreative pastry and dessert
Fluff Bake Bar in Houston is Rebecca Masson's Midtown pastry counter on Gray Street, with Halo Cookies, seasonal pies, the Top Chef Just Desserts alumna.
Tip: Pre-order whole pies for Thanksgiving and Easter; they sell out a week ahead. The Halo cookie is the daily anchor.
Worth the queue: Halo cookies and seasonal pies
Bakery$Mon-Sun 07:00-21:00French viennoiserie and pastry
Common Bond in Houston is the Montrose patisserie on Westheimer since 2014, with serious French viennoiserie, croissants, kouign-amann and a brunch-cafe menu.
Tip: Saturday morning kouign-amann sell out by 10am. Pre-order online for guaranteed pickup.
Worth the queue: Kouign-amann
Bakery$Mon, Wed-Sun 08:00-14:00, Closed TuesdayWalk-in onlyCreative pastries with Houston immigrant references
Koffeteria in Houston is Vanarin Kuch's EaDo pastry shop on Hutchins Street, with the beef pho kolache, the Hot Cheeto croissant and a 2024 Houston Pastry.
Tip: Get there by 9am for the full case. The beef pho kolache and the pistachio baklava croissant are the signature orders.
Worth the queue: Beef pho kolache
Bakery$Mon-Sat 05:00-18:00, Sun 06:00-17:00Walk-in onlyEastern European Jewish bakery
Three Brothers Bakery in Houston is the Braeswood Boulevard Jewish bakery from the Jucker family (Polish Holocaust survivors), since 1949 in Houston.
Tip: Pre-order challah for Friday. Pecan coffee cake is the line item; the Hurricane Harvey rebuild story is in the front-window framed clippings.
Worth the queue: Pecan coffee cake and challah
Bakery$Tue-Fri 05:30-15:00, Sat-Sun 06:00-15:00Walk-in onlyCzech-Texan kolaches and klobasniky
Kolache Shoppe in Houston is the Greenway Plaza Czech-Texan bakery on Richmond Avenue, with sausage-cheese klobasniky, apricot kolaches and a weekend line.
Tip: Get there before 9am Saturday for the full case. Order a dozen mixed for the office or the road.
Worth the queue: Sausage and cheese klobasniky