34 editor picks in Houston.
34 cheap eats places in Houston, editor-picked. the best low-budget spots in Houston: the places editors actually return to. All Houston food.
Blacksmith in Houston is the Montrose third-wave coffee bar on Westheimer from the Greenway Coffee team, with espresso, pour-overs and a Koffeteria pastry.
TipGet a cortado with the rotating single-origin. The Memorial City second location is the quieter alternative.
Tacos Tierra Caliente in Houston is the West Alabama taco truck in Montrose, with al pastor from the trompo, carne asada and the West Alabama Ice House next.
OrderTacos al pastor
TipThree al pastor with pineapple and a side of consomme is the canonical order. Bring tacos into the ice house for beers.
Tacos Tierra Caliente in Houston is the West Alabama Montrose taco truck, with $3-4 tacos al pastor sliced off the trompo and the West Alabama Ice House next.
OrderTacos al pastor
TipThree al pastor with pineapple is the canonical order, under $12. Take them into the ice house for a Lone Star.
Common Bond Bistro & Bakery in Houston is the Montrose patisserie-cafe on Westheimer since 2014, with viennoiserie, brunch plates and a Joe Coffee program.
TipPre-order the kouign-amann on weekends; they sell out by 10am. The sandwich counter at lunch is the secret.
Frenchy's Chicken in Houston is the 1969 Third Ward Creole fried chicken counter on Scott Street, with a three-piece dark with two sides for $11 that fills.
OrderThree-piece Creole fried chicken with sides
TipDark meat over white. Dirty rice and red beans. The Sunday queue is 30 minutes; weekday lunch is the move.
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.
TipGet there by 9am for the full case. The beef pho kolache and the pistachio baklava croissant are the signature orders.
Crawfish and Noodles in Houston is Trong Nguyen's Bellaire Boulevard Viet-Cajun crawfish room since 2008, the country's defining lemongrass-garlic-butter.
OrderViet-Cajun crawfish boil
TipCrawfish season is late February to early June. Off-season the kitchen pivots to blue crab and Dungeness; both are worth ordering.
Common Bond in Houston is the Montrose patisserie on Westheimer since 2014, with serious French viennoiserie, croissants, kouign-amann and a brunch-cafe menu.
TipSaturday morning kouign-amann sell out by 10am. Pre-order online for guaranteed pickup.
Three Brothers Bakery in Houston is the Braeswood Boulevard Jewish bakery from the Jucker family (Polish Holocaust survivors), since 1949 in Houston.
TipPre-order challah for Friday. Pecan coffee cake is the line item; the Hurricane Harvey rebuild story is in the front-window framed clippings.
Campesino Coffee House in Houston is the Montrose Latin American specialty cafe on Waugh Drive, in a converted house with cafe de olla, horchata lattes.
TipOrder the cafe de olla, brewed with cinnamon and piloncillo in earthenware. The fireplace room is the working seat; the back rooms fill up Saturday mornings.
Frenchy's Chicken in Houston is Percy Creuzot's 1969 Third Ward Creole fried chicken counter on Scott Street, the city's defining Black-Houston.
OrderCreole fried chicken three-piece
TipThree-piece dark meat with dirty rice and red beans. Sunday after church is the queue; weekday lunch is the move.
Cali Sandwich & Pho in Houston is the Midtown Vietnamese counter on Travis Street, with a $5 BBQ pork banh mi that has been the best Houston cheap lunch.
OrderBBQ pork banh mi
TipBBQ pork is the canonical banh mi. Cash strongly preferred. Closed Sundays.
Lankford Grocery & Market in Houston is the 1939 corner-store-turned-burger-shack on Dennis Street in Midtown, with the Grim burger, weekday breakfast.
OrderThe Grim (a Hatch chile burger with American cheese, jalapenos and house sauce).
TipCash and card. Closed weekends. Sit at the picnic tables outside; the indoor counter is a single bench.
Eight Row Flint in Houston is the Heights icehouse from Agricole Hospitality in a converted Citgo gas station on Yale Street, with brisket tacos.
OrderBrisket tacos, the frozen-tied-with-Topo-Chico margarita, queso fundido.
TipThe patio under the old gas station canopy is the seat. East End second location for a different crowd.
Cali Sandwich & Pho in Houston is the Travis Street Vietnamese counter in Midtown, a Houston banh mi institution since 1979 with bo luc lac.
OrderBBQ pork banh mi. Bo luc lac (shaking beef) over rice. A Vietnamese iced coffee.
TipCash strongly preferred. Closed Sundays. The pho here is solid but the banh mi is the reason.
Agora in Houston is the Montrose Greek coffee house on Westheimer Road, with freddo espresso, sticky baklava, a side patio under oaks and a late-night study.
TipOpen until midnight, much later than most Houston cafes. The freddo cappuccino is the canonical order.
Lankford Grocery & Market in Houston is the 1939 Midtown corner-store-turned-burger-shack on Dennis Street, with the Grim Hatch-chile burger under $15.
OrderThe Grim Hatch-chile burger
TipGet the Grim with sweet potato fries. Closed weekends. Counter and outdoor picnic tables only.
Tacos Tierra Caliente in Houston is the long-running taco truck on West Alabama in Montrose, with al pastor sliced from the trompo and an ice house next door.
OrderThree al pastor tacos with pineapple. The carne asada. A Mexican Coke and a side of consomme.
TipThe truck is parked next to the West Alabama Ice House; bring your tacos inside for a beer. Cash and card.
The Original Marini's Empanada House in Houston is the Argentine family kitchen on Westheimer in Westchase since 2007 (1971 in Montrose), with 80 savoury.
OrderClassic beef empanada (baked, the original), the corn empanada, the dulce de leche dessert version.
TipOrder half-dozen mixed (savoury) plus a single sweet to taste. The fried versions are heavier; baked is closer to the Argentine original.
Goode Company Barbeque on Kirby Drive in Houston is Jim Goode's 1977 mesquite-smoked barbecue room, the city's introduction to commercial Texas barbecue.
OrderBrisket and a jalapeno pork sausage link. Jambalaya. Pecan pie to close.
TipMultiple Goode Company locations across Houston exist. The Kirby flagship is the original and the only one with the screened porch.
Kolache Shoppe in Houston is the Greenway Plaza Czech-Texan bakery on Richmond Avenue, with sausage-cheese klobasniky, apricot kolaches and a weekend line.
TipGet there before 9am Saturday for the full case. Order a dozen mixed for the office or the road.
Bakery Lorraine in Rice Village is the Houston outpost of the San Antonio bakery on Amherst Street, with viennoiserie, macarons and a brunch cafe attached.
TipSit in the back room for the quieter cafe service. The matcha croissant is the Rice Village signature.
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.
TipPre-order whole pies for Thanksgiving and Easter; they sell out a week ahead. The Halo cookie is the daily anchor.
Tout Suite in Houston is the downtown cafe at Trebly Park on Fannin Street, with the Houston Fog vanilla London Fog, viennoiserie, brunch plates and a bright.
TipPark out front, not the side lot, for the quickest path in. Weekday mornings draw work-from-home crowds.
Cali Sandwich & Pho in Houston is the Midtown Vietnamese counter on Travis Street since 1979, with BBQ pork banh mi for $5, bo luc lac rice plates.
OrderBBQ pork banh mi
TipBBQ pork is the canonical banh mi. Cash strongly preferred; closed Sundays.
Pho Binh on Bellaire in Houston is the 1983 Vietnamese counter from the Le family, with rare-beef pho under $14 and a Vietnamese-iced-coffee tradition.
OrderPho tai (rare beef)
TipPho tai (rare beef) is the standard. Cash strongly preferred. Add Thai basil and lime at the table.
Lankford Grocery & Market in Houston is the 1939 Midtown corner-store-turned-burger-shack on Dennis Street, with the Grim Hatch-chile burger and a Diners.
OrderThe Grim (Hatch chile burger)
TipGet there at 11am for a counter seat. The Grim and sweet potato fries are the canonical order; Fri lunch has a line.
Frenchy's Chicken on Scott Street in Houston is Percy Creuzot's 1969 Third Ward Creole fried chicken counter, two blocks from Texas Southern University.
OrderThree-piece dark meat with dirty rice and red beans. A peach cobbler to close.
TipSunday after church is the line. Weekday lunch is the move. The Scott Street counter is the original; multiple satellites exist.
Antidote Coffee in Houston is the Heights cafe on Studewood Street, a long-standing third-wave spot with rotating beans, espresso drinks. At 729 Studewood St.
TipCash and card. The front porch is the seat. Closes early; aim before 4pm.
Shri Balaji Bhavan in Houston is the Mahatma Gandhi District South Indian vegetarian counter on Hillcroft, with masala dosa and a vada-sambar combo under $13.
OrderMasala dosa
TipMasala dosa with extra coconut chutney. Cash and card. Order the rava dosa for a thinner crisp version.
Pho Binh on Bellaire Boulevard is the original 1983 Houston pho counter from the Le family, with clean broth, rare-beef pho tai and an Asiatown family legacy.
OrderPho tai (rare beef) or pho dac biet (combination). A Vietnamese iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk.
TipCash strongly preferred. Bellaire location is the original; the four other branches (Westheimer, Heights, Sharpstown, Katy) are family-run.
Siphon Coffee in Houston is the Montrose third-wave cafe on West Alabama, named for its siphon brewers, with pour-overs, a generous patio. Family-friendly.
TipOrder a siphon-brewed cup at the back bar. The patio is the seat in good weather; the indoor library is the working seat.
The Original Marini's Empanada House in Houston is the Argentine family kitchen on Westheimer in Westchase since 2007, with 80 savoury and 39 sweet empanada.
OrderArgentine beef empanadas
TipGet a half-dozen mixed savoury plus one sweet. The baked beef empanada is closer to the Argentine original than the fried version.
The Original Marini's Empanada House in Houston is the Argentine family kitchen on Westheimer in Westchase since 2007, with 80 savoury and 39 sweet empanadas.
OrderArgentine beef empanadas
TipOrder half-dozen savoury plus a sweet flan empanada to share. Baked is closer to the Argentine original than fried.
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