There’s no lack of culinary diversity here, whether you're dining on a boat, slurping pho or sipping coffee inside a resale store.

The Backyard Grill

An impressive selection of Texas beers is a natural pairing with the craft burgers on offer here, including the Hangover, which accents a slab of beef with a sausage patty, fried egg, Sriracha mayo and bacon on an English muffin. Big eaters may want to take on the four-pound burger known as the Beast—it’s free if you finish in under an hour.

Captain Tom’s Seafood and Oyster Bar

Let’s get this out of the way: Yes, this old-fashioned seafood restaurant is shaped like an ocean-faring vessel, but there’s more to it than that. The surprisingly legit fried fish and shrimp always taste fresh off the boat (pun intended).

Connie’s Frozen Custard

One of the only spots in town where you can get dense and creamy, old-fashioned frozen custard, this neighborhood favorite offers just two flavors—chocolate and vanilla, made hourly—but mixes things up with dozens of toppings. Our favorite combination? Vanilla topped with salty-sweet combo of caramel and pretzels.

Crescent Moon Coffee Bar

With its cozy decor and emphasis on Houston-made products, this little nook is the perfect place to curl up with a Flogging Molly, a cup of coffee dosed with Irish cream and vanilla. When the weather’s good, brunch on a slice of quiche on the patio.

Del Pueblo Mexican Restaurant

If you’re looking for a lively atmosphere to go with your Tex-Mex combo platters and frozen margaritas, you can’t go wrong here. Get the fajita combo, which includes sizzling meat, a cheese enchilada, a crispy taco and a queso puff; at $11.99, it’s a steal, leaving you a few bucks to spend at the gift shop. Yes, gift shop.

Pho Danh

Every bowl of pho comes with a surprising amount of meat and a generous portion of fresh Thai basil, jalapeños and bean sprouts on the side. If you stop by for dinner, arrive well before the 8:30 p.m. closing time to ensure your favorite dish hasn’t sold out.

Pho Town

One of the few places in the area where you can get pho and banh mi past 9 p.m., this soup shop is excellent any time of day, particularly in the category of long-stewed beef broth, which is complemented by hints of Saigon cinnamon and ginger in just the right amounts.

Rice Brothers Coffee Company

When your coffee shop’s located inside a resale store—in this case, New Life Trading Post, run by Spirit Key Ministry—it’s pretty handy. You can order a cinnamon chai latte and buy a vintage letterman jacket all under the same roof. Can’t part with the couch where you’re enjoying it? That's for sale, too.

Taqueria Ruby

You never know what you’ll see or who you’ll meet at this eclectic 24-hour taco truck, but you can always count on their salsa verde to be among the best in Houston—in fact, they sell it by the bottle. Knowing a little Spanish goes a long way here. 

Tony’s New York Pizza

How’s this for authenticity? The original location of this slice shack opened on Long Island in 1987. After 12 years in Houston, the brothers who run the joint continue to serve the same topnotch New York–style pizza.