Perhaps one of Houston’s most well-known barbecue joints, Blood Bros. BBQ has been consistently featured on definitive lists across the state—and for good reason. Led by besties-turned-pitmasters Quy Hoang and brothers Terry and Robin Wong, Blood Bros. is known for offering a colorful mash-up of traditional Texas barbecue and cuisines they grew up eating in Alief. Think tender brisket and gai lan (Chinese broccoli) that’s wok-fried with flat rice noodles, and smoked turkey banh mi. The smoked pork and kimchi egg rolls, however, are a gluttonous delight, melding sweet-spicy gochujang pork with tangy kimchi, roasted corn, and melty provolone-mozzarella. The trio even earned a Bib Gourmand from the acclaimed Michelin Guide, signaling quality eats at affordable prices.

MasterChef winner Christine Ha opened the first version of this Vietnamese gastropub at Bravery Chef Hall in 2018 before transitioning to a fully realized location in a Spring Branch strip mall. Centered on Ha’s Vietnamese upbringing in Space City, the menu blends classics with local favorites. Pho birria tacos are served alongside dumplings stuffed with thit kho (braised Vietnamese pork belly). Most popular is Ha’s Texas BBQ brisket fried rice. Ha riffs on the tomato paste–based Vietnamese red rice (cơm đỏ), swapping in ketchup and egg for a tangy, smoky bite in every forkful.

At this Latin and Southeast Asian restaurant, the MO is simple. Top Chef alums Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu create dishes they crave themselves. Together, the duo experiments with ingredients and flavor profiles they grew up with, combining them with those they were trained in, resulting in a Korean-meets-American comfort food dish. Lu and Garcia fuse their love of tteok, or rice cakes, and macaroni and cheese for a crispy, chewy, umami-loaded creation, layered with mushrooms, yellow bean béchamel, and spiced panko.

Each year, locals turn to Viet-Cajun restaurants for their annual crawfish fix. Mainstays like Crawfish & Noodles, South X Saigon, and 88 Boiling are considered Crustacean Central for hungry Houstonians eager to snap up mounds of crawfish slathered in garlic butter and all the standard seafood-boil fixins. In the offseason, though, diners turn to this Bellaire Boulevard hot spot for blue crabs, snow crabs, and shrimp. Get them fried and served salt-and-pepper style, with tamarind, or bathed in the restaurant’s spicy secret sauce alongside sausages, potatoes, corn on the cob, and a helping of rich butter.

Burger Bodega chef Abbas Dhanani is known for rotating chef collaborations that reimagine his beloved smashburgers. The result? A chapli burger from Mayank Istwal of the Michelin-starred Indian restaurant Musaafer, a pita burger from chef Rafael Nasr of Craft Pita, and a khao soi–influenced burger by James Beard Award–winning chef Benchawan Jabthong Painter of Street to Kitchen. One of the most recent standouts: the Chòpd prawn roll by chef Ope Amosu of the West African restaurant ChòpnBlk. With a Cameroon pepper shrimp patty, African salad cream, chopped cheese add-ins, suya spice, and pickled onions, this burger was a cultural flex between two brilliant minds.

This acclaimed restaurant located near Houston’s Mahatma Gandhi District has dazzled foodies since it opened in 2004. Led by chef-owner and James Beard semifinalist Kaiser Lashkari, Himalaya stands out for its Indo-Pak-Texas offerings, which range from masala shepherd’s pie to its HFC. Lashkari’s skinless, yet incredibly crispy Himalaya Fried Chicken is first marinated in Indian spices, then deep-fried, and served with a side of tangy mustard sauce that has captivated locals and celebrities alike. Bizarre Foods host Andrew Zimmern famously praised Lashkari’s take on fried chicken after his visit in 2018.

At this modern, family-owned Indian restaurant, Navul Nanda embraces Houston’s reputation as a melting pot by occasionally introducing new fusion dishes to the menu. A clever play on the classic bagel sandwich pays homage to Noon Mirch’s Indian roots by seasoning naan like an everything bagel and adding cream cheese, smoked salmon, and a side of capers and Italian Vidalia onions. Noon Mirch also plans to tap into the pumpkin spice craze later this year with the comeback of its pumpkin-flavored curry during the holiday season.

Chef Nick Wong gets playful at Agnes and Sherman, an Asian American diner inspired by his Bay Area upbringing and culinary experiences around the country. Egg foo young is a popular Chinese American dish, particularly in the Northeast, but Wong gives it a Gulf Coast twist. Traditionally made with rice, eggs, gravy, and protein, such as shrimp, chicken, or beef, the dish gets a touch of Southern nostalgia from gumbo gravy made with crawfish and green onions.

Both locations of chef Rafael Nasr’s restaurant showcase his Lebanese heritage, featuring various creamy spreads, kebabs, za’atar, and cheese man’oushe (flatbreads), as well as Lebanese wines and olive oils, and pita stuffed to the brim with protein. Nasr also pays homage to his Texas roots: Similar to his Mediterranean heritage, he favors stuffing the most delicious ingredients into another treasured vessel—tortillas. Craft Pita’s Texas-Mediterranean menu (Tex-Med, for short) blends a Lone Star State favorite with Lebanese flavor. Think tortillas layered with beef, tahini, and perfectly crisped fries and pickles; falafel with turnips, red cabbage, and mint; and a chicken taco slathered in the silkiest garlic aioli. Order a single taco for $4–5 to try them all, or opt for a taco meal that includes rice pilaf and hot sauce for added spice.

A Peruvian of Japanese descent, chef Masaru Fukuda grew up eating his family’s treasured recipes. His mom would typically prepare Peruvian dishes, while his grandma made maki and onigiri using fresh vegetables and rice. Now, Fukuda fuses the best of both worlds at Pacha Nikkei, where he leans into Nikkei cuisine with precision and imagination. Diners can expect Instagrammable ceviches, pisco-based cocktails, and a lomo saltado that’s a striking fusion of beef stir-fry and cheesy comfort. While also served in a more traditional form with beef tenderloin and rice, Pacha Nikkei serves this Peruvian dish with macaroni and cheese made from a combination of huancaina béchamel, Parmesan, Gouda, and cheddar cheese.