Comfort Food Takeout Guide: Sharpstown

Bombay Sweets 

The chaat are too good to pass up at this restaurant with plenty of snacks and a buffet (takeout only). Among the street food–style goodies we love here, there’s the dahi wada, lentil dumplings sunk in a dazzling sea of tangy yogurt and tamarind- and coriander-spiced chutneys; the spicy and bulbous kachori; and its not-spicy cousin, crisp puri stuffed with potatoes, chickpeas, yogurt, chutneys, and crunchy noodles.

Himalaya 

Kaiser Lashkari does a little bit of everything at his beloved Sharpstown restaurant, drawing on everything from his own Pakistani upbringing to the Southern and Mexican cooking techniques he’s picked up since immigrating here to become a chef. The results are culinary creations that snagged a visit from Anthony Bourdain back in 2016, among other accolades for his Indian spice–marinated fried chicken, his chicken curry spiced with tomatillos and cilantro, and other dishes. It all makes for some incredible takeout. You’ll want the paneer biryani, a massive plate of silky cheese cubes, and plenty of chopped vegetables. And the goat masala, naturally, with long-cooked meat in a homey and savory gravy. After that you’ll be ready to take on the world, full belly be damned.

The Horse and the Turtle 

832-335-7434

On the ground level of an office building off of U.S. 59, you’ll find this small, friendly café that you just have to know about to find it serving up pizza and pasta alongside fare infused by Argentinian, Uruguyan, and Italian traditions, all takeout-friendly. We can’t get enough of the homemade empanadas, the buttery dough packed with beef, chicken, spinach-and-cheese, or ham-and-cheese fillings. At lunch, the must-order is a traditional Uruguyan choripán—smoky grilled sausage served in a baguette, just like a hot dog, and accompanied by homemade chimichurri.

Published in the Fall Road Trips issue of Houstonia Mag.