What to eat in Houston
A port-city melting pot where Texas barbecue, Tex-Mex royalty, and Viet-Cajun inventions collide on one plate.
Five dishes. Zero regrets.
Shipley Do-Nuts
Pillowy hot glazed donuts, hand-cut and fried fresh all day — Lawrence Shipley Sr. created the recipe in Houston in 1936 to survive the city's humidity, and the signature glazed donut remains the best seller nearly a century later.
Try it at: Shipley Do-Nuts shops across Houston
Viet-Cajun crawfish
Boiled crawfish tossed in garlic butter, lemongrass, and Cajun spice — a Louisiana boil reimagined by Houston's Vietnamese community. Sweet, spicy, and impossible to eat politely.
Try it at: Crawfish & Noodles
Sizzling fajitas
Marinated skirt steak served screaming-hot on a cast-iron skillet with charred onions and peppers, wrapped in fluffy flour tortillas. Houston's Ninfa's introduced fajitas to restaurant America in 1973.
Try it at: The Original Ninfa's on Navigation
Wings and Waffles
Crispy golden fried chicken wings paired with a fluffy Belgian waffle dusted in powdered sugar — the signature plate of Marcus Davis's Midtown soul-food institution, where the Saturday line wraps around the building.
Try it at: The Breakfast Klub on Travis Street in Midtown
Savory kolaches
Czech immigrants brought this soft yeast pastry; Houstonians stuffed it with sausage, jalapeño, cheese, and brisket. A warm, pillowy handheld that doubles as breakfast.
Try it at: The Original Kolache Shoppe
