Houston’s status as a food capital is well-established, even if the city’s culinary delights are still underrated by some. If you’re planning a night out on the town and want to indulge in something the Bayou City is well-known for, here are seven Houston dishes to consider.
Bone Marrow Pho at Pho Binh by Night
Anthony Bourdain loves Houston’s Vietnamese food, and so do many Houstonians. Something about the bone marrow that simmers into the pho broth at Pho Binh by Night makes it distinct from other Vietnamese soups. Fair warning: The bone marrow soup is oily and a bit fatty.
Campechana Ectra at Goode Company Seafood
On the opposite site of the fatty/heavy meal spectrum, the Campechana de Mariscos Extra at Goode Company Seafood is basically a scrumptious seafood salad tossed with a seriously good salsa dressing. Everything in the dish is fresh. It’s only mildly spicy (you can add as much jalapeño as you’d like), and it’s reasonably priced.
Chicken Fried Steak + The Works at Ouisie’s Table
Several restaurants in Houston are renowned for their chicken-fried steak, but Ousie’s Table consistently ranks among the very best. Ousie’s Table puts effort into every component of this celebrated dish. The crust encourages you to enjoy every bite of fried food you eat, and the peppercorn buttermilk gravy is as memorable. If you have an appetite, get The Works by ordering sides of black-eyed peas, corn-pudding souffle, and mustard greens.
Ostiones Asados at Caracol
There aren’t many places you can find wood-roasted Gulf oysters dressed with creamy chipotle butter. Even if you do find this Houston delicacy elsewhere, you’d be hard-pressed to find them with more flavor than Hugo Ortega’s at Caracol.
Tony’s Pansoti
Pansoti has firm footing in Houston’s culinary lexicon. This is because Tony’s pansoti, stuffed with squash and flavored with Parmesan puff and sage essence, makes an appearance on many lists of the best Houston dishes. Even if pansoti doesn’t appeal to you, look into checking out Tony’s at some point if you haven’t eaten there. Head chef Tony Vallone has been wowing diners with his Italian-inspired cuisine for more than 50 years. If squash doesn’t quite suit your fancy, the Houston Press approved chicken cannelloni at Tony’s is a popular option.
Parilla at Churrascos
Churrascos celebrated its grand opening on the once-in-a-century date of August 8, 1988. If it wasn’t destined to make a name for itself, it sure must have tried. And succeed it did. The parilla, or Latin American barbecue, is what this places is best known for. Other South American favorites, including arepas, ceviche, and empanadas, can also be enjoyed here. The signature parilla dish here is chimichanga chargrilled churrasco.
Fried Chicken at Frenchy’s
You can get fried chicken everywhere in the country. Soon enough, that may even be true of Frenchy’s fried chicken. For now, the franchise is still relatively limited. Heavily influenced by New Orleans cuisine, Houston food lovers can’t ignore friend chicken, especially creole-style. The original Frenchy’s certainly deserves mention as a place serving up one of the most iconic Houston dishes.
Do any of these beloved Houston dishes appeal to you? If yes, then add them to your dining bucket list. Houston has excellent restaurants that can compete with the country’s best in ambience and every type of ethnic food. Still, there’s something special about eating food associated with the Bayou City.
What are your favorite Houston dishes? Tell us why you like them in the comments.
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View All Posts by Jason Ernst