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    Real Luxury Food

    The best French fries in Houston — when the "side" outshines the burger

    Tyler Rudick
    Mar 5, 2013 | 11:11 am

    While French fries might be the greatest culinary invention since early humans developed agriculture, let's not kid ourselves . . . not all fries are created equal.

    Lucky for us, Houston is a town infatuated with the hamburger — and with those grilled patties comes the almighty French fry. Without further adieu, here are 10 of the city's very best.

    Petrol Station

    The fries at Oak Forest's Petrol Station are an absolute personal favorite, especially when topped with rosemary and feta. While they're wonderful on their own or with ketchup, be sure to ask for a side of mayo to get the full Petrol fry experience.

    Green Seed Vegan

    The sweet potato fry can be a tricky little side dish, ranging from too sweet and overly crispy to bland and flimsy. But leave it to vegan innovators Green Seed on Almeda to come up with what could be the best sweet potato fries in town.

    H-Town StrEATS

    Gourmet food truck H-Town StrEATS is on the cutting edge of French fry R&D in Houston these days, offering up a thoughtful Parmesan and truffle oil option as well as beet fries . . . that's right, fries made of beets.

    Coreanos

    Korean fusion truck Coreanos elevates the French fry from an addictive side to an alluring main dish. Take the Three Wise Fries, for example — a plate of carefully-fried potatoes layered with grilled onions, marinated short rib, spicy chicken, twice-cooked pork belly and cheese.

    Down House

    While Down House's fries are spectacular in their own right, it's the locavore restaurant's homemade ketchup that puts them over the top. Do not miss.

    Burger Guys

    With five glorious homemade condiment options — three-herb ranch, chipotle aioli, salted caramel, ketchup and the mysterious-sounding C.J.B. — the Burger Guys enjoy one of the city's most loyal French fry followings. The secret? Duck fat . . . Sorry, vegetarians.

    Hubap Grill

    Ricky Craig's double-fried delights have become a Houston classic since the rabble-rousin' chef unleashed his beloved burgers on the city half a decade ago.

    Little Bigs

    Bryan Caswell's so-called "four-minute" fries are a favorite among Space City foodies. Pair them with a butterscotch milkshake to be transported to another dimension.

    Niko Niko's

    Bold and beautiful, the fries at Niko Niko's are spot on with just the perfect amount of Mediterranean spices. Plus, you get a chance to use all those amazing gyro condiments like tzatziki and tahini.

    Hay Merchant

    Hay Merchant takes on a Quebec culinary tradition with its own gourmet version on poutine, a plate of fries topped with gravy and cheese curds. The Montrose craft-beer haven replaces the curds with cheddar and adds a gravy made from bacon as well as house-picked peppers.

    Burger Guys

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    Photo by Steven Thomson
    Burger Guys
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    series/htx-best-of-2013

    and the winner is...

    Innovative Houston chef is the city's newest James Beard Award winner

    Eric Sandler
    Jun 17, 2025 | 6:00 am
    James Beard Awards 2025 Thomas Bille Belly of the Beast
    Photo by Getty Images for James Beard Foundation
    Thomas Bille is Houston's newest James Beard Award winner.

    Add another Houston chef to the city’s growing list of James Beard Award winners. Thomas Bille, chef-owner of Belly of the Beast in Spring, earned Best Chef: Texas at the James Beard Foundation’s Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony.

    Held at the Lyric Opera of Chicago on Monday, June 16, Bille was one of five finalists for the award, along with fellow Houstonian Emmanuel Chavez (Tatemo), Emil Oliva (Leche de Tigre in San Antonio), Regino Rojas (Purépecha in Dallas), and Michael Anthony Serva, (Bordo in Marfa). Neither of Houston’s other finalists — Mexico City-inspired cafe Casaema (formerly known as Ema) for Best New Restaurant and fine dining tasting menu restaurant March for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program — earned awards in their categories.

    A Los Angeles native who moved to the Houston area to be closer to his wife’s family, Bille took a winding path to his James Beard Award. He opened the first iteration of Belly of the Beast in 2020 as a chef-driven taqueria that was known for its ceviches and birria tacos. He then spent about a year at Chivos, an ambitious but short-lived Mexican-American restaurant in the Heights.

    In late 2023, he and his wife Elizabeth opened a new version of Belly of the Beast in a Spring shopping center. It showcased a broader array of Bille’s skills, with a wide-ranging menu that pulled from global flavors — lamb shank rendang, anyone? — that included meat, seafood, and pastas. The new restaurant quickly earned wide acclaim, including a Bib Gourmand in the 2024 Michelin Guide and CultureMap Tastemaker Award nominations for both Restaurant of the Year and Chef of the Year.

    “I feel a depth of gratitude,” Bille tells CultureMap in a text message. “Knowing that my wife and I were able to reopen on our own terms. Gratitude for my family, staff, and guests to give us love and support. It is much appreciated.”

    In an interview from the ceremony shared by the James Beard Foundation, Bille paid tribute to his wife, Elizabeth, for her role in the restaurant’s success.

    “The risk that my wife and I took to open this restaurant is more than worth it. My wife left her industry, she was a national director for nonprofit organization,” he said. “I said, ‘We’re going to reopen Belly of the Beast. I need you with me side-by-side the whole time.’ The first iteration she held down her job and supported us. With her at my wide, I’m able to focus on the kitchen, on the food, and mentoring my cooks. Able to see the bigger picture instead of just being in the weeds all the time.”

    Bille is the second Houstonian to win Best Chef: Texas, joining Street to Kitchen chef-owner Benchawan Jabthong Painter, who won in 2023. Since the category of Best Chef: Texas has only been awarded since 2022, Bille is the first man to earn the title. Prior to being its own region, the James Beard Foundation included Texas in the Southwest, where chefs Robert Del Grande (Cafe Annie), Chris Shepherd (Underbelly), Justin Yu (Oxheart), and Hugo Ortega (Hugo’s) all won awards.

    The only other Texas finalist to win his category was Arjav Ezekiel of Birdie's in Austin, who became the first winner of Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service, one of three beverage-oriented categories the foundation added for 2025.

    In addition to Bille and Ezekiel, Texam Chad Houser, founder of Cafe Momentum in Dallas, received the Humanitarian of the Year Award. Toni Tipton-Martin, a Houston-based author, scholar, and journalist, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Houstonian Alba Huerta, who won Outstanding Beverage Program for her bar Julep in 2022, presented one of the night’s awards.

    “It’s with deep celebration that we congratulate the 2025 Restaurant and Chef Award winners — distinguished culinary, beverage, and hospitality leaders whose talent and vision are shaping our dining landscape,” said Clare Reichenbach, CEO, James Beard Foundation, in a statement. “These outstanding professionals are the epitome of ‘Good Food for Good,’ elevating our industry’s standards and redefining what’s possible in American cuisine.”

    James Beard Awards 2025 Thomas Bille Belly of the Beast
      

    Photo by Getty Images for James Beard Foundation

    Thomas Bille is Houston's newest James Beard Award winner.

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