So many choices; so little time

The Ultimate Guide to Houston food for Final Four fans

Goode Co. has great barbecue
A Houston classic: Tacos a la Ninfa
Photo by Sarah Rufca
You can't go wrong with Fleming's steak and lobster

Houston's not like other cities — we don't believe in zoning (except for fan zones, of course) and our city limits are bigger than a couple states. So for a visitor or other newbie, it's not not always easy to find what's special and great about H-Town. But don't worry, there's more to Houston than meets the eye, and we're giving you the highlights as only a local can, starting with the food. This is what you want most, right? Well you're in luck, because this is what we do best.

Tex-Mex

First things first: no one comes to Houston without eating some Tex-Mex. Check out the Original Ninfa's on Navigation, where the fajita ("tacos a la Ninfa") were invented 30 years ago. Ninfa's on Nav is a bit out of the way, in a transitional neighborhood east of downtown, but DO NOT make the mistake of thinking any other Ninfa's you see on a busy corner will be the same. It's not.

If Ninfa's is out of range, Cyclone Anaya's has a mix of classic Tex-Mex with some modern flair thrown in, or check out the patio at El Tiempo Cantina or Bryan Caswell's spanking-new El Real Tex-Mex. For a traditional taqueria, hit El Rey (the one on Washington Ave. is open super-late and the drive-thru is always super-packed). For those who think Tex-Mex and Mexican is just a greasy, heavy mess, head to Hugo's where elegant takes on coastal and interior Mexican rule and prepare to have your mind blown. And wherever you go, you're going to want to order the queso.

Burgers & Barbecue

Yes, Houstonians heart our red meat. We're partial to the burgers at Hubcap Grill, a tiny hole in the wall downtown, but Lankford Grocery (bring cash!) and Sparkle's Hamburger Spot are standbys for big, greasy burgers, onion rings, milkshakes (at least at Sparkle's) and picnic table seating. On the west side, The Burger Guys have been earning raves with their gourmet burgers and creative ingredient lists. For a burger in a more upscale environs, we love the versions at Branch Water Tavern and Block 7 Wine Company, not to mention the fajita burger served at the bar at Original Ninfa's.

Goode Co. is practically synonymous with barbecue in Houston (to the dismay of some purists) and you can't get more Texan than ordering up some brisket and a stuffed baked potato and enjoying them on Goode's picnic tables at the Kirby location. Demeris Barbecue is another Houston classic, and the proprietor of Thelma's Barbecue is known for being, shall we say, a character (we'd call her the Barbecue Nazi but we're not risking those ribs). But for the best barbecue in town, we're partial to Luling City Market, a small place hidden in an unassuming strip mall not far from the Galleria.

Steak

To eat like the oilmen, head to Vic & Anthony's downtown where the quality of the menu and service is matched by the opulence of the decor. Pappas Bros. Steakhouse is the crown jewel of a local restaurant empire. Frank's Chop House, housed in a former stables, is a great under-the-radar choice (and their chicken fried steak at lunch is simply to die for). Imports like Fleming's and Del Frisco's are also popular. For something a little South American, head to Samba Grille downtown, where you can go for the churrascuria service or order a la carte.

Global Influence

Houston has one of the most diverse dining scenes in the country, and we like showing it off. For starters, check out the banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches) at Les Givral's and Cali Sandwich. For Mongolian hot pot, hit Little Sheep, in Houston's Little India at the intersection of Hillcroft and Highway 59. We love the pho at Pho Saigon in Midtown. The enormous Chinatown that stretches along Bellaire between 59 and Beltway 8 can be intimidating, but it's worth the adventure: Try Dumpling King (dumplings), Cafe 101 (trendy and Taiwanese), Tofu Village (tabletop barbecue) and Hong Kong Food Street. and newbies should not miss the chance to try boba (also known as bubble tea) at Teahouse or Star Snow Ice.

For exotic flavors and American-style chic, you can't do better than Indika, with delicious high-end Indian fusion. Pondicheri is the new, more laid back spot from the owner of Indika, and Queen Vic Pub & Kitchen is a classic India-via-Britain gastropub. For sushi you can't beat Kata Robata (which is full of genre-busting riffs) as well as Sage 400, Azuma and Soma Sushi's French-Japanese fusion. And Chinese food doesn't get more high-end than at the lovely Gigi's Asian Bistro.

Best of the Best

So often the best restaurants in town don't fit into any neat category. Rest assured, they are all amazing. Robert Del Grande is a Houston food legend, pioneering the southwest cuisine served at his RDG +Bar Annie. Catalan has nothing to do with Barcelona and everything to do with the modernized Southern classics and pork obsession of chef Chris Shepherd. Feast features dazzling dishes in the British nose-to-tail cooking tradition. For a stunning and sophisticated meal, French-tinged Philippe is the newest hotspot and Da Marco and Mark's are favorites that have stood the test of time.

Brennan's of Houston, Haven and Zelko Bistro do elevated Southern food justice, but for the old school version of the classics spend a morning at The Breakfast Klub (don't let the line scare you, it moves quickly). Houston's television-approved chefs hold court at T'afia (where Monica Pope makes fresh, local new American dishes) and Reef (which features Bryan Caswell's seafood-heavy take on Gulf Coast cuisine). For South American food and and multi-sensory experience, check out Michael Cordúa's Américas.

Late Night Bites

You're not a Texan until you've taken advantage of Taco Cabana's 24-hour drive-thru for tortillas and queso at 4 a.m. And for fourth meal, forget the national chains and hit Whataburger — your cabbie will even take you there. If you feel like ordering in, see if you're in the delivery zone for Pink's Pizza, Star Pizza (deep dish only, we recommend the wheat crust) or Luigi's Pizzeria. For if you're hungry and not ready to go home, you can go for Tex-Mex (Spanish Flowers), American comfort food (BRC Gastropub), Cajun (BB's Cajun Cafe), sliders (Little Bigs) or a classic greasy spoon (House of Pies or the Greek-accented Ones-A-Meal).

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Bourdain-inspired chef/writer

Houston chef looks back at barbecue pop-ups with artful new zine

Courtesy of Ryan Grimes

Ryan Grimes has been serving food in bars for more than 10 years.

If you frequent beloved dive bars like Two Headed Dog, Grand Prize Bar or Lil' Danny Speedo's Go Fly a Kite Lounge, there’s a good chance you’ve drunkenly bought food from Knives in Water.

One of several pop-up kitchens that sells and serves bar food on a regular basis, Knives consists of one guy – Baltimore native Ryan Grimes – who knows his way around smoked meats, whether it’s ribs, turkey legs, buffalo wings, or a whole turkey (for Thanksgiving only). When it comes to barbecue, he sees himself as a culinary outlier.

“The art of barbecue can kind of be gatekept by a lot of folks, which is ridiculous,” Grimes tells CultureMap. “I mean, it's three ingredients. It's a lot like punk rock: three chords and the truth, and you’re gonna get it right.

On Saturday, May 24, Grimes will celebrate his 42nd birthday at Midtown bar Two Headed Dog, where he’ll be serving up more than just food. He’ll also debut Papercut, a zine filled with essays, remembrances and, yes, recipes. “A lot of it was taken from previous Instagram posts I had done that I expounded upon,” he says.

With layout and artwork provided by bartender/artist Khrystah Luisa Gorham (who also designed Knives in Water’s logo and T-shirt merch), Grimes included many endearing entries to this brisk read. A 2015 post has him recalling the time he and his father went to the Million Man March when he was 12. A more recent piece has him cooking for his parents and maternal grandparents on Martin Luther King Day. He pays tribute to idol Anthony Bourdain (“I count him as a teacher of sorts, helping me find my own voice through food, culture and adventure.”) as well as an old friend whom he named a wing sauce after.

The issue also runs down the various dishes Grimes tinkered with during the pandemic. “I took a look back at dishes that I had done in the past that I don't do anymore or, for one reason or another, I can't do,” he says. “Maybe they're too complicated or just wouldn't sell well at a dive bar, that kind of thing.”

Papercut is basically a printed primer of the business Grimes has been operating since 2019. “Actually, [The Suffers frontwoman] Kam Franklin was the person that first put the idea in my head to do this, you know, professionally,” he remembers. “I did a dinner party for her. I mean, I can't remember what year it was — 2010, 2012, 2014… She was the first person to say, 'hey, you really got something here. You know, you're talented, your food's good. People seem to dig it.' So I guess you could kind of date it back to that.”

Grimes got the idea for Papercut when he did a pop-up at last year’s Zine Fest Houston, held at the Orange Show. That’s where co-organizer Anastasia “Stacy” Kirages encouraged Grimes to put his thoughts and opinions down on paper. “It took her a while to convince me to do it,” he says. “Stacy's the most personable, likable person on the planet and I admire the hell out of her. So, it was kind of tough.”

After he stopped procrastinating, Grimes found that creating a zine came quite easily to him. “Once I came up with the name, the silly name, it just kind of flew together in the space of maybe two months. I started writing it in February and I was holding a copy of it by late March, maybe early April. But yeah, it didn't take long at all.”

Grimes has a limited number of copies, which he’ll be selling at his pop-ups. Copies will also be available at CLASS Bookstore and Gulf Coast Cosmos Comicbook Co. He isn’t ruling out dropping another volume if demand calls for it. If he does, Grimes assures readers that he’ll have fun with it and not become another culinary clout-chaser. “

Yeah, it's really serious – the business of being a foodie, posting on Instagram and likes and all this stuff,” he says. “The competition is real and this is just a way to say it doesn't have to be that way. You know, you can do all of this yourselves. You and your friends can start a pop-up.

“Starting a restaurant is something that will likely never happen for me,” he continues, “but that doesn't mean that I don't believe in my food and don't believe in my friends that do it as well. Umbrella Fellas, Annie’s Sammies, Tacos Bomberos. These are all pop-ups that are deserving of brick-and-mortar restaurants. They're deserving of all the accolades that we just don't get overshadowed because we're small-time, hanging out in dive bars, serving the people. But that's fine. No one I know is doing this for the laurels. It's just this punk rock DIY ethic that anyone can do this. Yeah, that's the beauty of it.”

chefs writing