Houston's roster of fine wine specialists has exploded in recent years, in part thanks to the city's rapid growth and the legion of sommeliers who have moved here from other states seeking opportunity in one of the country's hottest restaurant markets. But this year's "best sommelier" award has to go to one of the city's homegrown sons, Jaime de Leon, who started working as a bagger at Kroger three decades ago and nimbly climbed his way to the top of the supermarket behemoth's wine program to become one of its flagship buyers. The Sam Houston High School alumnus not only runs what is widely considered to be one of the best retail programs in the city (highly unusual for a supermarket), but he is also the inspiration for the Heights location's wine bar — a first for the chain. Kroger in turn has underwritten de Leon's bid to join the hard-to-crack ranks of the Court of Master Sommeliers, a title he is sure to snag in the next few years. De Leon also mentors aspiring Houston wine professionals, leading more than one of the city's tasting and study groups. A bona fide sommelier's sommelier, he is the embodiment of connoisseurship and — most important — hospitality.

Pho Dien appeared on our list of the ten best bowls of pho in Houston back in September of last year, and it also won the Best of Houston honors for having the city's best pho in 2013 and 2016. So what makes this noodle soup reign supreme again and again? A consistent combination of fragrant, clear broth, high-quality proteins and other ingredients, and a restaurant with a mom-and-pop look and feel that continue to attract a line of diners stretching out the door every day. Bowls are big, at $7.75, and a serious bargain.

It's common to get a little overwhelmed when you visit a Brazilian steakhouse. So abundant are the offerings that your eyes always tend to be a little bit bigger than your stomach, and at Chama Gaucha, this is certainly true. From the minute you set your table button to green, signaling that the gauchos should bring food, it's kind of like telling them, "Bring it on." The meat procession here is nothing short of dazzling. It's succulent, plentiful and fresh from the rodízio, and you have your pick of the wildly popular picanha prime sirloin, fraldinha bottom sirloin, filet mignon, rib eye, cordeiro rack of lamb and more. But if the meats are satisfying here, so too is the salad bar, where the 30-plus offerings ranging from cheese and charcuterie to the traditional build-your-own salads and prepared items such as marinated mushrooms easily rival any all-you-can-eat joint in town. A less belt-busting experience is also available in the form of happy hour and an a la carte lunch and dinner menu.

The xiao long bao at Chinatown's One Dragon has quietly been known as one of the city's great soup dumplings for years, but just recently we were able to confirm that indeed it wins this year's honor for the absolute best soup dumpling. Houston Press contributor Mai Pham has called them "some of the soupiest soup dumplings I've had in Houston." At this tiny mom-and-pop shop, six gloriously wrapped dumplings come in each order for $5.99. The fragrant, gingery broth and pork filling are contained in a steaming-hot, incredible wrap that's actually thinner than it appears. The flavor of the dumpling stands on its own without any need for the additional ginger and vinegar sauce, so just skip the dip and slurp it all up instead.

It's hard not to love everything at Himalaya. Lovingly presided over by chef-proprietor Kaiser Lakshari, this is one of those hole-in-the-wall mom-and-pop places that give us reason to love hole-in-the-wall mom-and-pop places. The daily changing combo platter, which comes with two curries, an appetizer, vegetable dish and choice of basmati rice or naan, is a steal. The biryani is some of the best, if not the best in the city. The curries are rich and complex, teeming with intense spice and flavor. Even the fried chicken is excellent — marinated in spices, boneless, gluten-free and served with creamy dipping sauce. Make no mistake, when you visit Himalaya, you can expect to feast without breaking the bank. The fact that it's BYOB with no corkage fee is just icing on the cake.

It has taken more than two years, but the transformation from Table on Post Oak to La Table is now complete. Très chic and très français, La Table has emerged as the French destination restaurant in Houston, designed with three distinct areas to fit your mood and budget. Upstairs, fine dining and discreet, five-star service consistently impress at Château, where you can indulge in luxe offerings like rack of lamb and whole roasted chicken carved at the table in a sumptuous setting. Downstairs, Marché’s warm bistro, bar and patio are perfect for the more casual classics such as quiche, steak frites and chicken paillard. Don’t leave without stopping at bakery counter Macarons for a baguette or one of La Table’s exquisite pastries (the pistachio tarte and canelé de Bordeaux are musts) to go, and be Instagram-ready, because everywhere you look, there’s a great shot.

How do we pick just one steak night as the best? It's easy when a Midtown neighborhood favorite has continued to sizzle every Tuesday night since 2007. At Front Porch Pub, the marinated steaks are grilled over hot coals while hungry meat-lovers gather on a massive wooden deck. Starting at 6:30 p.m., for $15, a 16-ounce hand-cut rib eye is presented with a choice of baked potato, french fries or salad. The steaks are huge and full of flavor. These days, steak nights are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Texas Tuesdays, stay for some mind-twisting trivia and fun on the patio; there's a special with $1 off all Texas beers and liquors. On Thursdays, the drink specials include $3 domestic bottles and $15 domestic buckets.

Did you know that pancake flights existed? Judging by the crowd that forms outside the Montrose location of this morning bastion each and every weekend (and some weekdays too), it seems as though the word is out. The Denver import gained cult status pretty much immediately upon opening, and has since opened a second location in Town & Country Village and announced plans for both Heights and Cinco Ranch locations on the horizon. Hit any location to savor the aforementioned pancake flight, with your choice of flavors ranging from the classics, chocolate chip and blueberry, to the inspired, sweet potato buttermilk and pineapple upside-down cake. Craving something savory? Devoted fans of hollandaise will be pleased to find it offered in several iterations, including a smoked cheddar version over ham and eggs Benedict. Breakfast is offered daily, beginning bright and early at 6:30 a.m.

It starts when you walk in the door, a wall of lockers that you and your kids can tag with a Sharpie all middle-school style, scrawling your name or a peace sign or whatever your poison is. At the host stand, they'll hand you the kids menus, a veritable activity book that will let your progeny get crazy with crayons while you yourself can dive right into a frozen cocktail or ancho chile Pimm's Cup at the full bar, which also specializes in bourbon, beer and boozy milkshakes as well. The great family appeal of Bernie's Burger Bus is vast. You'll find it in the menu, which rocks juicy burgers, housemade lemonade and crazy-good sweet potato fries. You'll find it in the bright yellow school bus that rode right out of 1986 and into this Heights eatery to house the kitchen. And most certainly you'll see it in the lingering smiles of your kids as they drift off to sleep on the ride home, exhausted from an epic meal and probably with some milkshake left to enjoy later.

Sinful chocolate chip cookies and gourmet chef collaborations? There's only one pastry chef in town who takes baking and repping Houston to another level and that's Rebecca Masson of Fluff Bake Bar. Masson's exceptional bakery in Midtown is also home to an endless schedule of incredible pop-up brunches and dinners that feature famous visiting chefs from across the country. She started these, she told the Press this year, just so her staff doesn't get bored at the tiny bake shop. Lucky for us, that means delicious meals that you know will end with epic desserts. In the spring Masson paired up with Louie Mueller Barbecue to make brisket croissant sandwiches at Houston Barbecue Festival, and if you were lucky enough to taste them, you'd understand that everything Masson seems to touch is pastry magic. It's no surprise, then, that she makes her signature unicorn cookies, which are the best sugar cookies in town.