Dishes & Drinks >>

• Best Cabrito
  Hugo's
  Goat isn't the kind of meat you just throw on the grill and smother with a slice of cheddar. Roasted long and slowly, good cabrito is as hard to come by in Houston as a village campfire. But the closest thing you'll find to the real deal -- the Mexican pueblito method of steaming a cabra whole... More >>
• Best Chicken-Fried Steak
  Hickory Hollow
  Whether you're fulla bull or not, if you want to feel fulla beef, no place satisfies like Hickory Hollow. Offering three sizes of the national steak of Texas, the Hollow has a plate suited for every appetite. The Plowman's Meal is described as "jest right fer lunch," but it's so large that... More >>
• Best Milk Shake
  Becks Prime
  The Hershey's chocolate milk shake at Becks Prime is the epitome of what a milk shake should be: thick, extra-creamy and ice cold. It's so thick that you can't possibly drink it through a straw -- that's why they provide a spoon with every order. The creaminess and unbelievable mouth feel come... More >>
• Best Pimento Cheese
  Janice Schindler's Words & Food
  If the Goddess of Pimento Cheese does not sound like a glamorous title, then you've never had Janice Schindler's pimento cheese. The former food editor of The Houston Post and the Houston Chronicle whips up a concoction that will make you forever forget that pale, pinkish spread found in... More >>
• Best Crepes
  CoCo's Crepes & Coffee
  It used to be that crepes and Houston went together like tea parties and Hummers. Maybe that hasn't changed, but at least Houston now has an actual creperie -- and a good one at that. CoCo's Crepes & Coffee, which opened last year, serves a savory crepe that would make a San Franciscan or... More >>
• Best Dim Sum
  Kim Son
  There's always a huge crowd on hand at Kim Son's Stafford location on Saturday and Sunday mornings, so you might have to sit outside and wait for a table. But it's worth it; the selection of dim sum there is the best in the city. But no matter how well you order at Kim Son, there's always one... More >>
• Best Indian Desserts (1 Comment)
  Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (BAPS)
  Indian desserts are harder to find than Indian curries, but they're no less important to Indians. Anyone who has seen Deepa Mehta's film Water knows that a saccharine gulab jamun can be transcendent. And no place makes better dessert for the soul than one of the area's authorities on matters of... More >>
• Best Margarita (1 Comment)
  El Palenque Mexican Restaurant
  There are margarita lovers, and then there are margarita borachos. A truly great margarita bar appeals to both. And by that measure -- as well as its (literally) mind-numbing selection -- El Palenque is the best margarita joint in town. Before 8 p.m., $5.50 will buy you a frozen margarita big... More >>
• Best Bread
  EatZi's<
  Nothing is simpler and more satisfying than a slice of bread and butter, and for sheer variety, you won't beat the fresh bread at eatZi's. Long or round, soft or crispy, regular or whole wheat, plain or flavored, savory or sweet, sliced or whole -- any way you like your bread, you're bound to... More >>
• Best Veal Marsala
  Maggiano's Little Italy
  If two is better than one, then three is definitely better than two. All of the dishes at Maggiano's are served family-style, and when you order their wonderful veal Marsala, you get three large slices of meat -- plus enough mushrooms to cover the entire platter -- for scarcely more than what... More >>
• Best Ceviche
  Mambo Seafood
  Ceviche has to be the simplest way to prepare fish. All you do is marinate it in lime or lemon juice with some hot peppers and salt, and the result is fish that's both chewy and tender. At Mambo, they are true to the tradition of serving ceviche made with only white fish, uncomplicated by any... More >>
• Best Doughnuts (1 Comment)
  Shipley Do-Nuts
  Maybe it's because the shops were born right here in Houston. Maybe it's because it's still a family-run business and there really is a Mr. Shipley who oversees the 200 or so company-owned and franchised stores. Maybe it's because Shipley's hasn't changed its recipe much in more than 70 years.... More >>
• Best Hamburger
  Goode's Armadillo Palace
  The big puffy buns tighten around the slippery burger patty, keeping the sandwich hanging together perfectly even though the half-pound of fresh-ground USDA Choice sirloin is extremely juicy. Garnished with lettuce, tomato, mustard and mayo and served in a basket with fries, this is a classic... More >>
• Best Crawfish (1 Comment)
  Floyd's Cajun Seafood House
  If you like your mudbugs extra-spicy, this is the place for you. Floyd's cooks them in a peppery boil and then dusts them with a cayenne-heavy spice blend. Your lips will burn for hours no matter how many beers you wash them down with. And yet there are Floyd's patrons who douse their crawfish... More >>
• Best Burrito
  Chuy's
  "Big as yo' face" burritos have been a specialty at Chuy's since long before McDonald's got into the burrito business with the Chipotle chain. Chuy's regular burritos are stuffed with your choice of ground sirloin, chicken or fajita meat and then served with beans, cheese and the sauce of your... More >>
• Best Gelato
  Black Walnut Cafe
  Try the rich, fluffy version of the classic Italian ice cream at this Rice Village restaurant at your own risk -- you could lose your taste for Blue Bell. The flavors change daily. Sometimes they don't have chocolate, but they just might have such alluring choices as mango, strawberry,... More >>
• Best Macaroni and Cheese
  Gravitas
  Gravitas earned its reputation as the hippest kitchen in the city by reinterpreting slow-food classics. Chefs Jason Gould and Scott Tycer put an Alpine spin on macaroni and cheese with an item the menu calls housemade German spaetzle baked with Gruy�re. The dish brilliantly combines delicate... More >>
• Best Caesar Salad
  Sabor
  The Sabor version of a Caesar salad is a return to the dish's glorious past. Made on a cart at tableside in a big wooden bowl with a coddled egg, plenty of anchovies and a host of other ingredients, Sabor's Caesar dressing is closely patterned on the original, which was invented by Italian... More >>
• Best Cheeseburger
  Stanton's Super Market
  Often overlooked as a burger mecca because of its lack of tables, this shabby convenience store serves the most impressive cheeseburger in town. The greatness starts with a half-pound, hand-formed patty mounted on an oversize, well-toasted sesame-seed bun. Go "all the way," and the adornments... More >>
• Best Sushi
  Uptown Sushi
  The fish seems fresher and the sushi chefs seem sharper at Uptown Sushi than anywhere else in town. On weekends, expect to dine among dressed-to-the-teeth singles mingling to a throbbing techno soundtrack. The sashimi is top-notch, and the raw Kobe beef is extremely popular. But it's the edgy,... More >>
• Best Oysters
  Willie G's Seafood &
  Steak House
  When the water in Galveston Bay gets cold and the oysters start to get plump, we head to Willie G's oyster bar, where the shuckers are top-notch and they always seem to get the smallest, freshest and sweetest oysters. It's too bad they don't have a Muscadet or other extremely tart and very... More >>
• Best Barbecued Crabs (2 Comments)
  Sartin's Seafood
  When you order barbecued crabs at Sartin's, the top shells and the messy innards are removed in the kitchen. What's left are spicy, meaty crab bodies (with two claws attached) that taste like a cross between barbecue and Cajun deep-fried seafood. The dish was invented in Sabine Pass, the corner... More >>
• Best Dumplings
  Doozo Dumplings and Noodles
  There are many opinions as to what makes Doozo's dumplings so good. "It's the dough," one source says. "The dough is handmade." "Definitely the sauce," says another. "You don't have to bother with the spicy one, because the regular is so good." Really, Doozo has hit on a combination of all good... More >>
• Best Sangria
  Bossa
  Sangria, although simple to make, can be a tricky thing; it's often too sweet or tastes too much like a glass of cheap red wine. Bossa's sangria is fruity and just sweet enough without going over the top, and it's served in a pint glass with crushed ice and wedges of orange and lime. Although... More >>
• Best Cheap Sandwich
  Lee's Sandwiches
  Lee's is a sandwich mecca, bread factory and dessert carnival, all under one roof. Open 24 hours every day, Lee's serves up a large variety of Vietnamese and traditional American sandwiches for $1.85 to $2.15. If that's not enough to get you sprinting to this Chinatown spectacle, they also bake... More >>
• Best French Fries
  Cafe Montrose
  They're not curly, they're not seasoned, not wedged, not shoestring, not waffled, but they are some damn good fries. Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, Cafe Montrose's french fries actually taste like the potatoes whence they came. In the Belgian tradition, these fries are meant to... More >>
• Best Mussels
  The Black Labrador
  Mussels are not the first thing that comes to mind when most Houstonians think about the Black Lab. There's the beer, of course, and the fireplace and the classic British fare, but shellfish? Steamed in white wine with tomatoes and garlic, these mussels are tasty, and the broth is great for... More >>
• Best Nachos
  El Tiempo Cantina
  What sets apart the nachos at El Tiempo are the toppings: You can choose from brisket, chorizo, veggies, carnitas, fajitas, crabmeat and shrimp. The waitstaff is very accommodating, so if you want to mix it up, they're happy to combine ingredients, add stuff or go half and half -- perfect for... More >>
• Best Plantains
  Tex Chick
  It's called mofongo; that's Puerto Rican for a great plantain dish. Don't go looking for a "heart-healthy" sign on the menu for this one, and once you read the list of ingredients, you'll understand why. A mortar is filled with garlic, chicharrón (the fatty, crispy kind, not pork rinds), olive... More >>
• Best Kebabs
  Darband Shish Kabob
  Darband Shish Kabob specializes in -- what else? -- kebabs. So it should come as no surprise that they offer a large selection, ranging from $5 to $7 per plate. Choose from among the kubdeh (ground beef), chengeh (lamb), shish (beef chunks), barg (beef sirloin strips) or chello (ground lamb).... More >>
• Best Pasta
  Pappardelle Campagnolo
  Handmade, one-inch-wide ribbon pasta, handmade fennel-laced, spicy sausage (made by "Mr. C," Johnny Carrabba's father), sweet red peppers, onions, tomatoes, a big slice of goat cheese that slowly melts as you eat the dish, creamy sauce, lots of Parmesan cheese...Need we say more about the... More >>
• Best Tart
  Coconut almond cream cheese tart
  The coconut almond cream cheese tart at Tart Cafe contains almost everything people love, with the exception of chocolate. The dessert has a thick pastry shell, giving it the appearance of a mini-quiche at least an inch thick and four inches in diameter. The moist coconut cream cheese is mixed... More >>
• Best Wings (2 Comments)
  Jazzie Cafe
  "Jazzie Cafe Famous Hot Wings and Po-Boys," reads the sign on top of the newly painted red, blue and yellow building on 19th Street near Beall. And if they're not famous yet, maybe they will be someday. Jazzie's sweet-hot chile chicken wings are coated with a thick sauce that tastes like a... More >>
• Best Salsa (1 Comment)
  Taqueria Tacambaro
  There are two salsas available at this taco truck located behind Canino Produce on Airline. One is iridescent green with a tart tomatillo base and the fiery flavor of fresh serranos; it's superb on chicken gorditas and on the sublime tacos de tripita (tripe). The other sauce is a deep, dark... More >>
• Best Mojito
  Beso
  Call us purists, but we love enjoying a good mojito in distinctly South American environs. And when we want to sip on the pretty, minty cocktail and watch pretty people, we head to Arturo Boada's Beso (Spanish for "kiss"). Downtown scenesters, young professionals and hip South Americans flock to... More >>
• Best Sake
  Zake Sushi Lounge
  The bass booms at the chic Zake Lounge, where Asian hipsters with asymmetrical hair mingle with Inner Loop hotties in halter tops and Montrose bohos in Birkenstocks. While amped-up dance versions of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way" (huh?) and Paul Simon's "Call Me Al" (WTF?) throb overhead, regulars... More >>
• Best Bloody Mary
  Griff's
  Much like a foamy pint of Guinness, a Bloody Mary is a drink that eats like a meal. And when you're faced with returning to the sober world on a Sunday morning -- but need a little help -- there are few better meals than a Bloody Mary. But the drink requires work: a dash of pepper, Tabasco,... More >>
• Best Nan
  Khyber North Indian Grill
  You can hear the slaps as soon as you walk in the door. The thuds emanate from behind the counter of Khyber North Indian Grill, where a chef painstakingly pounds dough into plate-size discs, which are then toasted in a tandoor oven. Out they come, steaming, delicately crisp on the surface and... More >>
• Best Martini
  The Davenport
  Sure, it's cool to sip a $12 martini on a cushy chaise longue in a chic hotel bar. But sipping a cheap martini while sitting thigh-to-thigh with strangers on a cramped couch in front of a fireplace -- a televised fireplace? That's cool. That's the Davenport. The place is so cozy (casually... More >>
• Best Mint Julep
  Under the Volcano
  Let's hope the new management of the Cotton Exchange Bar brings back their once-legendary mint julep. Offering premium spirits, elephant ear-sized mint leaves and a special silver tumbler, the club served the best in town. Until that happens, we'll stick with the mixmasters at Under the Volcano.... More >>
• Best Salad
  Barnaby's Cafe
  Not many salads can last for three meals, but Barnaby's chicken Mediterranean salad does it consistently. The whole affair starts with a massive plate of shredded lettuce. Then come the thin, crunchy red onions, slices of roma tomatoes, some plump black olives and a mound of seasoned chicken,... More >>
• Best Breakfast Tacos
  Brothers Taco House
  Few portable breakfasts can rival the chorizo-and-egg breakfast taco. Problem is, you're likely to suffer a coronary after the second one, they're so drenched with oil and grease. Not so with the version at Brothers Taco House. The venerable little East End stand offers a version of this... More >>
• Best Empanadas (1 Comment)
  The Original Marini's Empanada House
  The Marini family started their storefront shop in the early '70s, and they've been a Houston favorite ever since. Three generations of this Argentine family have been serving up fresh, flaky dough with authentic, traditional fillings. And some not-so-traditional fillings (nacho empanadas,... More >>