We eff ourselves a dependable easygoing , sit down down repast , but sometimes , ai n’t nobody fix time for that . Before you find yourself in a crunch and running off to the close fast food mega - mountain chain ( we ’re looking at you , guy cable with three days worth of Chik - fil - A cups in his backseat ) , we have a few prompting of way you could show off a little more local sexual love . And by a few , we entail these nine great local chains .
Note : We ’ve subject the listing to a fast - casual ( read : counter - service ) requirement , meaning hometown mini chains like BB ’s and Barnaby ’s do n’t make the gash , despite their excellence .
Hubcap Grill
With Warren Burger shacks in Downtown , Kemah , and the Heights , chef and proprietor Ricky Craig has been deem a demi - god of all thing beef . Hit any locating of the powerhouse grill to get hand - formed , juice - dripping patties stack inside excellent house - made buns . topping will please both the burger purist and wild child , with prime choices browse from ‘ shrooms and jalapeño to Craig ’s magnum opus , the grilled weiner , Francis Bacon , chili & cheese - stacked Quadruple Heart Clogger .
Pizaro’s
Neapolitan - vogue pizzaiolo Bill Hutchinson , who is already killing it with a duo of VPN - evidence , wood - burning pizza pie joints , recently announce plans for a third location . This time , in summation to the piping hot sparse - encrustation pies scorch in a 900 + degree oven , they ’ll be firing up pan - crust Detroit - stylus and crispy New York - style pies . For now , strike one of the two counter - service spots to share blistered PIE clear with piquant soppressata and sweet caramelized pepper to enjoy a astonishingly awesome BYOBdate nighttime .
Pho Binh
Houston ’s most beloved purveyor of pho have grown their mini conglomerate to seven shops , covering all the bases with the later night Pho Binh By Night and an expand menu at the New Heights location . In a metropolis with a Vietnamese community that is so on point , these guys manage to stay relevant with a friendly , fast - casual vibe and seriously good , rich and fatty beef broth . To see all the walking on air , you ’ll need to alternate on silky off-white marrow and crusty banh mi , too .
Local Foods
With a trey of successful shop , this fresh - faced mini concatenation puts the accent on local , as you may understandably see by the lineup of local farm and artisan workshop repped on the menus . Get a lineup of sandwich ( which can also be turned into salads upon asking because # glutenintolerance is a thing , you guy ) packed with heavenly stuff like truffled bollock salad or thebest nut - crusted chicken in America . A roundup of seasonally inspired side and local wines and soapsuds only add to the charm .
Frenchy’s
Since opening the original Scott St location in 1969 , this fried volaille chain has become a bonafide empire . The homegrown wiz has plans to grow to over 500 home franchise locations in the next 10 yr , which is downright impressive . As is their fried volaille . You ’re not a real aliveness Houstonian until you ’ve had a Creole - spiced three piece & biscuit combo complete with dirty rice and a jalapeño accouterment .
Torchy’s Tacos
It did n’t take long for Houstonians to receive this Austin import with queso - covered undefendable arm . Now with an eight - multitude of locations from Webster to the Woodlands , Torchy ’s draws fans in with prominent , bluff taco injected with a bit of hipster serum . Like the Trailer Park , a deep-fried volaille and poblano identification number that you’re able to make “ tatty ” by swap out the clams for immature chile queso ; or the Independent , in which hand - battered Portobellos get an queso fresco , avocado tree , and ancho aioli treatment . laden up as you please , and do n’t miss the off - the - cob street Indian corn .
El Rey Taqueria
This home - team taqueria place a Cuban twisting on traditional tacos with element like mojo sauce , ropa vieja , and deep-fried plantain . But the chain ’s awesomeness go way beyond tacos . change thing up by order a full rotisserie crybaby , which add up spicy and zest with a side of tortillas to shove the meat in . At breakfast , you ’ll need the Egg Cuban , packed with black beans and plantain , and the Chorizo & Egg , pure with a refried bean slather . A standout horchata - infuse iced coffee will help lave thing down nicely .
Goode Company
Sure you may wait two hours at Killen ’s and have # OmgBestBarbecueEVER , but you may pull through fourth dimension popping into this quality hometown chain . The lineage proceed just as fast as the guy slicing the moist , mesquite - smoke brisket in front of your eyes , so you’re able to be in and out of there as tight as you’re able to take down a three - sum plate with brisket , jalapeño sausage balloon , pork ribs , baked bean , and potato salad .
Lotus Seafood
If you do n’t know the terms “ tornado sauce " and “ loud large number , ” you ’ve been doing Houston incorrect and we feel risky for you . But that ’s o.k. , because it ’s not too late to get present with the Lotus Seafood staple , especially since there are three locales at which you’re able to do so . Each is a one - stop - workshop for any seafood you could mayhap hope , from fried lobster , smothered shrimp , and buttery crab leg to Cajun - fashion crawfish boil and massive seafood phonograph record with siluriform fish fillets and fried oysters . Oh , and that “ loud pack ” that you ’re getting with extra “ crevice sauce ? ” That ’d be shrimp and crawfish fried rice with extra spiciness pack with more shrimp and creamy garlic butter sauce .
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Hubcap Grill|Flickr/Adam Baker
Pizaro’s Pizza
Local Foods
Flickr/Mr. Jose Gonzalez
Goode Company
