Beef Pho Kolache. If you distilled Houston into a bakery, it would look a little like Koffeteria. And if you distilled the Koffeteria experience into one pastry, it would be the beef pho kolache. The interior tastes just like lemongrass and beef pho, but the broth-soaked bread holds just the right amount of liquid to keep the outside from getting soggy.

Nancy Cakes. Hundreds of restaurants serve bread, but those buns, flatbreads, and loaves pale in comparison to the Nancy Cakes. We like to use each puffed-up orb to make little sandwiches with the provided cultured butter and trout roe. These fluffy cakes are worth a trip to Nancy’s Hustle all on their own.

Steak Fajitas. Mama Ninfa, the original owner and restaurant’s namesake, is credited as the inventor of the fajita. While the fact-check is still out on that, the sizzling strips of steak here are undeniably excellent. Order extra flour tortillas so you don’t have to compromise a single bite.

Smoked Duck Gumbo. Rainbow Lodge turns a simple bowl of gumbo into something extraordinary by adding smoked duck. The move fits the overall hunter-gatherer theme of the 100-year-old log cabin restaurant. Every bite tastes like duck, a medium-bodied roux makes the soup thick but not too thick, and there's plenty of that quintessential depth a gumbo needs to be great.

Beef Patties. If this decades-old Jamaican restaurant had a mascot, it would be its beef patties. Reggae Hut's flaky, golden turnovers come stuffed with ground beef, and their scotch-bonnet spice intensifies with every bite. The next time you need to feel something, order one and raise your basal temperature a few degrees.

Wings And Waffles. If you've ever driven by The Breakfast Klub in Midtown, you’ve probably seen the line extending outside. The wings and waffles explain the wait. Even without maple syrup, the waffle batter is subtly sweet (though you should get the syrup anyway—it's literally on tap). And the crispy wings are a great salty, deep-fried balance to that golden waffle covered in powdered sugar.

Kolache. Ask any Texan: the klobasnek is iconic. And in Houston, the best place to find one is The Original Kolache Shoppe. By 7am, a line forms, and folks are grabbing hot kolaches by the dozen. We like the classic smoked sausage and cheese with a 1:1 bread-to-meat ratio (one part sweet, puffy bread to one part snappy kielbasa) or the triangle-shaped kolaches stuffed with jam or cream. Ordering just one is a waste of a trip.

Bánh Mì. For bánh mì, Cali Sandwiches & Phở in Midtown is an institution. The seating may be a little uncomfortable, and the service slightly chaotic, but the bánh mì is really f*cking good. Crispy bread gets smeared with a fatty, rich mayo concoction that does things regular mayo doesn’t. And each sandwich is stuffed to the absolute limit with grilled pork or fried tofu, but somehow, there’s more in there.

Breakfast Tacos. Locals know that making it through the order line at Laredo Taqueria unscathed is a Houston rite of passage. This place has a lot of posted rules. The most prevalent (and important): every taco automatically comes on fresh flour tortillas. While you can ask for corn, we don’t recommend it. Embrace the flour life, then stuff that tortilla full of whatever you want, especially fluffy eggs and bacon.

Chicken Fried Steak. Everything here screams, “This is Texas, pard’ner,” especially the chicken fried steak. Only attempt the saddle-blanket-sized “large rancher” portion if you haven’t eaten in two weeks or you’re dining with your horse. Every bite of this milanese country cousin is crunchy, beefy, salty, and swimming in thick country gravy.

Beef Tartare. The tartare at Nobie’s in Montrose combines a trifecta of Lone Star State specialties into a lick-the-plate-clean tartare. It has thick, buttered Texas toast, a dollop of deviled egg aioli, and a hint of smoke (any Texan’s kryptonite) from soft jalapeños chopped together with firm, beautiful beef and capers. And there's a fiery bottle of hot sauce on the side, so no need to break into the stash in your bag.

Hara Masala. We never get tired of the food at this classic Pakistani and Indian restaurant or sitting in its lived-in, warm dining room plastered with press clippings on the walls. And the one dish that's always in our order is the hara masala. The Hyderabadi curry is the most pleasant shade of bright green thanks to the chilies, cilantro, and a yogurt base. It gets hotter and hotter the more you eat, but always stays tangy and balanced.

Viet-Cajun Crawfish. Houston knows crawfish. And when we think of Viet-Cajun, Crawfish & Noodles is the first place that comes to mind. This spot is one of the pioneers, and they've remained consistent through the years, slathering mudbugs in a healthy coating of garlic, citrus, and cayenne. Add on sausage and potato to your boil—it'll get the same spice treatment every time.

Chopped Beef Baked Potato. Burns Original in Acres Homes is a landmark for East Texas-style BBQ. Everything comes large, with enough smoked meat to feed your family reunion. The chopped beef baked potato is no different. The deceptively large spud probably took two hands to hoist into its styrofoam container. It's barely visible under the mountain of shredded cheese and green onions, but you'll know it's there from all that starch hit with smoky flavor.