Houston Chinatown Restaurant Guide: The Ultimate Bellaire Food Guide, Where to Eat in Asia Town

If you’re like me and could eat some version of Asian food every day of your life, Houston is heaven. In the most ethnically diverse city in America, it should come as no surprise that the food options mirror the culture with something for every palate. Home to one of the largest Asiatowns in the county, here’s everything you need to explore Bellaire Boulevard.

About 12 miles southeast of downtown, Houston’s Bellaire Boulevard spans multiple miles and is more encompassing than just “Chinatown.” It includes thousands of restaurants from all 48 countries that make up the Asian continent with unique culinary creations from Pakistani to Filipino and truly is a city within the city.

If you’re overwhelmed by options and spoiled for choice, let us help you narrow down where to eat first. Pack your stretchy pants and prepare to eat well in the neighborhood because this is more than a one-day feeding frenzy. If you’re keen on making a food crawl, small bites are key to maximizing your stops.

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For a Top Chef Experience – Houston’s Asian Night Market in Chinatown

While the name’s a bit deceiving as it’s not just at night, Houston’s Asian Night Market is a multi-day, whole weekend affair and something you want to plan around as it only happens every few months. Since its feature on Top Chef, it’s only growing in popularity and has become even more of a Houston foodie must-do. You’ll want to note the location rotates around Chinatown and plan accordingly as some markets are indoor and some are outdoor (and we all know how hot Texas gets in the summertime).

The highly anticipated popup markets feature rows of vendor stalls that transport you from Southeast Texas to Southeast Asia with street food, Chinese dragon dances, and cultural performances. There are skewers of meat and seafood, noodles, buns, and pastries aplenty, but the fresh juices were my jam – the raw sugarcane is pressed right in front of you and simply divine. The papaya salad is also a cult favorite.

The Best Hot Pot in Houston Chinatown

Hot pot is my favorite food by far for its fun interactiveness and that you can completely customize each dish to your liking. You select your soup base, order a variety of meats from the menu, and then load up on noodles, veggies, and whatever creative concoction you can mix up at the sauce bar. Usually, all-you-can-eat spots sacrifice quality for quantity but not Shabu Zone. One of the only restaurants I will go back to again and again, their buffet is enormous. It includes premium meats and seafood like Wagyu for an incredibly reasonable dinner price of less than $30 per person, and lunch, which is even more of a steal under $20.

With over 800 locations across China, Xiao Longkan is Houston’s first outpost of another popular hot pot spot. You’ll get an elaborate greeting by gong and be ushered into a regal setting of intricately carved benches and velvety curtains perfect for date night fit for royalty. You can choose one, two or three base soups plus any other add-ons to cook in the broth. Be warned, though, mild is a non-existent term with even the least spicy base soup swimming in peppers, leaving your lips tingling for more.

The Best Chinese Food in Houston Chinatown

For a traditional dim sum experience in Bellaire, head to Fung’s Kitchen, where the carts continually encircle the table. The menu has over 150 items so bring a crew, come hungry and prepare for a feast. Ocean Palace is another beloved all-day dim sum spot with a family four-pack of four items for $40, a great budget option for dining with a group. If you come for breakfast, House of Bowls Hong Kong French Toast is a delicacy that surprisingly also pairs well with greasy noodles.

Golden Dumpling House has potstickers in all shapes and forms, while One Dragon is an intimate, tiny 10-seat restaurant also known for its authentic soup dumplings. Sinh Sinh is the go-to spot for Peking Duck, which often sells out along with congee and seafood fresh from the tank.

Mian received a Michelin Bib Gourmand designation for their spicy Sichuan noodles, not to be confused with Mein, another favorite Chinese spot on Bellaire for Cantonese dishes like squid ink fried rice, wontons, and scratch-made XO noodles.

The Best Vietnamese Restaurants in Houston

Pho houses are a dime a dozen along Bellaire, and you really can’t go wrong with what I call a hug in a bowl, but beyond being the Vietnamese soup for the soul, who has the best broth a contentious and hotly debated topic. Pho Binh is an award-winner and one the local foodies and chefs swear by.

Saigon Pagolac is beloved for its seven-course beef tasting menu, which costs less than $20 a person and is one of the city’s cheapest feasts. Kim Son has been a staple Houston restaurant for decades and was one of the OG restaurants on Bellaire. They have over 250 recipes passed down from generation to generation. Thien Thanh is another spot that’s been around for decades, featuring traditional dishes like steamed rice rolls. My Baguettes is the spot for killer Banh mis, while Nam Giao rose to fame after being featured on Ugly Delicious, a Netflix show dedicated to food that wasn’t Instagram worthy but still tasted really, really good.

Fun Japanese Restaurants in Houston Chinatown

Pepper Lunch is a unique DIY teppanyaki concept where you grill your own steaks on a hot iron skillet, and Samurai Japanese Steak & Sushi is another hibachi go-to. Tiger Den was Houston’s first spot for ramen fans to slurp up a bowl of soup and get yakitori meat skewers as aside.

Sushi Miyagi is only open a few hours a week, making it one of the most coveted tables in town and a contender for the best sushi in Houston. Post up at the chef’s counter and enjoy sashimi and nigiri the way it was intended, with the freshness of the fish on full display, not slathered in sauces or coated in flakes.

The Best Korean Restaurants in Houston

Tofu Village is exactly what you crave when you want bulgogi, kimchi stew, and vegetable pancakes. Lucky Palace and Jin Korean BBQ are the go-tos for cook at the table Korean BBQ in Houston with all the fixings.

Chung Chun and Bing Su have all kinds of unique Korean rice corndogs with crazy toppings like ramen and potato sugar mozzarella you can pair with soft and squishy mochi donuts for a quick bite. Kids love the unique flavors, and they also host Dalgona candy Squid Game popups.

The Best Thai Food in Houston Chinatown

Tony Thai is a surprising strip mall restaurant with a cozy ornate setting known for its Pad Thai and sticky, crispy chicken wings. Thai Gourmet has thousands of reviews for its authentic curry dishes, while Lemongrass Café offers more of a fusion menu in a modern, well-designed, upscale space.

The Best Cajun Food in Houston Chinatown

Ragin’ for cajun? Crawfish & Noodles is a unique Vietcajun fusion that’s won all the awards, been on all the foodie shows, and maintains a permanent spot on the Eater list of must-eat restaurants in Houston. A multi-time James Beard nominee, chef Trong Nguyen pairs garlicky, buttery mudbugs with traditional pho soup bowls that somehow work perfectly to give you that cravable salty, spicy, savory goodness.

Crawfish Café is another spot for messy boil platters with gulf shrimp and crabs done to your liking with various sauce and spice levels, but save room for the gumbo, oysters, and crawfish eggrolls too. There’s also Crawfish and Beignets for a sweet New Orleans-style treat afterward.

The Most Instagrammable Restaurants and Desserts in Houston

When you’re ready for a sugar rush or to let the camera eat first, cool off at Bae on Bellaire, DIY soft-serve ice cream in a variety of colors, or at Aqua S, soft-serve blanketed in a puffy cotton candy cloud. Matcha Maiko Café offers shaved ice, parfaits, and frozen yogurt authentically harvested in Japan, while Nu Café also has shaved ice “dessert mountains” and bubble teas. If you just need a drink to wash it all down, TEAholic has boba served in whimsical lightbulbs for plenty of Instagrammable food photos.

For a more savory treat, Popfancy Dessert Bar has gluttonous mochi waffle and ice cream creations or a variety of popsicles for a sweet treat on the lighter side. They regularly host themed cosplay nights, so you never know who or what you’ll run into there. Snowy Village boasts bingsu snow mountains and flights of their more Instagrammable mini shot desserts, so you can taste a few things and pair them with a Taiyaki, fish-shaped waffle.

Banh Bao Ngoc Lan has quickly gained a cult following for its character bao buns that are as photogenic as they are tasty. These squishy round buns come with a variety of fillings with everything from quail eggs to durian to snack on. Beard Papas is a global chain across Asia which makes cream puffs stuffed right before your eyes with your choice of toppings and fillings. Or, if you can’t decide, head to 85 degrees, a Taiwanese bakery and cafe with colorful cakes and pastries as far as the eye can see.

The Best Restaurants to Try Something New in Houston Chinatown

One of the best things about Bellaire is its diversity in cuisine. Branch out and try something beyond your comfort zone. Banana Leaf is Malaysian, like a cross between Chinese and Indian, with flavorful rice and noodle dishes. You’ll want to order the roti with curry dipping sauce and spicy laksa noodles. San Dong Noodle House is one of the only Taiwanese spots in the area, while Maharaja Bhog offers an upscale Indian buffet.

Things to do While You’re in Bellaire…

When you need a break from the feeding frenzy, walk it off and shop at Hong Kong City Mall, which is chaotic, full of tchotchkes, and feels like you’ve stepped into Asia. You never know what random souvenir and trinket you may discover you need. With more than 100 shops and a specialty food market, score some unique spices and produce and try concocting your own signature dish. H Mart is another staple for international Asian grocery goodies.

Earned a little R&R? There are dozens of cheap Asian massage parlors and reflexology in Houston waiting to pamper your tired tootsies, many of which you can walk into sans reservation. Amore and Pain Relief Center are two of the more well-known ones which can offer you traditional Chinese acupuncture starting at just $30.

Want to feel like you’ve really been transported across the pond? Photograph the Teo Chew Temple. This stunning Buddhist temple is a tribute to the many deities. Take time to admire the ornate detail and say a little something near the wishing well.

Looking for some late-night entertainment? Embrace your inner K pop star with a bout of karaoke at Happy Zone KTV or Yes KTV. Both offer private rooms (some even Hello Kitty themed) where you can sing your heart out without fear of embarrassment with some liquid courage.

Must-Eat Asian Restaurants in Houston [Further Afield]

Have more time for an eating adventure around Houston? Katy’s infamous Haidilao robot hot pot restaurant is a must for its noodle dances and food delivered by non-human servers, which zip around and keep you on your toes.

Kura is a revolving sushi conveyor belt in Midtown with plates for just a few bucks each if you like playing with your food.

Upscale Indian is also in no short supply, with Pondicheri, a James Beard-nominated modern Indian fusion menu, and Musaafer a stunning feast for the senses, especially the tasting menu.

Or, if you really can’t decide, POST Market is one of Houston’s most eloquently designed food halls and home to international cuisine from almost every continent. I accidentally ordered vegan Thai, and it was some of the best food I’ve ever eaten (and that’s coming from a hardcore carnivore). Try it all and report back!

For a really unique experience, try Dining in the Dark, where you select meat, seafood, or vegetarian and then you’re surprised with a 3-course menu. The waitstaff does a great job describing the texture, temperature and best way to eat each dish, but the idea is that we eat with our eyes, so if you take that away, your other senses are heightened. Our entree ended up being Indian-inspired, but you never know what you might get!

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• Things to do in the Big D…. Dallas, get your mind out of the gutter.
• Instagram Spots and Must-dos for First-Timers in Fort Worth.

If you’re looking for more places to explore, check out these are other intriguing areas in Southeast Texas:

• Baytown: Try geocaching, the art scavenger hunt app, and don’t miss Buc Ee’s, a gas station that has better BBQ, jerky, and snacks than most of America.
• The Woodlands: Pleasantville on steroids, the Woodlands has great shopping, riverfront trails, and one of the best outdoor concert venues in the country.
• Brazosport: Five destinations in one, Brazosport, is one of Southeast Texas’s most accessible beach getaways.
• Beaumont: The Cajun capital of Texas, tour the historic downtown and get your fill of tasty cuisine.
• Corpus Christi: A bit further afield, Corpus is home to thousands of acres of dunes as part of the Padre National Seashore. Try water sports, go horseback riding on the beach, and watch the waves.
• Pearland: Houston’s neighbor to the south promises good eats and photo spots aplenty.

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