You’ll want to slow down and keep your eyes peeled for this stand-alone building with minimal signage. The low-key spot serves homey Salvadoran cuisine all day. Start the El Tipico for breakfast, which includes two eggs, beans, crema, fried plantains, and Salvadoran chorizo. Pupusas are also the go-to here. Choose from bean and cheese, chicharron, and even squash, and don’t forget to top them with encurtido — a condiment made with pickled cabbage and onions.

Huong Sen, which means “lotus flower” in Vietnamese, offers vegetarian and vegan versions of traditional Vietnamese dishes, in a casual but thoughtfully decorated Zen-like setting. Soy-based meats and other ingredients like jackfruit, breadfruit, konjac, and tapioca are used in dishes like the Bun Hue Huong Sen, an adaptation of the spicy pork noodle soup. Clay pots and hotpots, like the Lau Huong Sen — a spicy sweet and sour lemongrass soup served with an ample side of vegetables for dipping — are the specialties here.

Bún Bò Huế, the warm and comforting spicy pork-based Vietnamese noodle soup, has become just as ubiquitous as pho, and this spot is the place to get it. With just one item on the menu, diners can opt for a small or large bowl of soup and then tuck into the flavorful and aromatic stock with noodles, slices of tender beef, fresh herbs, and saté chili that turns the soup into its signature golden red color. Follow it up with nuoc mat, a refreshing artichoke and pandan drink, to cool down the palate.

Tucked on the end of Bellaire Boulevard, this humble and quaint strip mall restaurant is the definition of a mom-and-pop joint. Owned and managed by a husband and wife, the hours and seating are limited but if you stay patient, you’ll be duly rewarded with generously cut sashimi and nigiri, chirashi bowls, maki, and other traditional Japanese dishes like agedashi tofu.

As you drive down Bellaire Boulevard, it’s hard to miss this festive patio and the overhanging roof on which the name “La Cruderia” is painted boldly across. The interior and the food are just as bright and colorful. Classics like tortas and tacos are easily go-tos, but the real draws are the micheladas and the seafood dishes. The Ceviche Yucateco is a tangy combination of fish and shrimp with a refreshing mix of onion, cilantro, cucumber, tomato, avocado, and habanero chili. A section of the menu is dedicated solely to its sweet and savory micheladas options, like the Gummy, a gaudy michelada topped with spicy and sweet candies, sweet and sour sauce, cucumber, Japanese peanuts, and a mango lollipop. The La Golosa — topped with beef jerky, shrimp, picked pork skins, spicy peanuts, and cucumber — is almost a meal in itself.

Though the word “fusion” often feels like a buzzword, the barbecue served at Blood Bros. truly is an amalgamation of classic Texas barbecue with Asian flavors and spices. Alief natives and Blood Bros. co-owners Terry Wong, Robin Wong, and pitmaster Quy Hoang find inspiration in the city’s diversity, meaning diners can find everything from gochujang ribs and smoked char siu pork belly, to chili sausage and pastrami tri-tip. Whatever you do: be sure to get the brisket fried rice. It’s an iconic side.

Co-owners Jaime Robles and Dennis Rhee opened Bellaire’s first brewpub in the Bellaire Triangle Shopping Center, focusing on flavorful, low-alcohol German-style beers. To accompany the lagers, pale ales, and IPAs, the menu features dishes with Korean and Mexican influences like the K-So — a riff on queso dip that combines cheese and a sweet and spicy gochujang glaze with chorizo and roasted jalapenos.

Tokyo-trained and enigmatic chef Yoshi Katsuyama brings his years of experience to the Bellaire Triangle, in the space that was once home to Bernie’s Burger Bus and its yellow school bus). Diners can expect fresh fish flown in daily from Tokyo that make up the chef’s expertly plated assortments of nigiri, sashimi, and maki, including the Red Rose — a combination of cucumber, caviar, and torched toro. Other dishes on the menu include the Enoki Butter — enoki mushrooms combined with soy butter for a burst of umami. Spring for the full experience, and let the chef lead you through Aya’s impressive 19-course omakase.

Lankford’s Grocery and Market is an undeniable, family-owned Houston institution that has served some of the city’s best burgers for decades. In May, a new generation opened a second location in Bellaire, where diners can expect some upgrades. The more modern space sports a self-serve tap system with over 20 beers, ciders, and wines to choose from, but worry not. The menu still includes Lankford’s standout menu of creamy milkshakes, crispy fries, and burgers, including the beloved Grim Burger — a bacon cheeseburger topped with mac and cheese, jalapeños, and a fried egg.

The family-owned establishment has been a part of the Bellaire community for almost 30 years. The casual, counter service spot offers classic American fare, seafood, Cajun comfort dishes, and hefty burgers, plus a kids' menu with Captain Crunch chicken tenders that the littles will love.

Armando and Cinda Palacios, the husband-and-wife duo behind Houston’s long-standing Tex-Mex hotspot Armandos and its Italian sister restaurant Lulu’s, have opened a Houston outpost of its Round Top casual Tex-Mex spot Mandito’s. Here, cheese enchiladas, loaded nachos, and fajitas as a given, as well as its highlights like its “world-famous burrito bowl” and twice-refried beans. Tequila fans can choose from the 18 different tequilas from the Mexican regions of Los Altos and El Valle and can even customize their drinks with its fun “make it a margarita” option, where they pick any agave spirit or sotol on the menu and one of five salts to line the rim.