Viet-Cajun crawfish is a Houston staple, and this Chinatown restaurant offers up one of the city’s best takes. The bugs are big and juicy, the seasoning is spicy, and there’s plenty of beer to cool off with. If crustaceans aren’t your thing, there are of course a variety of noodle dishes and more interesting fare like hot pots and curried goat on offer.

Arguably the most popular banh mi spot in Hong Kong Mall 4, Alpha Bakery is a killer (and budget-friendly) lunch destination. Traditional oblong bread rolls are smeared with house-made pate and house-made mayonnaise, filled to the brim with your choice of protein like grilled pork or xiu mai meat balls (the thit nguoi cold cut is the most popular), then topped with pickled carrots and daikon, jalapeno slices, cucumber, cilantro and a few dashes of Maggi —for just $3 a pop.

Family owned and operated for close to three decades, Thien Thanh is the best Vietnamese banh cuon (steamed rice roll) restaurant in Houston. Can’t-miss classics include the banh cuon nhan thit (steamed rice rolls with ground pork) and the banh uot thit nuong (steamed rice rolls with grilled pork). Rounding out the menu are North Vietnamese specialties like cha ca turmeric fish and bun rieu crab and tomato vermicelli soup.

A highlight from David Chang’s Houston episode of Ugly Delicious, this modest family-run restaurant specializes in Central Vietnamese cuisine. People fall head over heels for the adorable steamed rice cake saucers called banh beo chen and the chewy glutinous shrimp dumplings (banh quai vac). Regional specialties like bun bo hue (spicy lemongrass beef noodle soup) and mi quang (turmeric noodles with pork and shrimp) are also solid.

Part market, part fast-casual restaurant, San San Tofu is the place to go for Vietnamese vegetarian cuisine. In the kitchen, Vietnamese nuns turn out excellent vegetarian dim sum, three-item combo noodle and rice plates, and a selection of excellent Vietnamese vegetarian noodle soups. The vegetarian bun rieu, which uses tofu and gluten in place of crab and shrimp, is exemplary, as are the jugs of warm, house-made pandan soy milk.

Thai bronze sculptures and Thai art greet diners at this attractively appointed Thai restaurant in Asiatown, where everyone working in the restaurant, from the servers to the chef, are Thai by descent. Though the pad Thai and pad see ew noodles are always on point here, do yourself a favor and try the crispy glazed Tony’s wings, the unforgettable Tiger Cry beef, and the whole fried fish with special garlic sauce. Shredded mango salad with crispy fish is also incredible.

You won’t find the classic carts at this unassuming Chinatown spot, but it offers one of the city’s best dim sum experiences. Shrimp & pork shu mai, deep-fried taro puffs, and banh cuon are all solid bets every single time.

The hours are limited — this spot’s only open from noon to 6 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday — but that’s part of what makes Sushi Miyagi such a hidden gem. Run by a husband and wife team, Mrs. Miyagi is the hostess, waitress, food runner and bus-person, while Mr. Miyagi performs culinary magic with his hands, turning out beautiful plates of sashimi, pristine nigiri sushi, and chirashi bowls that have earned the chef legions of devoted fans. 

Excellent bowls of ramen and grilled meats on sticks are on offer at this Blade Runner-inspired eatery. Miso, tonkotsu, and tantan broths are all solid, and the grilled octopus, pork belly, and gizzard skewers are endlessly addictive.

This beloved OG Asiatown spot does a little bit of everything. Want Chinese BBQ? Roast duck, roast pork, soy sauce chicken and char siu can be eaten in or taken to go. Want live seafood? The seafood tanks just inside the door house everything from live king crab to spot prawns and fresh fish. Hot pot and stir fry, fried rice and noodles are also on offer. The key here is to order multiple dishes and share them all, family-style.

You’ll find the usuals like chicken fried rice on the menu at Banana Leaf, but the real gem is its casual Malaysian cuisine. The Penang assam laksa, or hot and sour noodles in a fish broth, is a must, as is plenty of the restaurant’s housemade roti served with an endlessly addictive curry dipping sauce.

Open for lunch and dinner, treat yourself to one of the city’s best budget-friendly tasting menus with Pagolac’s seven courses of beef. The meal includes thinly-sliced tenderloin simmered at the table in a vinegar broth, charcoal-grilled beef sausage, steamed meatballs, and beef noodle soup, all for around $16 per person. Whole-grilled fish and housemade durian ice cream are also on offer.

The crown jewel in restaurateur Mike Tran’s growing empire, Mein is one of the city’s best spots for Cantonese cuisine. The housemade noodles are a star of the menu, made from scratch daily and tossed in XO sauce or served with a variety of meats, veggies, garnishes, and broth on the side. The crispy duck leg, served with tender pancakes, is also a must.

For the best soup dumplings and crispy-bottomed bao in Asiatown, no place holds a candle to One Dragon Restaurant. A mom-and-pop shop with just 10 tables, the husband is the cook, while the wife runs the front of the house. Staff are friendly, and there’s always a wait during peak hours. Beyond the dumplings, highlights on this Shanghainese menu include the braised pork belly, the seasonal vegetable plates, and the crispy red bean dessert.

From in-table hot pot, to wonton noodle soup, bo luc lac shaking beef rice plates and the famous banh bot chien fried rice cake with egg, this sprawling Chinese-Vietnamese restaurant has been an Asiatown staple for Houstonians since 1986. Open from 10 a.m to midnight daily seven days a week, Tan Tan delivers whether everything from ritzy, banquet-style multi-course meals with lobster and peking duck to a quick noodle fix.