An Outsider’s Guide to Houston’s Asiatown

VIETNAMESE

Asiatown boasts a huge variety of Vietnamese restaurants, focused on specific regional cuisines, styles, and dishes. Fans of Phở head to Pho Dien (photo) for steaming bowls of noodles with fragrant broths and a variety of traditional ingredients, from beef to chicken and vegetables. For a truly unique experience, those in the know swear by Crawfish and Noodles, a Gulf Coast-Meets-Vietnamese emporium where the highlight is the Cajun-Vietnamese spicy crawfish boils. In Little Saigon, Nam Giao is a no-frills affair serving the cuisine of Hue in Central Vietnam. Their signature steamed banh beo, topped with pork, shrimp, and chives, are among the highlights that earned the humble restaurant a Michelin Bib Gourmand designation.

JAPANESE

Nori Nori

Chef and partner Cong Nguyen boasts 20+ years’ experience as a sushi chef, bringing an innovative approach to Japanese-inspired cuisine that combines global ingredients and techniques. Aside from traditional nigiri, made with market-fresh seafood, the menu at this chic, modern restaurant and bar features unique dishes like a foie gras chawamushi egg custard and a Texas Wagyu tartare with grilled bone marrow, as well as beer, sake, and fancy cocktails.

MALAYSIAN

Banana Leaf

If you’re new to Malaysian cuisine, this is a great place to start. A vibrant mix of Malay, Chinese, and Indian culinary traditions, Banana Leaf offers an extensive menu with plenty vegan and vegetarian options in a warm, unfussy ambiance. From sizzling platters to noodle soups, spiced curries, and stir-fried meats and vegetables, the kitchen is committed to delivering traditional flavors with a modern twist. A perfect place to try something new and different!

LAO/THAI

As neighbors, Thailand and Laos share much more than a border, they also have similar cultures and cuisines. Renowned for their balanced combinations of salty, hot, sweet, and sour flavors that define them, Thai and Lao cuisines are as varied as they are delightful and fresh. Start at Lao’d District to try a bit from both, alongside colorful tropical cocktails. Lao specialties like curry soup and mok pa, a traditional preparation of fish steamed in banana leaves, are highlights. At laid back Tony Thai you can expect the classics, from pad thai and coconut scented curries to rotating specialties like basil lamb and garlic soft shell crab. Both restaurants offer a relaxed, low-key atmosphere and a warm, friendly service.

KOREAN

Going out for Korean BBQ is always a fun adventure, but at Honey Pig they crank it up to 11. This female-lead business with branches across the country is quirky and funky, complete with K-pop music and robot waiters to enhance the party vibe. Choose from a wide selection of meats and seafood, then get ready to grill them yourself right at your table. No experience is needed, as a friendly staff is there to guide and assist you. An assortment of delicious sides is available, as are soups, noodle dishes, and hot pots. This is a great idea for a family outing or an interactive dinner out with friends.

INDIAN

If you love the complex dishes of the far east, you’re going to love Himalaya (photo). This casual, BYOB Indo Pakistani restaurant from award-winning, James Beard Semi-Finalist chef Kaiser Lashkari specializes in classic recipes and house specialties like hunter's beef, an Indian-style pastrami marinated and cured in traditional spices. But the menu also includes fusion dishes and playful items, like Indian inspired sliders. At laid-back London Sizzler, you’ll find dishes like chicken tandoori, tikka masala, and spicy vindaloo which are popular in British curry houses. Do as they do in Britain and chase them down with an ice-cold beer.

CHINESE

While there are dozens of good Chinese restaurants in Asiatown, these two stand out as must visit for their delicious approach to popular regional cuisines. At sleek and sexy Mein, you will find modern Cantonese everyday food, with diverse flavors from the rich guangzhou tradition. The menu is huge, with plenty of options for all tastes, and full of unique dishes worth exploring.

If you like the distinctive, spicy 'mala' flavor of Sichuan cuisine, Mala Sichuan is for you. While the food at this casual restaurant has some chili heat, it is the gentle numbing sensation from Sichuan peppercorns, which the restaurant imports directly, that’s the star of the show. If you are unfamiliar, no worries. The menu features clear, English- descriptions of all dishes, and the friendly staff is always ready to answer questions. Add an excellent wine list and you’ll see why Mala earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand mention for good quality and good value.

PAN ASIAN

When you want to try a little bit of everything, or if you only have one day in Asiatown, Hai Cang Seafood Restaurant might be your best bet. While it is mostly Vietnamese, the huge menu offers Pan-Asian dishes prepared with the freshest Gulf seafood provided by local fishermen as well as live seafood. Browse through the dozens of options for rice and noodle dishes, sizzling platters, clay pots, meat and vegetable dishes, and much more! Highlights include their special lobster dishes, but also seasonal and unique seafood options like large surf clams, Dungeness crab, geoduck clams, a whole striped bass steamed with onion and ginger, and crab fried rice served in a large lotus leaf.

Dun Huang Plaza is an easy to navigate, two-story shopping plaza where you’ll find all sorts of businesses, but the highlight here are the many dessert spots and bakeries, serving everything from traditional cookies and breads to over-the-top viral desserts. Harwin Drive is Asiatown’s bargain shopping district, with a mind-blowing array of quirky shops selling everything from cellphones to jewelry and formal wear. While it may be overwhelming and a bit bewildering, our Harwin Drive shopping guide should help you get around and find what you’re looking to buy, even if you’re just browsing around. It’s important to note that vendors and items change frequently.  

A must visit here is H-Mart Supermarket, a South Korean market chain selling all sorts of things, from delicacies from many Asian countries to Korean beauty products, health and wellness items, cookware, home and garden items, and much more. Plan on spending plenty of time browsing the aisles.  Finally, a visit to Honk Kong City Mall is a must. Asiatown’s own indoor mall is home to more than 20 restaurants and cafes plus dozens of gift shops, toy stores, and bubble tea outposts, anchored by the large Hong Kong Food Market.

Houston Asiatown Tours shares the culture, food, and history of Houston's Asiatown with visitors. They provide a variety of tours that lead participants on a journey to explore Asiatown's hidden gems and popular spots. Houston Asiatown Tours offers private and custom bus tours, walking tours, school tours, and cultural workshops. Whether one is a local or a tourist, their guides provide an introduction to the area’s rich culture and diverse cuisine. The tours are crafted to provide an unforgettable experience, leaving participants with a deeper appreciation of Houston's vibrant Asiatown area.

For a true cultural experience, check out Teo Chew Temple (photo). The atmosphere at this Vietnamese Buddhist temple is serene and workers at the temple are happy to answer questions guests may have regarding the temple, grounds and theology. Please note that appropriate clothing is necessary when entering the temple.

If you’ve spent the day exploring Asiatown, your feet and muscles may be sore. As luck would have it, Asiatown has the answer for that, reflexology massages. Reflexology is thousands of years old and focuses on pressure points (mainly in the feet) to restore energy and blood flow throughout the body. Oasis Massage and Salon, Lucky Feet Houston, and Soul Inn Reflexology are all located off Bellaire Boulevard, and have reputations for good prices and strong masseuses.

Finally, would it be a trip to Chinatown without some karaoke? We don’t like to play favorites, but Happy Zone KTV, and Neway Restaurant & Lounge (photo) offer some of the best karaoke rooms in town.