Introduction to Houston’s Mexican Food Scene
Houston’s Mexican food scene is more than just Ninfa’s fajitas and frosty margaritas. With its rich diversity and proximity to Mexico, Houston does Tex-Mex better than most. But the city also excels at other fusions: Viet-Mex, Indian-Mex, Latin Asian, Tex-Asian, and Thai tacos.
Best Restaurants for Mexican Fusion
From a James Beard–lauded restaurant in Spring to a Vietnamese café in Garden Oaks, Mexican cuisine in Houston is everywhere and merging with nearly every other culinary heritage. Here are the best Houston-area restaurants showcasing inventive Mexican fusion dishes.
Belly of the Beast
Houston’s most recent James Beard winner, Thomas Bille, took home bragging rights at the culinary foundation’s awards ceremony. Bille’s New American restaurant incorporates other influences, including his upbringing as a Mexican American in Los Angeles. The birria tacos with tender beef and irresistible cheese-crusted edges is a fan favorite, but Belly of the Beast also offers a summery street corn agnolotti dish that harnesses the flavors of elote, empanadas stuffed with a silky potato and Comté cheese concoction, and berry duck mole with nixtamalized tortillas.
Connie’s Seafood
The Original Connie’s Seafood has been a community staple since 1979 and is one of the originators of Houston’s Asian-Mexican dining scene. Originally a you-buy, we-fry fish market on Airline Drive, Connie’s evolved into a full-blown restaurant when owner Shun Tai “Connie” Chan noticed her fried seafood was selling faster than her fresh fish market offerings. After marrying a former customer, Bart Villafranca, Chan introduced Mexican items to the menu, which were a hit.
Cowboys & Indians
Cowboys & Indians offers a unique take on Tex-Mex favorites, infusing South Asian influences into tacos, quesadillas, and burgers. Founded by local restaurateur Imran Khan, the restaurant boasts inventive Tex-Mex-Indian plates like naan quesadillas and naan-chos that meld together saucy ingredients like chana masala and pico de gallo.
Dao’n
Modern Korean dining rules at Dao’n, which offers updated takes on Korean standbys, such as the ever-popular pork jowl tteokbokki and ginseng chicken soup, while also paying homage to Tex-Mex traditions. The K-Fajita platter features grilled meats and Korean side dishes served with ssam, or vegetable wraps, and also leans heavily into Tex-Mex, with sizzling beef fajitas sauteed in kimchi, plus a side of tortillas and chimichurri.
Doña Leti’s
The family behind Doña Leti’s coined its own name for its cuisine: “H-Mex.” Throughout the menu are items deeply rooted in Houston’s culture and the city’s love of shrimp, cheese, and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. The must-try is its birria ramen, which features a combination of birria meat, ramen noodles, cilantro, onion, queso fresco, sliced avocado, and radish, all swimming in a heartwarming birria consommé.
Fusion Taco
Thanks to its devoted following, Fusion Taco has expanded from a food truck to three brick-and-mortar restaurants inside the Loop, serving multiple cuisines translated into tacos. Proteins like agedashi tofu, lamb keema with tahini sauce, and tuna poke arrive on a choice of corn or flour tortillas or a bed of lettuce. The grilled Thai chicken taco is a standout: coconut milk–marinated grilled chicken, spicy peanut sauce, and ginger red cabbage slaw.
Les Ba’get Vietnamese Café
Les Ba’get Vietnamese Café offers up dishes like its puffy beef tendon chicharron, which is exactly what it sounds like. Rather than traditional Mexican chicharrones made with pork, beef tendon is fried, swelling up into a Styrofoam-like, lighter-than-air texture, dotted with crunchy bits and packed with flavor. Then, Les Ba’get seasons them with smoked sriracha salt, lemon-grass chile oil, and a drizzle of lime.
Conclusion
Houston’s Mexican food scene is a melting pot of different cultures and cuisines, offering a unique and delicious experience for foodies. From traditional Tex-Mex to innovative fusions like Viet-Mex and Indian-Mex, there’s something for everyone in this vibrant city. Whether you’re in the mood for birria tacos, Korean BBQ, or Vietnamese chicharrones, Houston’s got you covered. So come and explore the city’s Mexican food scene, and discover the flavors that make Houston a culinary destination like no other.
