Houston, TXMiddle Eastern

A family-run Lebanese kitchen where pita puffs fresh from a brick oven scent the dining room. Grape leaves come stuffed either meatless or beefy, both served cold, alongside a menu built on homemade recipes, with the original Richmond Avenue location running for over a decade.

A cafeteria-style Mediterranean counter where guests walk the line choosing from fresh dips, salads, roasted meats, and baked goods. Lebanese specialties share the buffet with Greek and Eastern Mediterranean dishes, all in generous, affordably priced portions across more than 120 menu items.

A counter-service Montrose staple pumping out fresh pita alongside lamb shawarma, kebabs, and falafel, with more than 30 side dishes for vegetarian diners to build a full plate. The mix-and-match sides make it easy to put together a meatless spread.

A Lebanese counter-service spot near the Galleria pouring out kabob platters since the 1990s, with a smooth hummus topped in tender chuck beef as the standout order. It is an unpretentious, long-running option for a quick Lebanese lunch or an early dinner.

A Lebanese bakery in southwest Houston turning out hand-formed, wood-fired manakish topped with spiced beef, za'atar, or cheese, meant to be eaten fresh and still warm from the oven. It is a straightforward stop for manakish and other freshly baked goods.