Three Brothers Bakery

The Houston Chronicle tells the origin story: the team went to a baking convention in Louisiana more than a decade ago, visited nine bakeries there, and came home to write their own bead-covered cake. Houstonia dates the business to 1949. Filling choices run to cream cheese, strawberry cream cheese, raspberry cream cheese and pecan praline, with a plain cinnamon version alongside. Order the pecan praline by the slice in store first, then commit to a whole one.

Picks from Houston Chronicle and Houstonia Magazine

Three Brothers Bakery has satisfied Houston's sweet tooth since 1949, and its pies come whole or by the slice: chocolate bourbon pecan, pecan, chocolate fudge pecan and salted caramel pecan, pumpkin and apple, and coconut cream, chocolate meringue, lemon meringue and key lime. Order the chocolate fudge pecan or the key lime.

Picks from Houstonia Magazine and Houston Chronicle