Bellaire Blvd Chinatown food guide: 25 spots from Beltway 8 to the Sam Houston Tollway

Houston's Chinatown on Bellaire Blvd is the best Asian food corridor in the American South. Full stop. Here's the breakdown by cuisine.

Chinese:

• Mala Sichuan Bistro — The best Sichuan food in Houston. Mouth-numbing mapo tofu. Dan dan noodles. The spice level is authentic.
• Tiger Den — Hand-pulled noodles made in front of you. The beef noodle soup is a religious experience.
• Dim sum at Ocean Palace — Weekend dim sum with the cart service. Get there before 11 AM or wait 45 minutes. The har gow and siu mai are perfect.

Vietnamese:

• Pho Binh (multiple Bellaire locations) — The OG. Pho tai with extra tendon. $12 for a bowl that could feed two people.
• Les Givral's Kahve — Banh mi and Vietnamese coffee. The #1 combo banh mi with pate and jalapeños is the best sandwich in Houston under $8.
• Crawfish & Noodles — Already covered but the pho here is also elite. Most people don't know that.

Korean:

• Jang Guem Tofu & BBQ — Banchan game is strong. 8-10 side dishes before your main even arrives. The kimchi jjigae is the comfort food you didn't know you needed.

Japanese:

• Kata Robata — Not on Bellaire but close enough. Omakase is Houston's best. The sashimi platter is art.

Taiwanese:

• Tiger Sugar — Boba tea. The brown sugar boba with fresh milk. The line moves fast.

Source: Personal visits (50+ Bellaire Blvd restaurants over 4 years), Houston Press, Houstonia Magazine