Turkish in Houston

2721 Hillcroft Galleria

713-782-6160

Greek, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Turkish, Recommended

The buffet line and the dining room are merely an afterthought at this sprawling bazaar of a Middle Eastern food store. You can find some of the same bottled, canned, dried and preserved foods elsewhere, but not at these prices. The olives that sell for $2.99 a pound here are twice as much at Central Market and three times as much at Whole Foods. The shawarma sandwich is the most popular lunch to go. But consider sitting down in the dining room if the braised lamb shanks are among the daily meat specials. The shanks are braised in a dark sauce with a stunning cinnamon aroma, and they can't be beat -- especially on a sampler plate with hummus, baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, a dolma, Lebanese salad and rice for $7.99.

Empire Turkish Grill

12448 Memorial Dr. Outer Loop - NW

713-827-7475

Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Turkish, Critics' Pick, Best Of, Menu

Despite the little old lady ambience, the enormous selection of exotic mezeler (appetizers), hearty salads and fascinating main dishes at Empire Turkish Grill makes this the most exciting Turkish restaurant in town. If you're bored with dry kebabs, head to Memorial and have a "yogurt grill" with the grilled meat served over bread cubes covered with yogurt. Or try the Turkish lamb chops, which are tender and moist despite being cooked well done. Lahana dolmasi, cabbage rolls stuffed with ground beef, rice and herbs with yogurt sauce, are popular, too.

2 articles

Mediterranean Chef

1305 NASA Parkway Clear Lake

281-486-8854

Greek, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Turkish, Recommended, Menu

This is a gem of a place, right next to the Johnson Space Center. It's small, intimate and cozy, with an efficient waitstaff. Serving mainly Middle Eastern standbys such as hummus, baba ghanoush and tabbouleh, the place also features many Greek dishes like souvlaki, moussaka, spanakopita and pastitsio, all at bargain prices. The lamb-and-beef gyro, available as a sandwich or on a platter, is simply outstanding, as are the chicken kebabs. The wine list is fascinating, with choices from Turkey, Greece and Lebanon intermingled with more traditional offerings. Be sure to leave room for baklava and Turkish coffee flavored with cardamom.

Mediterraneo Market & Cafe

18033 Upper Bay Rd. Clear Lake

281-333-3180

Greek, Italian, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Turkish, Recommended, Menu

A quaint spot with a beautiful outdoor patio, this place never fails to do an excellent job. While traditional Middle Eastern dishes like hummus, baba ganoush, tabouleh, gyros, falafel and kebabs abound, you'll also find a mean moussaka, an outstanding osso buco and chicken marsala. The wine and beer selection features items from Croatia, Turkey, Russia and Bulgaria, to mention a few. There's also a specialty market.

Nazif's Turkish Grill & Deli

8821 Westheimer Rd. Outer Loop - SW

713-977-4476

Turkish, Best Of, Menu, Slideshow

One of only a handful of Turkish restaurants in Houston, Nazif's fills a big niche by offering high-quality, homemade Turkish specialties in an efficient but inviting strip center at Westheimer and Fondren. Owner Nazif Farsak makes everything from scratch here, including the 50 different dishes that fill the weekly Sunday brunch. (Come early, or you won't find a table.) The best dishes are those that feature hand-rolled pide dough such as the sausage pide, the chargrilled meats such as pideli köfte and weekday lunch specials that offer a tremendous amount of food for a very low price.

6 articles

Pasha

2325 University Blvd. Kirby-West U

713-592-0020

Mediterranean, Turkish, Recommended, Menu

This delightfully cozy yet elegant, white-tablecloth Turkish and Mediterranean restaurant is located in an old house in Rice Village. Their homemade pida bread is perfect with their zahter olive oil dip, and their meze platter is one of the best ever and a perfect way to try multiple appetizers. Turkish pizzas and gyros make for a light lunch, while the many different kinds of kebabs available from doner to shish and the national dish of Turkey, iskender, are all exceptionally tasty. All their desserts are homemade but the baked rice pudding and flan are wonderful.

Turquoise Cultural Center

9301 W Bellfort Ave Outer Loop - SW

713-974-1412

Turkish

Turquoise Grill

3701 Kirby Dr. Lower Shepherd-Kirby

713-526-3800

Mediterranean, Turkish, Recommended, Menu

Turquoise Grill serves Turkish kebabs along with snack bar items like breakfast tacos and burgers. While it's not a top-end Turkish restaurant, thanks to its friendly owner Yilmaz "Jim" Dokuyucu, it is by far the most engaging office building snack bar in town.

1 article

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Turkish in Houston