Kolache

Kolaches are one of the distinctive pastries you must have at least once. They were introduced to Texas by Eastern European immigrants in the 1800s. These classic Czech pastries were served for decades at bazaars, church feasts, and fundraisers and were made with yeast-risen dough (via NPR). These "Czexan" pastries gained popularity in the United States in the middle of the 2010s after gradually blending into Texas popular culture and becoming commercialized. The typical filling for kolaches is cream cheese and sweet fruit, but at some point, a Texas-inspired filling of sausage, cheese, and jalapenos was added. Even today, there is a heated argument over what constitutes a true kolache, with some calling the meat-filled pastries klobásnky.

Finding a kolache in Houston is simply because they are available everywhere. There are nonetheless specialty kolache stores worth your attention. There are several other kinds of kolaches available at The Original Kolache Shoppe, including the contentious meat-filled kind. The Bomber at Kolache Bar, which is loaded with breakfast sausage, bacon, gravy, and jalapeno, would be worth trying for those with more contemporary tastes. Koala Kolache features pastries loaded with everything from smoked brisket to mac 'n cheese if you want something straight out of a Texas barbeque (via Houstonia).