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The horchata cream doughnut sells out early, which tells you everything about the pace of a morning here. Casaema is a daytime cafe in Houston Heights rooted in Mexican foodways, with a pastry case full of conchas and guava-queso empanadas alongside a coffee menu running café de olla lattes and piloncillo chai. The chilaquiles are built on housemade chips with brisket. A James Beard nominee for Best New Restaurant, and a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Twelve honors, in evidence:
The record strongest first
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Best New Restaurant
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- The New York Times Horchata Berlinesa · The Best Restaurant Dishes We Ate Across the U.S.
- Texas Monthly #6 · Texas’s Best New Restaurants
- Houston Chronicle #3 · Houston’s Top 100 Restaurants
- Houstonia The Best Brunch Restaurants in Houston
- Houstonia Best Coffee Shops in Houston
- Houstonia Houston’s Best Restaurants
- Eater The 38 Essential Houston Restaurants
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker · Stephanie Velasquez
- Houstonia The Best Mexican Restaurants in Houston
- Houstonia Best Bakeries in Houston for Pastries, Cakes, and Bread
One number, weighted & current 89
How we scoreThe dishes from the writeups
Nearby in the record closest first
- Berwick’s Birds of Paradise Drink · 68
- Chilosos Taco House Mexican Eat · 62
- Puebla's Mexican Kitchen Eat · 64
- Third Place Coffee Eat · 79
- Jun Eat · 92
- Lei Low Drink · 65
- Jane and the Lion Bakehouse Bakery Eat · 62
- Jane Wild Eat · 53
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