Czech these places out!
Like breakfast tacos, kolaches are synonymous with breakfast in Texas. Savory, comfortable, portable – perfect for an on-the-go breakfast, or bought-by-the-dozen hangover cure. Unlike similar handheld breakfast staples such as donuts, bagels, and croissants, it’s not so easy finding kolaches outside of Texas. We’d probably travel more if you could, but for now, we’ll stay here in Houston with our favorite comfort breakfast food on the go. [Featured image: hruskasbakery]
1. The Original Kolache Shoppe
Located in southeast Houston, the Original Kolache Shoppe has been a mainstay Czech staple in the city since 1956. Following recipes passed down over generations, the family owned shop crafts traditional-style kolaches like their streusel fruit filled kolaches as well as innovative pastries like their savory and crumbly roast beef and pastrami “croissants.”
2. Kolache Bar
Located on the corner of Westheimer Road and Richmond Ave is the quintessential Texas kolache shop. Whereas other shops stick to the classics like sausage. ham, and boudin, Kolache Bar goes in hard with flavors ranging from Tex Mex, Sausage and Gravy, and BBQ Brisket – all of which hit the spot. Be sure to order one of their donuts while you’re there to complete the experience.
3. Kolache Shoppe
Kolache Shoppe is a small-batch bakery that has honed their trade since 1970. Their slider-sized kolaches are wrapped in sweet, pillowy dough are a treat and easily crushable. Get extra sweet with their apricot, nutella, and poppy seed kolaches. Their savory options include venison and cheese; bacon, egg, cheese, and salsa; and Polish-style sausage, as well as the local brisket and kielbasa.
4. Chappell Hill Bakery & Deli
Located on 290, about 45 minutes or so outside of Houston in route to Austin is Chappel Hill. If you’re making the very same drive, and don’t stop at Chappell Hill, you’re living your life wrong. In addition to decadent pastries, melt in your mouth BBQ, and other home-cooked eats, Chappell Hill’s kolaches are spot on. Their fruit-filled kolaches are sweet as can be, whereas their sausage kolaches hold a spicy kick and bite that is all too right.
5. Koffeteria
The wildly inventive upscale bakery is a East Downtown hangout helmed by chef, Vanarin Kuch. Here, one can find a whimsical selection of pastries both eye-brow raising and taste-bud stimulating. Since we’re already here, we’ll just mention their Pistachio Baklava Croissant, Pear and Thyme Jam Scone, Hot Cheeto Croissants, and French Onion Soup Danish. But as this is a kolache article, we implore you to try their creative arrangement on the classic comfort dish. Recent features include their Watermelon Kolache with papaya and tarragon jam; Creamed Kale and Turnip Greens Kolache with Cajun Honey Butter; and Beef Pho Kolache made with beef brisket stewed in pho, tucked in a broth-injected milk roll.
6. Hruska’s Store & Bakery
How much do you love your kolaches? If your love knows no bounds, then you won’t be deterred to make the hour-and-half drive out to Hruska’s Store & Bakery in Ellinger. The historic bakery and grill has been around for over a century, providing plenty of time to perfect their kolache recipes. Their fruit kolaches are simply immaculate and their traditional Klobasnikys are made with housemade patty-style pan sausage giving the taste an extra kick that will last the long drive home.
7. Olde Towne Kolaches
If you’re making a kolache crawl through Houston, you can’t call it complete without Czeching this one off your list. Olde Towne Kolaches is a cozy hole-in-the-wall shop that batters up a variety of authentic, scratch-made kolaches with fruity options such as cream cheese, strawberry, and peach, with savory options such as the Spicy Cream and Chicken, Bacon and Cheese, and Spinach and Egg.
8. Koala Kolache
Spicy brisket, barbacoa, pizza, black bean enchilada, pork belly – what do they all have in common? Well, you can find all them inside Koala’s kolaches. The Cypress-located bakery offers a savory and delicious assortment of kolaches. With gluten-free options available, Koala’s also offers decadent sweets that are worth cashing in on a cheat day.
9. Christy’s Donuts & Kolaches
Your correspondent would be remiss if they didn’t shoutout Christy’s Donuts Kolaches – an establishment that brought them back to life many mornings after late night shenanigans. The no-frills bakery on the corner of Montrose Blvd and W Gray St. offers all the savory classics and does them well at easy prices. Can’t do better than that.
10. Karma Kolache
With four locations sprinkled throughout the area, Karma offers a variety of off-the-wall kolache options that range from Jalapeño Popper (amazing); Cheese, Eggs, & Grits, Mac & Cheese, Philly Cheesesteak, and Pulled Pork. Their dessert line-up is also worth trying: better balance out the savory with the sweet and opt for one of their Kronuts – croissant/donut hybrids.