11 Essential Houston Kolache Shops (2024)

Dragana Harris

Add these Texas kolaches filled with pho beef, Lebanese sausage, and cherry cream cheese to your list

by Brittany Britto Garley Updated Aug 8, 2024, 9:07am CDT

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| Dragana Harris

At this versatile Cypress pastry shop, kolaches are filled with fruity flavors like peach, raspberry, blackberry, and apple pie, but they also venture into a Houston-centric savory territory. Homemade dough is stuffed with Texas barbecue brisket, boudin, jalapeño poppers, crawfish étouffée, halal gyro, and more, while its assortment of cinnamon rolls, some of which come dressed with maple bacon, Nutella, and Fruity Pebbles, offer a decadent dessert. Those who can’t make it to the shop before its closing at noon Friday through Sunday can visit its Cypress vending oven, where kolaches are delivered any time of day through an ATM-like machine.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

With accolades and first-place ribbons from the annual Caldwell Kolache Festival, Olde Towne has produced a robust and well-loved menu of fruit, cream, and cheese kolaches since the 1980s. Try its award-winning, hand-rolled sweet concoctions, such as the poppy seed, sausage, or cherry cream cheese, and be sure to try its Tex-Czech varieties — the Ranchero ham, egg, and cheese kolache or the beefy fajitas rendition.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

With 54 years of loyal clientele and top-notch pastries served at four area locations, this bakery has stood the test of time. Kolache Shoppe guarantees more than 25 varieties of kolaches that are stuffed with sweet or savory fillings, like Polish sausage, venison, brisket, and egg, as well as specials and restaurant collaborations that keep things interesting. Its most recent partnership with Mediterranean restaurant Craft Pita has yielded a buttery Lebanese sausage and cheese kolache that’s stuffed with Hot Soujouk beef link sausage with a sprinkle of za’atar seasoning.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Dragana Harris

You could drive over an hour to sink your teeth into sausage kolaches straight from popular purveyor Prasek’s Hillje Smokehouse in El Campo, or you can swing by this local spot that features a variety of its kolaches to order. Enjoy classic kolaches stuffed with barbecued brisket or egg and cheese and your choice of potato or bacon. If you are hankering for a smaller indulgence, try the “piglets,” miniature-sized kolaches packed with sausage and cheese.

• Open in Google Maps

With more than 350 locations, this Houston-born chain has a fierce following for both its doughnuts and iconic sausage and cheese kolaches. Most recently, though, the doughnut shop has opted to switch things up. Starting in July, the chain launched a series of egg-filled kolaches, including an egg, cheese, sausage, and jalapeño kolache, which will be on offer through September.

• Open in Google Maps

Shipley

Along with breakfast plates stacked with pancakes, biscuits, and tacos, Pena’s family-owned Pearland and Houston locations also offer plenty of kolache provisions. Try the more traditional sausage, ham, or jalapeño with cheese, or venture beyond basics with kolaches stuffed with chorizo and egg, boudin, or brisket. In a hurry? The drive-thru window makes snagging pastries on the go extra easy.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Finagle a spot in the “cozy” parking lot at this beloved old-time spot for fan favorites like kolaches stuffed with boudin, smoked sausage, or jalapeños, in addition to the classic meat, egg, and cheese combinations. Finish with an apple fritter or a bag of doughnut holes to complete the picture.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Possibly one of Houston’s most iconic kolaches resides Downtown at Houston’s Koffeteria. The James Beard Award-nominated pastry shop and cafe offers a fusion of Cambodian flavors and chef Vanarin Kuch’s pastry prowess in various dishes, but the pho kolache is one to visit for. Bite into the shiny brown crust, which encases tender beef shrouded in star anise and zesty spices, and dip into mini pools of Sriracha and plum sauce. The kolache fully evokes the steamy bowl of Vietnamese soup that inspires it.

• Open in Google Maps

In business since 1956, this Houston institution and Czech bakery slings some of the best kolaches, klobásníks, turnovers, cookies, and croissant sandwiches in the city — all made fresh daily. Fruit and cream kolaches, which come in flavors like blueberry, poppy seed, sweet cream cheese, and piña colada, satisfy any sweet craving, but the klobásníks here are a major draw. Experience less common stuffings like roast beef, pastrami, and fajita chicken in addition to mainstays like sausage, and don’t forget a cup of Zeppelin coffee, which is roasted in-house daily.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

This Louisiana-born franchise, which got its start in 1937, is a dependable stop when in search of quality kolaches and doughnuts. Find classic breakfast options like sausage-cheese or bacon, egg, and cheese variations. For a most celebrated blend of Texas-Czech and Louisiana Creole and Cajun cuisine, try the boudin kolache, a pastry stuffed with a link of spicy or mild boudin. Kolaches aside, you also can’t go wrong with the massive, sugary apple-filled bear claws or cakey blueberry doughnuts.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Several Houston area locations of this doughnut shop make it easy to score kolache creations. Head to the Seabrook or Baytown outposts where soft croissant-style breading hugs Donald’s signature mild and spicy boudin and its sausage sourced from Chappell Hill. Doughnut holes or apple fritters for the road are always a must, and its assortment of coffee drinks, smoothies, and milk teas make for a great kolache companion.

• Open in Google Maps

At this versatile Cypress pastry shop, kolaches are filled with fruity flavors like peach, raspberry, blackberry, and apple pie, but they also venture into a Houston-centric savory territory. Homemade dough is stuffed with Texas barbecue brisket, boudin, jalapeño poppers, crawfish étouffée, halal gyro, and more, while its assortment of cinnamon rolls, some of which come dressed with maple bacon, Nutella, and Fruity Pebbles, offer a decadent dessert. Those who can’t make it to the shop before its closing at noon Friday through Sunday can visit its Cypress vending oven, where kolaches are delivered any time of day through an ATM-like machine.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

With accolades and first-place ribbons from the annual Caldwell Kolache Festival, Olde Towne has produced a robust and well-loved menu of fruit, cream, and cheese kolaches since the 1980s. Try its award-winning, hand-rolled sweet concoctions, such as the poppy seed, sausage, or cherry cream cheese, and be sure to try its Tex-Czech varieties — the Ranchero ham, egg, and cheese kolache or the beefy fajitas rendition.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

With 54 years of loyal clientele and top-notch pastries served at four area locations, this bakery has stood the test of time. Kolache Shoppe guarantees more than 25 varieties of kolaches that are stuffed with sweet or savory fillings, like Polish sausage, venison, brisket, and egg, as well as specials and restaurant collaborations that keep things interesting. Its most recent partnership with Mediterranean restaurant Craft Pita has yielded a buttery Lebanese sausage and cheese kolache that’s stuffed with Hot Soujouk beef link sausage with a sprinkle of za’atar seasoning.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Dragana Harris

You could drive over an hour to sink your teeth into sausage kolaches straight from popular purveyor Prasek’s Hillje Smokehouse in El Campo, or you can swing by this local spot that features a variety of its kolaches to order. Enjoy classic kolaches stuffed with barbecued brisket or egg and cheese and your choice of potato or bacon. If you are hankering for a smaller indulgence, try the “piglets,” miniature-sized kolaches packed with sausage and cheese.

• Open in Google Maps

With more than 350 locations, this Houston-born chain has a fierce following for both its doughnuts and iconic sausage and cheese kolaches. Most recently, though, the doughnut shop has opted to switch things up. Starting in July, the chain launched a series of egg-filled kolaches, including an egg, cheese, sausage, and jalapeño kolache, which will be on offer through September.

• Open in Google Maps

Shipley

Along with breakfast plates stacked with pancakes, biscuits, and tacos, Pena’s family-owned Pearland and Houston locations also offer plenty of kolache provisions. Try the more traditional sausage, ham, or jalapeño with cheese, or venture beyond basics with kolaches stuffed with chorizo and egg, boudin, or brisket. In a hurry? The drive-thru window makes snagging pastries on the go extra easy.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Finagle a spot in the “cozy” parking lot at this beloved old-time spot for fan favorites like kolaches stuffed with boudin, smoked sausage, or jalapeños, in addition to the classic meat, egg, and cheese combinations. Finish with an apple fritter or a bag of doughnut holes to complete the picture.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Possibly one of Houston’s most iconic kolaches resides Downtown at Houston’s Koffeteria. The James Beard Award-nominated pastry shop and cafe offers a fusion of Cambodian flavors and chef Vanarin Kuch’s pastry prowess in various dishes, but the pho kolache is one to visit for. Bite into the shiny brown crust, which encases tender beef shrouded in star anise and zesty spices, and dip into mini pools of Sriracha and plum sauce. The kolache fully evokes the steamy bowl of Vietnamese soup that inspires it.

• Open in Google Maps

In business since 1956, this Houston institution and Czech bakery slings some of the best kolaches, klobásníks, turnovers, cookies, and croissant sandwiches in the city — all made fresh daily. Fruit and cream kolaches, which come in flavors like blueberry, poppy seed, sweet cream cheese, and piña colada, satisfy any sweet craving, but the klobásníks here are a major draw. Experience less common stuffings like roast beef, pastrami, and fajita chicken in addition to mainstays like sausage, and don’t forget a cup of Zeppelin coffee, which is roasted in-house daily.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

This Louisiana-born franchise, which got its start in 1937, is a dependable stop when in search of quality kolaches and doughnuts. Find classic breakfast options like sausage-cheese or bacon, egg, and cheese variations. For a most celebrated blend of Texas-Czech and Louisiana Creole and Cajun cuisine, try the boudin kolache, a pastry stuffed with a link of spicy or mild boudin. Kolaches aside, you also can’t go wrong with the massive, sugary apple-filled bear claws or cakey blueberry doughnuts.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Several Houston area locations of this doughnut shop make it easy to score kolache creations. Head to the Seabrook or Baytown outposts where soft croissant-style breading hugs Donald’s signature mild and spicy boudin and its sausage sourced from Chappell Hill. Doughnut holes or apple fritters for the road are always a must, and its assortment of coffee drinks, smoothies, and milk teas make for a great kolache companion.

• Open in Google Maps

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