Houston Hidden Gems

    I know a few hidden gems in the area but most of them consist of food/drink places because I am always trying new things. Starting off with coffee, a highly underrated coffee place that I tend to go to is Summer Moon. Although it is not "hidden" I hardly see anyone ever going there because it is a little far considering it is in Sienna. However, the coffee never disappoints and is consistent. I also go here when I want a solid coffee and not a question to whether the drink will be good that day as I feel with other local coffee shops such as Dutch Bros. The last time I went I got an iced winter melon half-moon latte but I like to try different things because everything is good. I like how this shop has many different versions of sweetness because everyone has different preferences. The half moon is half sweetness but it is the perfect amount of sweetness to coffee bitterness in my opinion. The workers are also extremely nice and helpful and they have delicious pastries in the bakery case. Another new favorite place to go to is Dumpling World. It is located in the same strip as Sharetea and is relatively new. It is already gaining a lot of popularity and is really busy every time I go there. The soup dumplings, sesame noodles, spicy chicken wontons, and green beans are my family's go-to's. The food is so good and the soup dumplings are very similar to the popular Din Tai Fung dumpling restaurant. However, I saw that there is a new soup dumpling restaurant opening near the town center called Dough Zone so I will be sure to try that when it opens to see if it compares. Another, regular food place I attend is Blaze Pizza. I only recently started going here because a friend introduced it to me. I am not sure if this place is hidden but I have lived here my whole life and did not know about it until this year. It is across the street from Whole Foods and is similar to MOD Pizza in how you order. But lately, I feel that MOD pizza has not been very good and I think Blaze pizza is much more consistent and tastes better. The dough has a better flavor and the workers are more trained in comparison to some of the MOD experiences I have had. Lastly, there is a new acai bowl store opening in Sienna that I recently drove by. It is called Nautical Bowls and I have had it before in California and it is very good. It is not open yet but I believe it will open before summer. If you like acai bowls I would recommend trying it, especially on a hot summer day. These are all places that I go to regularly because I know they are good and will not fail me.