Puffy Queso Is a Texas Favorite That Hasn’t Hit El Paso Yet

As a proud El Pasoan, I thought I knew my way around queso. Creamy, spicy, loaded with green chile- we’ve got it down to a science here. But then I started hearing whispers from the other side of Texas. Houston, it seems, has discovered something called puffy queso.

Puffy. Queso. Two words I’ve never seen together on a menu in El Paso, and now I can’t scroll through social media without seeing Texans over there losing their minds over it. So what exactly is puffy queso- and why hasn’t it made the trip west?

What is Puffy Queso?

So here’s the deal. Puffy queso isn’t some wild new invention- it’s just queso, but with a serious upgrade in the dip delivery system. Instead of your standard tortilla chips, you get these light, golden, perfectly fried puffy tortilla pillows. Crispy on the outside, airy on the inside, and basically designed to scoop up an unreasonable amount of hot, melty cheese. Some places even go the extra mile and stuff the puffy shells with queso before frying, turning it into a full-on cheese bomb. It’s indulgent, it’s messy, and it’s completely irresistible.

Puffy Queso can be found in Houston, Texas.

Right now, Houston seems to be the epicenter of the puffy queso craze. Apparently the best of the best is at Los Tios Mexican Restaurant, a beloved staple in the Houston community. Puffy queso is showing up on happy hour menus, brunch spreads, and every food blogger’s Instagram feed in the Bayou City. And while the rest of Texas is busy scooping and dipping, here in El Paso, we’re still blissfully unaware this cheesy phenomenon even exists.

Why is there no Puffy Queso in El Paso?

So why hasn’t puffy queso made its way to El Paso? Honestly, it might be because we’re a little spoiled. El Paso’s food scene leans way more toward true border flavors than the Tex-Mex hybrids you find in East Texas. We’ve got legit Mexican queso fundido, loaded with stretchy Oaxacan cheese and sizzling chorizo, served in cast iron skillets. We don’t necessarily need fried puffy chips to get excited about queso- we’ve been dipping tortillas straight into molten cheese for years.

But still, you have to wonder how long we can hold out. El Paso has a knack for eventually adopting the rest of Texas’ food fads- birria tacos, loaded elote, chamoy everything- so it’s probably just a matter of time before puffy queso finds its way west. And when it does, you better believe I’ll be first in line, ready to stuff a puffy chip full of queso like a true Texan.