From being ranked the Most Charitable City in the country to the Best City for Foodies, once-overlooked Houston has won its fair share of prizes in the last couple of years. But perhaps no prize mattered more to Houstonians than when their Major League Baseball team, the Astros, won the 2017 World Series, thanks in no small part to the seven-time All-Star pitcher and Cy Young Award winner, Justin Verlander. Mr. Verlander, a newcomer to the city, quickly achieved deity status here, which he further cemented when days later he married his girlfriend, often described as one of the most beautiful women in the world, the supermodel Kate Upton. Ms. Upton has rocked the cover of Sports Illustrated (several times), Vanity Fair, Esquire and Vogue to name a few, and starred in movies and music videos along the way.

The couple’s new baby girl, Genevieve, was born in Houston in November, and this March, Mr. Verlander signed a contract with the Astros that will keep them in town through the 2021 season. In other words, the couple (and little Genevieve) are now officially Houstonians.

Image The supermodel, Kate Upton, and the Houston Astros pitcher, Justin Verlander at the bistro, Nancy’s Hustle. Credit... Bryan Schutmaat for The New York Times

And one of the first things Houstonians like to talk about is food. This couple is no different. “Kate and I are big foodies,” Mr. Verlander said up front during our interview. On the phone together from their home in Houston, they chatted about their favorite places in the city, and interrupted each other to more accurately describe their favorite dishes in true foodie-couple fashion. (“But does it count as a burger if it’s on an English muffin?” Mr. Verlander asked Ms. Upton at one point.)