Must-see restaurants in Texas

  • Franklin Barbecue

    East Austin

    This famous BBQ joint only serves lunch, and only until it runs out – usually well before 2pm. To avoid missing out, join the line – and there will be a…

  • Starlight Theatre

    West Texas

    You might expect a ghost town to be dead at night, but the Starlight Theatre keeps things lively. A movie theater that fell into roofless disrepair (hence…

  • Cattleman's Steakhouse

    El Paso

    This working cattle ranch is 35 miles southeast of downtown – follow signs 4.7 miles northeast from I-10 exit 49 – but locals would probably drive 200…

  • Pieous

    Hill Country

    Holy moly, this wood-fired pizza joint, in a strip mall 7 miles east of Dripping Springs – almost in Austin – serves good pie. Its motto, 'food is our…

  • Cured

    San Antonio

    Mighty slabs of meat hang smack-dab in the center of the dining room at this Pearl District crowd-pleaser, where charcuterie platters ($20 to $36) are…

  • Gristmill Restaurant

    San Antonio & Hill Country

    Conscientious service and juicy steaks topped with lemon-butter are highlights here, where a preshow dinner (it's behind Gruene Hall) transforms into a…

  • Taco N' Madre

    Rio Grande Valley

    These are, without hyperbole, some of the best tacos we've ever eaten. The meat is juicy and perfectly seasoned, the tortillas fresh, the salsa piquant…

  • Vaudeville

    Hill Country

    This dapper basement bistro, tucked beneath a swish design and furnishings store, looks like a soda fountain gone posh. The folks who lunch here are as…

  • Black's Barbecue

    Central Texas

    Lined with animal heads and photos of long-gone high-school football teams, this Lockhart favorite has been owned by the same family since 1932. Lyndon…

  • Uchiko

    Austin

    Not content to rest on his Uchi laurels, chef Tyson Cole opened this bustling North Lamar restaurant, which describes itself as 'Japanese farmhouse dining…

  • Salt Lick

    Hill Country

    It's worth the 20-mile drive out of town just to see the massive outdoor barbecue pits at this parklike place off Hwy 290. It's a bit of a tourist fave,…

  • Taco to Go

    Hill Country

    You can take your tacos to-go or eat inside this tiny joint beside Walgreens, but don't miss out on the excellent soft tacos – including breakfast tacos…

  • Amy's Ice Creams - South Austin

    Austin

    The South Congress location of this beloved local ice-cream chain shares its daily flavors on a chalkboard out front. Pick your favorite add-on, and they…

  • Amy's Ice Cream

    San Antonio

    Choose your ice cream and pick a topping – then watch the staff pulverize the two into a blended little cup of heaven.

  • Big Texan Steak Ranch

    Panhandle Plains

    A classic, hokey Route 66 roadside attraction, the Big Texan made the move when I-40 opened in 1971 and has never looked back. Stretch-Cadillac limos with…

  • Peasant Village Restaurant

    Panhandle Plains

    Casual for lunch, luxe for dinner. Located in a beautiful 1920s house near downtown, this refined restaurant is just the place if you'd like some fine…

  • Royers Cafe

    East Texas

    This cafe is one of the finest places for down-home food in Texas. It's almost as famous for its great sandwiches (grilled shrimp BLTs) and mains (center…

  • Fuel City

    Dallas

    A short drive from downtown, Fuel City serves up some of Dallas' best tacos in one of its most idiosyncratic locations (it's also a gas station and car…

  • Killen's Barbecue

    East Texas

    This tidy wooden restaurant, with its grassy site and outdoor patio, is a pilgrimage spot for barbecue fans. Ronnie Killen has achieved meaty nirvana with…

  • Crafthouse

    Panhandle Plains

    Lubbock's most creative restaurant is the work of Jason and Kate Diehl. From the pickled seasonal vegetables on the starter list to inventive seasonal…

  • Güero's Taco Bar

    Austin

    Set in a sprawling former feed-and-seed store from the late 1800s, this Austin classic always draws a crowd. Güero's may not serve the best Tex-Mex in…

  • Perini Ranch Steakhouse

    Panhandle Plains

    Perini Ranch Steak House is frequently named among Texas' best steakhouses. Enter under the trees and through the screen door. Try an amazing rib eye at a…

  • Patina Green Home and Market

    Dallas & the Panhandle Plains

    For most of the day, Patina Green is an attractive shop with creative and tasteful housewares plus a deli section with some of the best local prepared…

  • Roosevelt's at the Tarpon Inn

    Corpus Christi Area

    The fine dining room at the Tarpon Inn is worth getting spiffed up for. Reserve a table on the verandah and settle back to enjoy a seasonal menu of…

  • Javier's

    Dallas

    This deeply cultured restaurant takes the gentrified cuisine of old Mexico City to new levels; forget whatever ideas you may have previously held about…

  • Gabriela & Sofia’s Tex-Mex

    Dallas

    The interior here is just acceptable: dark and roomy. But that's good as it doesn't get in the way of the beauty you'll find on your plate. Regional…

  • Bahn Mi Deli

    Gulf Coast & South Texas

    You'll probably pass by a couple of times before you find it. The corner-store vibe isn't immediately convincing, but after tasting one (or a few) of the…

  • KD's Bar-B-Q

    Panhandle Plains

    If you had to go to one Texas 'cue joint, this would do. Line your platter with wax paper and tell the cook what to pile on (the brisket is divine, the…

  • Lolita's Tortilleria & Restaurant

    Dallas & the Panhandle Plains

    Lolita's exudes that family-run, small-town spirit that can't be manufactured. The hugely popular all-day breakfast menu includes tacos, huevos rancheros,…

  • Taste of Texas

    Houston

    Welcome to Houston's favorite steakhouse. While other beef palaces start perusing Las Vegas leases at the first sign of success, this long-running gem…

  • Brennan’s of Houston

    Houston

    The most famous name in New Orleans cooking runs this refined restaurant in Midtown. No mere offshoot, it’s a culinary temple all of its own, blending New…

  • Ellerbe Fine Foods

    Fort Worth

    Fresh, seasonal and local are the keywords in this serene, light-filled cafe. The farm-to-table ethos is a religion here and the seasonal menus always…

  • Lankford Grocery

    Houston

    This vintage neighborhood grocery store is now dedicated to serving some of Houston's finest burgers. Thick, juicy and loaded condiments, what more could…

  • Hugo's

    Houston

    Chef Hugo Ortega elevates regional Mexican cooking and street food to high art in this much-celebrated Montrose bodega. Many menu items may seem familiar,…

  • Crave Kitchen & Bar

    El Paso

    Winning extra points for style – from the cool sign to the cutlery hanging from the ceiling – this hip little restaurant serves up creative comfort food:…

  • Lonesome Dove Western Bistro

    Fort Worth

    At Tim Love's mod-Western Stockyards dining experience, even the chefs wear cowboy hats. It's Southern fusion, with the traditional flavors of the region…

  • L&J Cafe

    El Paso

    One of El Paso's best-loved Mexican joints, L&J serves up delicious tacos, fajitas and famous green-chile chicken enchiladas – plus a legendary menudo …

  • Dai Due

    East Austin

    Even an eggs-and-sausage breakfast is a meal to remember at this lauded East Austin favorite. All ingredients come from Texas farms, rivers and hunting…

  • Original Ninfas

    Houston

    Formal but friendly, this large Mexican restaurant, just east of downtown, is a true local institution. Houstonians have flocked here since the 1970s to…

  • Ranchman’s Ponder Steakhouse

    Dallas & the Panhandle Plains

    Given its size, this famous cafe is almost all there is to pint-sized Ponder. The chicken fried steak has drawn TV coverage. The steaks are the kind that…