Central Texas
Chisholm Trail may lack atmosphere, but it's a local favorite partly because it's inexpensive, partly because it doesn't skimp on the side dishes, and…
Must-see restaurants in Texas
Austin
It started as a convenience store on a frontage road. Then the beer and Indian food started to take over. Now it's part Indian restaurant, part bar and…
Panhandle Plains
Join some genuine Texas cattlemen, and sit down for some beef in the Amarillo Livestock Auction building. The steaks are ideal – thick and perfectly…
Corpus Christi Area
Separated from the sea by just a short rolling lawn, this low-slung clapboard inn is legendary for its vast platters of fried, broiled or boiled seafood…
Fort Worth
Railroad is, to some, the legendary barbecue of Fort Worth. It's a no-frills rustic place (in a big parking lot and across from an animal hospital), where…
Dallas
Reclaim your innocence (or at least get a damn good malt) in this throwback chain of diners that's a far cry from those themed places where waitresses…
Hill Country
A great compromise when only some of you want schnitzel, this place serves both American and German dishes, mostly under $20, though the steaks can get a…
San Antonio
There are oodles of great Mexican choices around, but this place sets itself apart with a sleek and stylish ambience – think dim lighting, exposed brick…
Corpus Christi
Busy all week because of the huge and changing selection of fresh seafood, much of it not deep-fried, and there's a 'playa' menu for those that lean more…
Dallas
This lively local stalwart, in the appealing Lower Greenville neighborhood 3 miles northeast of downtown, does a good job of pleasing all palates…
Dallas
Press accolades keep pouring in for chef Dean Fearing's four-star, four-dining room restaurant in the Ritz-Carlton. No need to dress up to enjoy the…
Panhandle Plains
This is the place for a traditional beefy lunch or dinner after the sights downtown. The menu takes supper-house standards such as shrimp cocktail and…
Central Texas
This cute-as-can-be cafe turns on the small-town charm with downhome cooking in the heart of historic Main St. Griddle cakes for breakfast – a…
Austin
Here in slacky Slackerville, decor is often an afterthought, but La Condesa came along and changed all that with an eye-poppingly gorgeous space that's…
Rio Grande Valley
Steaks that would make any Texan proud, served in a historic Victorian house (also the west wing of La Posada) just off San Augustín Plaza. It's on the…
San Antonio
One of San Antonio's oldest Mexican restaurants, Casa Rio has been around since 1946, and the building itself is a Spanish hacienda that dates back to the…
East Texas
Opus stands out among the area's casual seafood shacks and slick commercial chains. Upscale dishes like shrimp-and-crab topped snapper are served on white…
San Antonio
The history, the ambience, the neon sign shaped like an enormous pig… it's hard to say what we love most about this diner, which has been around since the…
San Antonio
Schilo's has certainly earned its ambience: this German restaurant has been around since 1917 and looks the part, down to the wooden booths and the…
Gulf Coast & South Texas
Though the location has changed numerous times, Patillo's has been a mainstay of Beaumont's food scene since 1912. The beef links use a local southeast…
Panhandle Plains
Vibrant vinyl chairs and 1950s-esque knickknacks form the backdrop for this cafe and gift shop. The food is familiar (barbecue and burgers), but aims…
Rio Grande Valley
The upscale chain of the Taco Palenque empire features an airy main dining room and a huge terrace. The menu is ambitious and features a broad range of…
San Antonio & Hill Country
Schnitzel, leberkäse and sauerbraten are among the specialties you can expect at this German restaurant and bakery. (They also serve several fish dishes.)…
Corpus Christi
One might be forgiven for mistaking this place for a dive bar, and it isn't far off after dark, but it also happens to serve up some of the best burgers…
Gulf Coast & South Texas
The steady 'patting' sound you hear comes from the ladies in the back room making flour tortillas. Everything is dead simple here, including the decor,…
Hill Country
Seven miles north of town, this hospitable restaurant serves steaks and seafood – including hard-to-find frogs' legs – but the main reason to come is to…
San Antonio
This lively restaurant, half a mile south of downtown, is always hopping, its huge street-corner windows letting in natural light and wistful glances from…
Panhandle Plains
Calling this place a shack is an insult to decrepit buildings everywhere, but appearances are forgotten when you taste the smoked ham and brisket…
El Paso
With two locations, Chicos Tacos specializes in its namesake fare – with lots of garlic. Expect a crowd at this fast-food joint from about 10pm to…
Fort Worth
This is pure Texan fine dining (motto: 'Down home, yet upscale'), featuring products from local farms and ranches: strip steak, venison tenderloin, pork…
Rio Grande Valley
Inside the lobby of the La Posada Hotel, the Zaragoza offer a more casual fine-dining option. Chef Alberto Gutierrez specializes in fusion fare that…
Northeast Texas
In Tyler’s somnolent old downtown, Rick’s is in an old brick building and offers an upscale option for a night out. The menu is straightforward American…
San Antonio
Earl Abel's has been feeding San Antonians since 1933. This isn't the original location, but it keeps the tradition alive, with photos and memorabilia…
Hill Country
Creative combos make choosing your pie fun: there's the prosciutto, pineapple and serrano chile pizza for example, known as the Angry Samoan. Enjoy a…
Hill Country
Settle into this cozy but convivial spot in the historic district for Southern comfort food with the occasional fancy twist, like deviled eggs tarted up…
Fort Worth
Dine alone along the bar or mingle at communal tables with the other boisterous groups of hipster burger-lovers. The chef here keeps on inventing…
Panhandle Plains
Formica tables and waiters who know what you want before your morning mouth can form the words help make this huge old diner a classic. Eggs fuel the…
Fort Worth
Shinjuku is a hip little Japanese izakaya (a sort of Japanese gastropub) that whips up creative dishes that are ideal for sharing. Beer-braised pork buns,…
West Texas
Talk about a captive audience: it’s a 45-minute drive to the nearest dining alternatives, in Study Butte and Terlingua. Still, the food here – from…
Corpus Christi Area
Home cookin' by chef and proprietor Avery Hernandez comes cheap, but such is the quality and the friendly vibe that crowds keep coming back. The lunch…
