Must-see restaurants in 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…

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…

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…

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…

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

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,…

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

You can't beat the Gulf-caught fried shrimp and sunburnt sailor crowd here. Locals know to stake out a deckside waterfront table early on weekend…

Relaxed, artsy cafe by day (it has regular juried art shows); swinging scene by night. Local bands play weekend evenings, followed by a salsa dance party…

Strictly for those on a weekend break, this attractive restaurant is right in the tiny center. The menu is heavily French accented and changes with the…

Classic Texas barbecue is on offer at this dead-simple storefront. Legendary pitmaster Alan Caldwell guards his secret smoking techniques but the…

Texas barbecue done right. Order at the counter and retreat to the long wooden tables with your groaning plate of brisket, turkey breast, fried okra, plus…

Well sure, you can worship God here, but most people flock to worship the incredibly good barbecue cooked in a smoky shack next to the church. All-you-can…

Your one-stop shop for good food and drink in Tyler. Superb barbecue in all forms is served in sandwiches, on plates, in tacos and more. Top regional…

Right on the lake near the docks, this wooden restaurant is always busy with gossiping locals, many lounging around on battered chairs out front. The menu…

Old-fashioned chicken and dumplings is the savory star at this family-run cafe. But be sure to save room for the pie. All 15 varieties are tasty, but the…

The Country Tavern, 5 miles west of Kilgore on Hwy 31, is known statewide for its wonderfully tender barbecued ribs and other wood-smoked meats. The…

Far above average country fare is on offer at this tidy corner brick cafe in the heart of town. The burgers are actually famous and the rest of the dishes…

The barbecue is superb, and that's no lie. Just be sure to show up during the very limited opening hours. Among the usual lineup, the brisket makes some…

In a town where the competition for best burger is tough, Stanton's is always on the A-list, with big, stacked juicy burgers. The chipotle option has…