Texas
Restaurants in Texas
For authentic Texas barbecue, make your way to Goode Company Texas Bar-B-Q. Locals know that this is the spot for mesquite-smoked meats. One of the best barbecue restaurants in Texas, it even offers delicious sides such as Austin baked beans and jalapeno cornbread. And save room for dessert, the Brazo’s Bottom pecan pie is a must try.
Though Tex-Mex may rule the state, Javier’s in High Park, Dallas proves that Mexican food has not been forgotten. This upscale Texas restaurant serves up everything from mole to Mayan style pork. The restaurant also boasts a lounge and cigar bar for those who enjoy a post dinner smoke. Those with a sweet tooth will enjoy the Tres Leches, cajeta crepes, and flan al Kahlua.
One of the most romantic restaurants in Texas is Green Pastures, a large Southern estate in the state’s capital city of Austin. Dine among the old oak trees while peacocks roam the grounds. The lavish 1888 Victorian-style home is the epitome of Southern hospitality. Diners can enjoy deliciously decadent entrees such as seared duck breast, salt and pepper poulet rouge chicken and espresso-cocoa ribeye. As for dessert, the chocolate habanero crème brūlée is the perfect blend of sweet and spicy.
Bess translates an idealized French bistro into western terms (pewter bar; encaustic tile; distressed mirrors).
You can eat like a true Texan without leaving the airport, thanks to the sauce-smothered sandwiches of Austin’s venerable barbecue franchise. Be sure to order the knockout sides, which include coleslaw, beans, and potato salad.
Over the years, this rambling old Arts and Crafts bungalow with sunny rooms and a deep front deck that overlooks the street has housed a string of uninspired restaurants. But Brasserie Max and Julie, opened in late 2007, seems destined for success.
You may see more families than romancing couples at the Blue Bell Creamery, but it’s worth stopping in to see the birthplace of every Texan’s favorite frozen treat—not to mention the free samples at the end of the factory tour.
This venue is now closed.
Housed in a standalone red-brick building, this casual barbecue joint is the namesake restaurant of U.S. Olympic weightlifting champion Sammy Walker. The no-frills dining room is designed in a cafeteria style, with simple furniture and walls hung with photographs of Olympic athletes.
Seamlessly blending the cuisines of Europe and Latin America, owners and Dallas food stars Espartaco and Dunia Borga create soul-warming comfort favorites like roasted half-chicken with black beans and plantains or huevos rancheros with homemade corn tortillas in their McKinney Avenue kitchen.
How can a town that is less than 40 have a pub that's 107 years old? Simple: it was shipped from Ireland. At the well-traveled Goose's Acre Bistro and Irish, dine on sirloin shepherd's pie or a Monte Cristo O'Brian sandwich.
What It’s Like: The layout of this Austin favorite is a marvel in itself; 40 tiered decks—that can hold up to 2,200 people—jut out from a 450-foot-high cliff over Travis Lake.
Located in midtown Houston along the light rail line, Julia’s Bistro offers modern Latin cuisine served amid fresh flowers and vibrant color block walls. The restaurant is also dimly lit and features classic white tablecloths on widely spaced tables, making it a popular choice for date night.
Situated in the historic Magnolia district, this Italian restaurant is easily recognizable by its black-and-white-striped awning and the long line of patrons waiting for a seat in the six-table dining room.
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