384 Best Restaurants in Texas, USA

On a quiet side street, sisters April Ryan and Ashley Landerman opened this charming little bakery, filled it with sweet treats and deliciousness, and flaunted some seriously impressive baking chops and credentials. In 2023, Ashley won the Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship, after winning their Christmas Cookie Challenge in 2019. Stop by for great coffee and savory breakfast empanadas or grab a cupcake, brownie, or pie. Grab a café table out on the sidewalk, sip your brew, and watch the world go by.

Situated in a charming cottage just northwest of downtown, 40 North is a standard for classic Neapolitan pizza and light Italian fare. It's a lovely neighborhood setting with cozy patio seating and bright white interiors. The pies are the main draw, but the house burger and spicy chicken sandwich along with their other small plates are equally tasty. 

Colorful, quilt-draped walls and a cool ceiling-fanned patio make this a comfortable spot no matter the weather. The menu changes with the season, but you might find an entrée such as a juicy grilled New York strip steak in a balsamic reduction or sautéed rainbow trout. The 814 Burger is a half-pound of grilled bliss.

This sophisticated Mediterranean fine-dining destination, an outpost of the original Chicago-based restaurant, is a venerable hot spot within the bustling Music Lane mixed-use enclave on South Congress Avenue. Specializing in Israeli, Turkish, Greek, and Lebanese cuisine, the extensive menu would be overwhelming without the helpful direction of servers, but you really can't go wrong with the variety of hummus, whipped spreads with homemade pita bread, and delicious mains—shawarma-spiced skirt is a standout. Save room for sticky date cake for dessert. Lunch is served on weekdays and swapped with a brunch service on weekends.

This high-profile restaurant fits the "everything's bigger in Texas" image. The interior is as spectacular as it is warm. The menu, which changes frequently, depending on the best seasonal options, melds Southwestern and Asian cuisines, resulting in creations like lobster shooters flavored with red chili and sake. People come back for the sushi.

Big and bold contemporary design creates a lively atmosphere for this exciting collaboration by restaurateurs Lisa Wong of Rosario's fame, Pete Selig, known for Biga on the Banks, and executive chef Richard Sanchez. The modern Tex-Mex spot sits astride a less-traveled section of the River Walk and offers excellent libations such as the cucumber jalapeño margarita and handmade mojitos. guacamole made table-side, and fresh ceviche. For the main course, move onto grilled fish tacos or a host of seasonal fare. The outdoor dining area is small, but worth the wait for views of the river. Reservations aren't required, but think about making them for busy weekends or holiday times. Note: The patio is not pet-friendly, except for service animals.

A perennial favorite with locals for four decades, Alamo Cafe is far from the actual Alamo, but you'll still remember it for its fresh tortillas and no-frills approach to Mexican dishes. This is a good place to try fried jalapeño starters, sizzling fajitas, quesadillas, and puffy, soft, or crispy tacos. Alamo Cafe is extremely family-friendly, with a very good kids' menu featuring Tex-Mex and All-American favorites.

You can dig into one of the best burgers in the region here. The more adventuresome eaters order theirs with the jalepeño-cheese bun—it's really not as spicy as it sounds. Don't miss the gossamer-light and crispy hand-battered onion rings. There's also a mean vegetable burger, with avocado, sautéed onions, roasted garlic, pepperjack cheese, lettuce, and tomato on a wheat bun. If you're here in peach season, your Alamo Springs experience isn't complete without a serving of homemade peach crisp.

Enjoy authentic Italian cuisine at this upscale restaurant. The warm and inviting space features a wide menu of appetizers, entrée salads, pasta, seafood, poultry, beef, and chops; try the salmon Pavarotti, the quaglia all griglia (quail), or the brasato (braised boneless prime short ribs). Fresh, well-prepared dishes are paired with attentive service. Dessert standouts are Aldo's signature cheesecake and lemon ricotta cake.

The perfect place to mangia for anyone who loves rustic, authentic Italian food, with a range of pizzas, pastas, salads, and entrees that taste like they come directly out of nonna’s kitchen. The atmosphere is lively, the decor is understated but elegant, and you will want to dine there more than once—it’s that good. From the Oro Bianco buffalo mozzarella appetizer with marinated heirloom tomatoes, focaccia crostini, aged balsamic, basil, and Texas olive oil to prosciutto and arugula pizza, proceed to the hearty Lasagna Alla Campagna, with bolognese sauce, if you have room, and top it off with delectable tiramisu.

It doesn't get much more laid back in Dallas than the AllGood Cafe, which doubles as a live-music venue on weekends. Local and Texas music is a big deal here, and tunes take precedence over decor. The kitchen turns out breakfast standards like omelets, giant pancakes, and migas (Mexican-style scrambled eggs), until 3 pm. The lunch and dinner menus include just-right chicken-fried steak and the spiciest, most filling version of King Ranch Chicken (a layered, gooey mess of corn tortillas, chicken, peppers, cheese, beans, and more) in town. Giant windows allow a great view of the street life of Deep Ellum, and there's a little room for outdoor seating.

Set in a 164-year-old home in downtown New Braunfels, this restaurant specializes in food from the Alps, with a focus on Germany. Schnitzel offerings reach beyond basics to include Rahm schnitzel (pork or chicken schnitzel topped with sour-cream gravy) and Zigeuner schnitzel, which is a pork or chicken version topped with spicy paprika, bell pepper, and onion gravy. Other entrées include lesser-known dishes, such as Rinderrouladen (beef roulades), thinly sliced steak stuffed with pickle, onion, bacon, and German mustard, smothered in gravy, and served alongside spaetzle, red cabbage, and freshly baked bread. Enjoy a meal in the dining room, which features area artifacts and exposed stone walls, or relax on the spacious patio surrounded by twinkle-lit trees.

A colorful mosaic-tiled, multistoried room delivers outstanding New World cuisine that includes roasted pork filet mignon with grilled shrimp and lump crabmeat and the crowd-favorite Encamisado, a chicken breast crusted with plantains and Chontaleno cheese over black-bean sauce. The executive lunch, available weekdays, is just $15.95 and includes a signature entrée and dessert, plus your choice of soup or salad.

A Fort Worth institution since 1958, Angelo's is famous for succulent smoked ribs, so tender that the meat falls off the bone, and for the stuffed bear that guards the front door. The small parking lot, filled with minivans, European sedans, pickup trucks and motorcycles, reflects the diverse customer base that returns for those ribs, schooners of beer, traditional sides (mustard potato salad, Western-style beans, cole slaw), and other meats, including turkey, sliced or chopped beef, and sausage. Arrive early, as they've been known to run out of ribs well before closing.

Known for luxury takes on Texan fare—think bison meatballs, Texas charcuterie, and chili-coffee-crusted elk carpaccio—this elegant restaurant in the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa also has lighter options like vegan garden ravioli. The centerpiece of the dining room is a huge chandelier with more than 500 sets of naturally shed antlers. The dress code is resort-casual, and reservations are required.

With executive chefs hailing from Sardinia, Italy, Arcodoro is the place to go for authentic Sardinian cuisine. The various pasta dishes, such as artichoke-filled ravioli and gnochetti (teardrop pasta) with wild-boar ragu (stew), are very popular, as are the chicken dishes and osso buco, and the rib-eye steak is succulent. Alfresco dining is available year-round, but only truly enjoyable in the cooler months and when you're sitting far enough away from the parking lot to be out of exhaust range. Check out the online store for authentic Sardinian products.

This flagship endeavor by Top Chef winner and host Kristen Kish, located on the ground floor of the LINE hotel, has elevated the bar for Austin hotel restaurants. The elegant presentations of French- and Italian-inspired dishes, infused with elements from Kish's Korean upbringing and crafted with seasonal Central Texas ingredients whenever possible, result in impressive but pricey offerings. The menu is constantly changing, but the crispy rice dish with crab, bacon, haricot vert, and saffron aioli has been a staple since the restaurant's opening. It's a luxurious on-site amenity for hotel guests, and the sleek dining room also offers a great spot to view the Congress Bridge bats.

Don't look for the sign—there isn't one at this clubby, see-and-be-seen River Oaks sorta-Tex-Mex favorite. Armando Palacios's eponymous eatery—fashioned after 1920s Mexico City—is consistently packed with friends and regulars who love the clean, simple signature fajitas, queso flameado (a cheese dip made with chorizo and served with flour tortillas), and fresh lime-juice margaritas. The bar is always hopping, and not with the young and the restless, either. Reserve the private room in the back for your next air-kissing celebration.

This quintessential family-run Tex-Mex joint in an old home dishes up fresh versions of all the tried-and-true favorites, including cheese enchiladas, brisket tacos, and gorditas, and rice and refried beans. It attracts a loyal crowd that relishes the quick, personable service.

If you want something different from the usual Mexican or Tex-Mex offerings, venture south to find festive fare here hailing from the Caribbean, Spain, and South and Central America. Executive chef Rene Fernandez mixes up flavors and styles con pasion. Start with an appetizer sampler (five different apps) and move on to Seafood Curry Latino or Parillada Mixta, a mix of chicken, pork, and sausage basted with chimichurri, a tangy basil sauce. Tempting desserts include coconut flan, chocolate truffles made to order, and a dessert sampler with five house creations and homemade ice cream. Dance it all off with live salsa music Friday and Saturday. Reservations are recommended for weekend nights.

A continuation of a family-run Southside business since 1958, this version of B&B opened in 1984 and has a menu that goes beyond the usual barbecue fare. In addition to the typical brisket, smoked sausage, and pulled pork, they also offer burgers, club sandwiches, tacos, chef salad, and a veggie chef salad that's fresh and flavorful. Choose from barbecue plates with multiple meats or pork rib plates with a half-rack or full-rack. Monster baked potatoes start with only butter and cheese, or choose sliced or chopped BBQ brisket, chicken, or turkey as toppings. Among other tasty sides, the potato salad is a standout.

An excellent choice for vegetarian cuisine, this eclectic bungalow in the Montrose neighborhood serves an avocado-and-mushroom-topped veggie burger plate that has been popular since 1975. Named after a Slavic witch, Baba Yega offers an award-winning weekend brunch, and full bar as well. Enjoy people-watching out front under the shade of a century-old oak tree, or dine on the covered patio before a waterfall and herb garden.

Originally the National Bank of Llano, built in 1891, this stately manor later served as the family home to N.J. Badu, a French immigrant who studied the mineralogy of the Llano Basin. In recent years, the Badu House has been tastefully transformed into a restaurant focusing on local cuisine. If you like wild game, don't miss the grilled Bandera quail. Beneath the skin the meat is tender, and the accompanying chipotle and honey glaze gives the dish a nice kick. The back patio has live music on weekends.

Here expertly crafted croissants, cookies, muffins, macarons, rolls, tarts, and danish pastries are as delicious as they come. Heartier breakfast fare includes quiche lorraine, and seasonal French toast, while lunch features Cuban roast pork loin sandwiches and other sandwich options on their homemade breads. You can even take home fresh loaves of sourdough, whole wheat, and white bread. Other locations include 7738 Louis Pasteur Dr. at the Medical Center, 17503 La Cantera Pkwy. at The Rim, and 2800 Broadway St. at The Doseum.

Though its former filling station location is inconspicuous—apart from the line of hungry patrons—this family restaurant meets any barbecue hankerings. Mouthwatering, dry-rubbed beef brisket, beef ribs, chicken, turkey breast, pork ribs, pulled pork, and sausages are served with tangy sauce (on the side), pickles, and slices of white bread. Scratch-made sides of creamed corn, potato salad, green beans, pinto beans, and coleslaw help soothe the palate.

This casual, friendly diner quickly became a favorite of locals when it opened a dozen years ago. Pizza, available as whole pies or by the slice, is the best in town. Also outstandng are the chicken pasta dishes—cacciatore (with onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes), cachovie (with artichoke hearts), aristocrat (with eggplant and mozzarella in a white-wine cream sauce and diavolo (with basic, garlic and onions). From the basic spaghetti and meatballs and fettuccine to the sandwiches, everything's good here. There's no beer or wine, but feel free to bring your own.

The strictly seasonal, locally sourced daily specials at the celebrated Barley Swine blend the artistic style of Japanese sushi with the familiarity of Southern comfort food. Be sure to list any food allergies when reserving as dinner comes in the form of a fixed daily menu of chef-selected small plates ($115 per person) with expert beverage pairings (starting at $65 per person). Executive chef and owner Bryce Gilmore and his team deliver innovative dishes like duck-blood crepes with sweet chiles and pear-and-turnip soup with apple cider and chanterelles. Reservations are essential at this intimate eatery and can be made well in advance or sometimes the day of.

On weekends you may find a line out the door at this town favorite known for its fresh-baked muffins, pastries, breads, coffee, and delicious soup and sandwiches. Though the menu is small, the breakfast crowd arrives early for one of the few inside tables, and locals swarm here for lunch as well.

Pick up fresh Mexican pastries from this long-standing neighborhood panaderia (bakery) in Monte Vista. They make all the traditional pan dulce plus novelty cakes and frosted cookies. Conchas are soft and fresh, while pumpkin empanadas are a favorite. The line can get long on weekend mornings, so plan accordingly.