6 Best Restaurants in Marfa, West Texas and the Panhandle

Think of the dining experience here as being akin to a party in a private home with 30 of your closest friends. The chef-owners welcome you to their open kitchen, where ingredients from their garden and a network of suppliers will determine what might appear on several weekly-changing prix-fixe menus. Expect simple ingredients, clean flavors, and creative presentation. You'll be able to choose from a comprehensive wine list (about 250 varieties) that represent the chefs' personal recommendations. Food allergies and dietary preferences are willingly accommodated with prior notice.

Keep your eyes peeled for this converted aluminum trailer on the west side of downtown that serves up Mediterranean-inspired specialties like the Marfalafel: a large flour tortilla brimming with falafel, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, and tahini and harissa sauces. Devotees also swear by the pimento cheese made from a combination of cheddar and Havarti cheeses blended with pepperoncini, horseradish, parsley, and dill. Save room for the double-chocolate-espresso cookies.

Set in a sleekly industrial warehouse-style building on the east edge of downtown Marfa, Pizza Foundation appeals to families with its casual atmosphere and the quality thin-crust pizza the native Rhode Island owners turn out. They close for the evening when they run out of pizza, so you call ahead before you go.