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Due to a mix of geographic isolation and Hispanic heritage, the food is a redolent, sumptuous mix of north Mexican cooking and Southern home cooking, giving area dishes a very rich, heavy and spicy character. Sometimes the menus are in Spanish.
Tex-Mex, Mexican, and Southern cooking are what this region does best. In general, steer away from East Asian; stick with items like country-fried steaks, barbecue, and Mexican dishes like burritos, asado (a tangy dish, often pork, cooked in oil and ground-up chiles), chiles rellenos (raw green chiles that are stuffed with meat, cheeses, and spices and then baked; can be hot or mild), and barbacoa (slow-cooked beef seasoned with tangy marinade). (Note that some barbacoa is actually from the head of the cow [called barbacoa de cabeza].)
When the sun sets, this intimate, fireplace-warmed indoor-outdoor restaurant is the best place to eat and socialize in Marathon. The innovative menu, featuring fresh produce from the Gage Hotel Garden across the railroad tracks, changes with the season but maintains a Southwestern flair. Entrées sizzle with prime steaks, cornmeal-fried-oyster nachos, and stuffed Texas quail. After dinner you can belly up to the bar at the White Buffalo, where people-watching is always a kick.
A favorite of many West Texans spending the day in Alpine, Reata ("rope" in Spanish) feels both welcoming and upscale, with big, wooden tables and a pleasant rancher/cowboy vibe. It's a "howdy"-type place with prompt, down-home service and a menu that emphasizes creative Southwestern and Tex-Mex fare, such as tortilla soup, calf fries with cream gravy, and beef tamales with pecan mash, plus generously portioned steaks from a legendary ranch in the nearby Davis Mountains. There's a long, fabulous dessert list.
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