7 Best Restaurants in Fredericksburg, The Hill Country

Most locals flock to this family-owned restaurant for a delicious and hearty breakfast, even though it's also open for lunch. Lacy German pancakes come with butter pats, lemon slices, and powdered sugar for sprinkling, and Holstein breakfast schnitzel (a breaded pork chop) is served with eggs, German fried potatoes, and buttermilk biscuits. Or skip straight to lunch and enjoy homestyle plates of sausage, kraut, and potato salad. If you don’t order a pastry with your meal, be sure to visit the bakery counter on your way out to get an apple strudel, prasselkuchen, or pretzel nut twist for the road.

The coffee at this cozy little house on Main Street is amazing because they roast their own small-batch specialty beans. It's a popular breakfast stop with great pastries, muesli, parfait, and breakfast burritos. The small all-day menu is also a big draw. Try the avocado toast, green chili chicken and grits, or breakfast burrito. They also offer a nice selection of organic teas for non-coffee drinkers.

Lance Eaker hails from Texas, his wife Boo is Korean, and they have combined their impressive culinary talents to cook up some of the best barbecue in Texas at this award-winning, mesquite-smoking barbecue joint, which started as a food truck in Houston. The classics, from Texas dry rub pork ribs to moist prime brisket, are all excellent, but what makes it so unique are the succulent Gochujang ribs, fried kimchi rice, homemade kimchi, and other Korean-inflected dishes that reflect Boo's heritage. Leave room for Boo's BOOzy banana pudding; it's a knockout.

Serving a variety of homemade German-style lagers and ales, the brewery, in a historic 1890s building with an air-conditioned biergarten, is a popular nightspot for both locals and visitors. The German food is all well prepared, but the pizza and Texas-sized chicken-fried steak are no slouches either.

The gift shop came first, but since 1984 Cynthia Pedregon has wowed crowds with her homemade soups, sandwiches, and daily quiches. Portions are hearty, but to get a sampling of as much as possible, opt for the Sandwich Sampler, which comes with a quarter sandwich each of tangy chicken salad, fresh tuna salad, perky jalepeño-pimento cheese, and a cup of the soup of the day. Pedregon's cookbooks are prized staples in Hill Country kitchens.

Occupying a historic building that was formerly home to the Keidel Pharmacy, this modern coffeehouse serves great coffee and local pastries and a small menu of salads and sandwiches—it’s a perfect place to catch your breath during a whirlwind shopping tour of Fredericksburg. Beautiful tiled tables, original tin ceilings and wood floors, and an open, spacious feel create a relaxing environment, perfect for hanging out with a laptop, coffee and a pastry, or friends.

A cool, eclectic shop with new and vintage pottery, baskets, and tabletop—everything from a vintage ice cream scoop to plates emblazoned with a quirky stag imprint. There is a coffee bar up front with excellent coffee and pastries (the croissants are flaky and delicious) and a champagne bar if you need a bit of bubbly while you shop. Rockhaus is literally connected to Farmhaus Antiques, and if you continue to meander, you’ll also want to check out the Farmhaus for a beautifully curated selection of clothes, home goods, and jewelry.