38 Best Restaurants in The Hill Country, Texas

You might rub your eyes when you first walk into this landmark country café, which boasts over 21,000 collector plates lining the walls and ceiling. When it first opened in 1929, Prohibition was still in full swing and countless bootleggers would sell moonshine in the parking lot, but now people come for the perfect fried chicken, chicken-fried steak, and onion rings. The shrimp sampler features shrimp prepared three ways. And by all means, save room for a warm brownie sundae for dessert.

Just off the railroad tracks in Kerrville is a cheery café with red trim, cream timber siding, and a cute outdoor patio. Built in 1915, the house once served as a train depot but has been transformed into a fantastic little restaurant offering a variety of homemade soups, salads, and hearty entrées. Standouts include the curry chicken salad, shrimp tacos, and grilled bison burger.

Natural light floods the brick-laden interior of this renovated 1920s industrial space on the Hill Country Mile, setting the scene for thoughtful and elevated casual cuisine. Start with an order of shrimp ceviche or tuna tartare nachos for the table before moving on to one of their many diverse offerings: towering sandwiches served with house-made chips, wood-fired pizza (try the goat cheese pizza with spinach, prosciutto, goat and mozzarella cheeses), or entrées like Akaushi New York strip and Crispy Skin Salmon. There are even a few unexpected options for sushi. Richter Tavern is also known for their cocktails, which are listed as "regular" or "diesel," so if you're stopping in for lunch, clear the rest of the day's calendar if you can. They have also added a bakery and coffeehouse (Richter Bakhaus) at the same address, famous for their Texas-sized cinnamon rolls.

On a nice evening, dining on the deck is the thing to do here. The views are amazing, and the food holds up its end of the bargain. The house specialty is a generous hand-cut Texas rib eye with two sides, and the thick-cut "tower of onion rings" is mighty impressive. There is a sizable cocktail and wine list, and the friendly waitstaff expertly coaxes people to order dessert, like the warm carrot cake.

This low-key café is a longtime local hangout with a fresh, seasonal menu, cheerful staff, and comfortable community atmosphere. Portions are generous, and this is real home cooking! Try the signature Beet Burger with goat cheese, pesto mayo, and microgreens on a toasted brioche bun for lunch, or the crowd-pleasing Bourbon Chicken with pecan sauce served with green beans and garlic scallion mashed potatoes. Satisfy your sweet tooth: For every homemade dessert sold, $1 is donated to the local Hays County Food Bank.

Just outside town, this was someone’s cozy house before it was transformed into a great coffee shop and wine bar with delicious food (the Sourdough BLT sandwich is jammed with thick-cut bacon; ask for avocado), all-natural wine flights, and home-baked goods like the olive oil cake that is truly hard to resist. The owners are winemakers and have launched a new natural wine label, Summer Revival Wine Co., here in Texas.

The owners brought the building over from Vietnam and reconstructed here in Texas. The American Nouveau cuisine is outstanding for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but the afternoon tea is truly delightful (one of the owners is English), as the Hill Country meets the Cotswolds. Enjoy a perfectly calibrated blend of sweet and savory offerings including beef Wellington with charred horseradish mash, ham and Gruyère puff, deviled egg sandwich, and a pile of lovely sweet treats. Visit the chapel and sculpture garden while you’re here.

A former post office now serves appetites in the middle of nowhere. There are some unusual dishes like mahimahi (a mild, white fish) with tomatillo sauce, but also plenty of German fare. Start with potato pancakes served with apple sauce or sour cream. The schnitzel is fabulous, as is the rouladen—a tenderized beef fillet wrapped around dill pickle, ham, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese. If it's warm outside, sit beneath the vined trellis and watch the resident goats and donkeys grazing nearby. Live music accompanies your meal on Thursdays and Sundays. Reservations are strongly recommended.