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The Hill Country is an extension of the great eating opportunities—the amazing Tex-Mex and barbecue—of San Antonio and Austin, with the addition of heavy German influences. Fredericksburg certainly corners the market for relatively authentic German fare, but Boerne, Comfort, New Braunfels, and everywhere in between serve decent schnitzel and wurst. Barbecue bests are spread all over: the Salt Lick in Driftwood, Cooper's in Llano, and Cooper's in Mason (it's not a chain; they just happen to have the same name), and Rudy's Country Store in a number of locations between Austin and San Antonio, and in Leon Springs.
On the Hill Country backroads you're not going to get a whole lot of haute cuisine delivered by celebrity chefs, but you'd be surprised at some of the fine dining experiences you can have here. Two upscale restaurants to try in Fredericksburg are August E's and Rebecca's Table.
Most places are casual in the Hill Country. You may want to don your Sunday best for a few places, but you really don't need to. Boots and jeans are formal enough for the average restaurant, especially for men. You'll see plenty of local women wearing "country-chic" clothing, such as embroidered, tailored blazers, or swishy broomstick skirts—with boots, of course. In the summer heat you'll see many patrons wearing just about anything that keeps them cool.
Don't expect to dine too late into the evenings. With the exception of a few live-music bars and venues, most restaurants and cafés are finished serving by 9 or 10, especially during the week.
Tucked away near the train tracks off San Antonio Street, the Huisache (pronounced wee-satch) is a must-stop for anyone who loves healthy, flavorful food and a glass of wine. Consistently delivering fantastic soups, salads, sandwiches, fish, grilled meats, and vegetables, there's a lot to love about this place, and the beautiful 1920s building only adds to the experience.
This popular Thai trailer opened a physical restaurant in Johnson City, where the staff serves a short but stellar menu of dishes like the "Crying Tiger," featuring char-grilled steak and served with Thai dipping sauce, rice, and salad greens. Other tasty options include "Banh Mi in a Bowl" with your choice of grilled protein, a stellar Green Curry, and a wide range of create-your-own wok stir-fries. A local favorite.
For those craving authentic Texas barbecue, head to Kelly’s where they are serving up brisket, ribs, smoked turkey, and chicken out of an Airstream with a picnic table or two on the outskirts of town (the smoker is right outside). Sandwiches, fully-loaded plates, brisket by the pound, and barbecue tacos are all extremely popular, and if you don’t want to miss out, get there early before the mac ‘n’ cheese, brisket, and ribs are gone.
At Krause's, you can even have schnitzel for breakfast: the Bauern schnitzel comes topped with two eggs and hollandaise sauce plus home fries, hash browns, and grits. Texas-German mash-ups can be found throughout the rest of the menu, too. Order Kartoffel (potato) poppers with apple sauce and sauerkraut, or elevate your sausage game with the wild-game plate, which comes with wild boar, venison, and “jackalope” (rabbit and antelope) sausages, plus bier mustard, cheese, pickles, and crackers. Plus, there's a weekly German dessert special. Outside, in the Munich-inspired beer hall, live music lights up the stage every weekend.
If you've had your fill of German food in Fredericksburg, opt for a beautiful cheese and charcuterie board from La Bergerie, an adorable European-style wine bar and market located just off the town's main strip. Relax on the patio or choose from the well-curated selection of meats, cheeses, and small-production wines to-go if you prefer to picnic somewhere in the Hill Country.
The vibe is just right at Lea Lou Co-Op, whether you're taking in the beautiful exposed-stone wall interior or kicking back with friends in the spacious yard of the classic 1800s hardware store and lumber yard. The braided-crust pizza is famous here, but the juicy steaks and seafood platters shouldn't be overlooked either. In the back, you'll find live music on some nights at the Cow Palace, a venue with a dance floor, and there's even an adjacent boutique hotel with seven rooms if you wish to stay the night.
What started as a quaint farm-to-table restaurant inside an old house has become an institution in Wimberley. Though the look is much more farmhouse-modern these days, the menu still features the same delicious food they've been known for, like their farm-fresh soups, salads, sandwiches and shareable appetizers. Heartier offerings, like wood-fired pizza, and an expanded menu of entrées, such as the crab cake or chicken and grits, make for even better dinner options. Sunday brunch, serving "Pear Classics" and seasonal specials, is memorable, too.
At this cozy café tucked in a historic home near Cibolo Creek, chef-owner Denise Mazal specializes in central European cuisine, with selections from Hungary, Austria, and the Czech Republic and a particular focus on German fare. Try the kasseler rippchen, a smoked-in-house center-cut pork chop served with fresh horseradish sauce and toasted almonds, or the Bavarian meat loaf (half lamb, half beef) with mashed potatoes and mushroom sauce. And don’t even consider leaving without ordering a side of German potato pancakes, griddled to order and topped with braised red cabbage. You’ll also want to save room for the namesake Gretel’s apple strudel with Chantilly cream or the Hansel’s Kisses, meringue filled with coffee cream and rolled in roasted almonds.
In Kerrville, Mamacita's is as much a tradition as Frito pie at high-school football games. Though billed as "authentic" Mexican food, it's more along the lines of standard Tex-Mex fare and about as straightforward as you can get.
Tucked away in a little historic house off Washington street, The Nest is a nice option for a special occasion. It's probably the best value for fine dining in town. The seasonal menu might include a perfectly prepared Black Angus fillet with a rich bordelaise sauce or plump pan-seared sea scallops served with a citrusy chipotle-lime hollandaise. Enjoy a taste of the Hill Country with a scoop of homemade lavender ice cream.
This modern curry shop is serving some of the tastiest Indian food in the Hill Country, along with 24 rotating beers on tap, and a good range of craft cans and bottles. On a quiet side street, with picnic tables in front for outdoor dining, there are classic dishes like saag paneer and butter chicken with coconut rice and papadam. They also feature Indian Tex-Mex mashups in the form of curry tacos like the curry queso, stuffed with toppings and folded into paratha tortillas. The staff will give you a warm welcome and walk you through the extensive beer list.
This is John Wayne country, and the patrons of The O.S.T. (Old Spanish Trail) don't let you forget it, thanks to an entire wall covered with photos and memorabilia of the Duke. Authentic Tex-Mex and hearty American plates are served (and have been since 1921), including a Texas-sized chicken-fried steak that covers the entire plate.
There are sunsets, and then there are sunsets at the Oasis. Here you can sit on one of the many wooden decks that scale the hillside of this Lake Travis hot spot with a frozen margarita and bid farewell to the day with one of the most spectacular sunsets in the state. The menu offers fairly standard American and Mexican fare, from burgers to enchiladas. Be sure to get there early; you won't be the only one with the bright idea to swing by.
This breezy, red-toned pizzeria, located a quick jaunt from the main square, is the premier spot for an artisanal-style pie in San Marcos. They use all fresh ingredients and have a solid menu of specialty pies, plus salads, calzones, and meatball subs. They also feature unique vegetarian options, like the Tempeh of Doom (Italian-marinated tempeh, spinach, roasted red peppers, red onion, and black olives), and they can make any pie vegan-friendly.
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.
The name of the game here is playful, modern Southern cuisine made with local Texas ingredients. You can choose from corn fritters with hot honey and jalapeño ranch, chicken-fried chicken with duck-fat cream gravy, Wagyu meat loaf, and so much more. You really can't go wrong, whether you opt to enjoy the farmhouse-style interior or relax on the expansive patio lit with twinkle lights. But the best night to visit might be Sunday, when there's a three-course special supper starring fried chicken and set to the tune of a live music soundtrack.
Pronounced Roh-coh as opposed to Rock-oh, this delightful restaurant owned by the local Piazza family has bright murals depicting family events and traditions in bold caricatures. The menu is primarily American-Italian, with personal touches from family recipes. Try the salmon Allessondra, named for the owner's daughter: a salmon fillet with lump crab meat and a bright lemon–caper butter sauce. The views of the rolling Lakeway Golf Course fairways are stunning
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.
It may not boast a German name, but don't overlook Silver Creek if you're seeking cuisine from the motherland. With an abundance of outdoor dining, regular live music, and an extensive beer selection, this place is a spring and summer favorite, for its "Tex-German" flavor. All menu items are served with a side of sweet and vinegary German potato salad, and the sausage platter is a crowd-pleaser.
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.
If Cooper's is the big-name barbecue spot in town, Tumlinsons is the understated gem that the locals love. Order by the pound and load up a tray of meat or choose the famous 3 Meat Combination to enjoy in the pared-down dining room.
