Texas · best-of list
The 20 Best Restaurants in Texas
All 20 restaurants our route editors picked in Texas, across 11 destinations, gathered in one list. Expect tables and food stops, spread across 11 destinations.
Our curated picks
20 restaurants in Texas, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Austin 3 picks
Franklin Barbecue
Austin · On our Texas BBQ Trail route
Austin's most famous brisket, worth the morning line.
Tip: Line forms by 8am for 11am opening; preorders by the pound skip the line.
Photo: Larry D. Moore · CC BY 4.0
Kreuz Market
Austin · On our Texas BBQ Trail route
Lockhart barbecue hall since 1900; meat on butcher paper, no sauce, no forks.
Tip: About 30 miles south; pair with Black's or Smitty's for a Lockhart crawl.
Photo: Tom Meny · Google
la Barbecue
Austin · On our Texas BBQ Trail route
East Austin pit known for brisket, beef ribs and house sausage, with shorter lines than Franklin.
Photo: Larry D. Moore · CC BY 4.0
Dallas 3 picks
Cattleack Barbeque
Dallas · On our Texas BBQ Trail route
Farmers Branch pitmaster spot with some of the best brisket in North Texas.
Tip: Open limited days (typically Thu–Fri plus one Saturday a month); check before going.
Photo: Mitch Pritchard · Google
Lockhart Smokehouse
Dallas · On our Texas BBQ Trail route
Bishop Arts barbecue hall serving meat by the pound, Kreuz-style sausage included.
Photo: Lockhart Smokehouse BBQ · Google
Pecan Lodge
Dallas · On our Texas BBQ Trail route
Deep Ellum smokehouse known for brisket, beef ribs and the Hot Mess sweet potato.
Tip: Arrive before 11am to beat the line; beef rib sells out early.
Photo: LittleT889 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Bishop Arts District 2 picks
Eno's Pizza Tavern
Bishop Arts District · On our Dallas New Year's Eve route
A Bishop Arts tavern known for thin-crust pizza and Texas craft beer on tap.
Oddfellows
Bishop Arts District · On our Dallas New Year's Eve route
An all-day cafe in Bishop Arts that opens at 7 am, with a busy weekend brunch and a full coffee bar.
Tip: No brunch reservations; arrive early or put your name in and walk the block.
Downtown Austin & Lady Bird Lake 2 picks
Jeffrey's
Downtown Austin & Lady Bird Lake · On our Austin New Year's Eve route
A Clarksville dining room open since 1975, known for steaks, oysters and a long wine list.
Tip: Reserve for Dec 31 well ahead; it is a 10-minute ride to the shores.
Uchi
Downtown Austin & Lady Bird Lake · On our Austin New Year's Eve route
Tyson Cole's Japanese restaurant in a South Lamar bungalow, open since 2003 and known for creative sushi and tasting menus.
Tip: Book the earliest seating on Dec 31; it is a short walk to the shores afterward.
Downtown Dallas & Reunion Tower 2 picks
Al Biernat's
Downtown Dallas & Reunion Tower · On our Dallas New Year's Eve route
An Oak Lawn steakhouse where New Year's Eve brings a late DJ and a champagne toast at midnight for the last seating.
Tip: Take an early seating if you want to watch the fireworks by the river.
Fearing's
Downtown Dallas & Reunion Tower · On our Dallas New Year's Eve route
Dean Fearing's Southwestern restaurant in the Ritz-Carlton Uptown, which served a five-course New Year's Eve dinner in 2025.
Tip: Reserve in November; New Year's Eve menus sell out.
Downtown Houston 2 picks
Brennan's of Houston
Downtown Houston · On our Houston New Year's Eve route
Creole fine dining in a brick Midtown house since 1967, known for turtle soup and tableside bananas Foster.
Tip: Reserve weeks ahead for Dec 31; the courtyard is pleasant on a mild night.
Vic & Anthony's Steakhouse
Downtown Houston · On our Houston New Year's Eve route
A dark-wood downtown steakhouse across from Daikin Park, a long-running choice for a big-night dinner.
Tip: It is a short ride to POST, so a 6:30 pm table works well before the party.
San Antonio 2 picks
Mi Tierra Café y Panadería
San Antonio · On our Texas BBQ Trail route + 1 more
24-hour Tex-Mex restaurant and bakery in Market Square since 1941.
Photo: Dustin D · Google
2M Smokehouse
San Antonio · On our Texas BBQ Trail route
South Side barbecue with Mexican-American touches like serrano-cheese sausage.
Tip: Open lunchtime until sold out.
Photo: 2M Smokehouse · Google
Downtown San Antonio & Hemisfair 1 pick
Boudro's
Downtown San Antonio & Hemisfair · On our San Antonio New Year's Eve route
A River Walk bistro since 1986, known for guacamole made tableside, Gulf seafood and prime rib.
Tip: Ask for a table on the water when you book for Dec 31.
Hermann Park & Museum District 1 pick
The Breakfast Klub
Hermann Park & Museum District · On our Houston New Year's Eve route
A Midtown soul-food breakfast spot known for chicken and waffles and catfish and grits, with a line out the door.
Tip: The line moves fast; go before 10 am or after 1 pm, and check holiday hours for Jan 1.
Pearl & Museum Reach 1 pick
Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery
Pearl & Museum Reach · On our San Antonio New Year's Eve route
Gulf Coast cooking and house-brewed beer on the ground floor of the old Pearl brewhouse, a Michelin Bib Gourmand pick.
Tip: Check holiday hours; it serves brunch on weekends.
Zilker Park & Barton Springs 1 pick
Kerbey Lane Cafe
Zilker Park & Barton Springs · On our Austin New Year's Eve route
Austin's local pancake and queso diner since 1980; the original location in a house on Kerbey Lane opens daily at 7 am.
Tip: The South Lamar location is closer to Zilker if the original has a wait.
Photo: Slamforeman · CC BY 4.0
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the restaurants in Texas?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 20 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Texas has the most restaurants on this list?
Austin and Dallas lead with 3 each; the other picks are spread across 9 more destinations.
More lists for Texas
Best restaurants nearby
Destinations on this list
- Austin 3 on this list
- Dallas 3 on this list
- Bishop Arts District 2 on this list
- Downtown Austin & Lady Bird Lake 2 on this list
- Downtown Dallas & Reunion Tower 2 on this list
- Downtown Houston 2 on this list
- San Antonio 2 on this list
- Downtown San Antonio & Hemisfair 1 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.