Restaurants in Texas

Food Culture & Dining Scene in Texas

Texas is a food empire unto itself, with regional cuisines so distinct that the state could be divided into several culinary nations. Central Texas barbecue, centered on smoked brisket served on butcher paper with white bread and pickles, has become the most revered form of BBQ in America, with multi-hour lines at Franklin Barbecue in Austin and Snow's in Lexington attesting to its cult status. Houston is arguably the most diverse dining city in America, with extraordinary Vietnamese food on Bellaire Boulevard, a massive Chinatown, Nigerian suya, Salvadoran pupusas, and Indian restaurants that rival those in New Jersey and California. San Antonio's Tex-Mex tradition is the birthplace of the breakfast taco, puffy tacos, and enchiladas drenched in chile gravy. Dallas and Fort Worth contribute steakhouse culture, sophisticated Uptown dining, and a thriving Asian food scene along Harry Hines Boulevard. The Gulf Coast from Galveston to Corpus Christi supplies fresh shrimp, oysters, and Gulf fish to seafood restaurants across the state. Chicken-fried steak, smothered in cream gravy, is the unofficial state dinner. With roughly 58,000 restaurants, Texas is the second-largest restaurant state by count and one of the most culinarily important in the nation.