10 Mom & Pop Restaurants In Texas That Serve Home Cooked Meals To Die For
Southern country cookin’ and a friendly atmosphere — these are by far our favorite kinds of restaurants. We value quality food and hospitable service over a fancy atmosphere any day. Here are the 10 best mom and pop restaurants in Texas. These eateries will make your heart (and taste buds) happy.
During these uncertain times, please keep safety in mind and consider adding destinations to your bucket list to visit at a later date.
This little gem in the hill country is known all over Texas for having some of the best home cookin' and southern hospitality around. From classic country breakfasts of eggs, bacon, sausage, and buttery biscuits to some of the crispiest, most tender chicken fried steak you'll ever eat for lunch or dinner, Blue Bonnet will fulfill your taste buds' wildest dreams and then some. And let's not forget about the most decadent pie that will ever pass your lips. Dessert is definitely what this cafe is known for above anything else. Visit them at 211 US-281, Marble Falls, TX 78654. To learn more, visit their website here.
If you skipped the chicken fried steak at Blue Bonnet in favor of a huge slice of pie, here's your chance to redeem yourself. Mary's has arguably the best chicken fried steak in Texas. It's huge, cooked just right, and the cream gravy comes in a huge bowl on the side so you can dollop (or smother) it on to your liking. Take a road trip out to 119 Grant Ave in Strawn, and get ready to enjoy one of the some of the most delicious home cooked meals in Texas. Click here to learn more.
San Antonio is filled with Mexican restaurants for obvious reasons, and although we love some good queso and enchiladas, it's nice to have options for when the hankering for a home-cooked, southern meal strikes. DeWese's has been serving up just that since 1938, so you can be sure that they put heart and soul into their cooking. Eat to your heart's content at 2814 Fredericksburg Rd, San Antonio, TX 78201. To learn more, visit their website here.
we've never been to a restaurant that gives us as much of a warm and fuzzy feeling inside as this one. You're seated at long tables with other customers and served family-style platters of fried chicken, chicken and dumplins, greens, rolls, and the most delectable peach cobbler you'll ever taste. Rest assured you'll never walk out of here hungry, but you might leave with a few new friends and many cherished memories. Pickett House is located at 206 U.S. Hwy 190, Woodville, TX 75979. To learn more, visit their website here.
Dine inside an eclectic 1930s gas station at Hilltop Cafe. This Fredericksburg restaurant is known for their scrumptious seafood gumbo, southern fried shrimp, and fried Mississippi catfish. Stop by on a Sunday morning for some of the most incredible brunch you've ever had! In addition to their finger-licking-good fare, this beloved eatery hosts some of the best live bands around. Visit them at 10661 US-87, Fredericksburg, TX 78624. Click here to learn more.
The cabin look of this restaurant just makes it seem all the more "mom and pop" like. The chicken fried steak and fried catfish are great, but the real star of the show here is the pie. They have every pie you could possibly dream of, and they're all absolutely scrumptious. Pictured is Reese's Dream pie. Yummmm. The Shed Cafe is located at 8337 FM279, Ben Wheeler, TX 75754. Click here to learn more.
This is the oldest restaurant in Plano and definitely one of the best. It's only open for breakfast and lunch, but that's okay - everyone knows breakfast is the best meal of the day anyway. At least a southern, down-home country breakfast certainly is. The menu is so huge that we won't even attempt to list all the items, but just know that everything you could ever want, from eggs benedict and home fries to french toast and fluffy pancakes to Texas-sized chicken fried steak, you can find at Poor Richard's. Stuff your face with scrumptious eats at 2442 K Ave, Plano, TX 75074. To learn more, visit their website here.
This one was actually a reader recommendation. We can pretend we'd rather eat salad, but everyone knows brown food is the best food. Lumberyard is easily the best place on 80 for a good ol' southern meal complete with impeccable service and prices that just can't be beat. Visit them at 809 E Pine St, Edgewood, TX 75117. To learn more, visit their website here.
This is another reader favorite, and we definitely understand why. There isn't one bad item on the menu here - not to mention the atmosphere is fun and the service will have you feeling like you're at grandma's for Sunday supper. Definitely a must-try, y'all. The J and P Bar and Grill is located at Old Hwy 90, Comstock, TX 78837. Click here to learn more.
It doesn't get more "mom and pop" than a general store. Not every general store has full, hot, home-cooked meals, though, so this one is extra special. Folks say they serve the best ribeye in Texas. See for yourself at North Leona Blvd 136, TX-75, Leona, TX 75850. To learn more, visit their website here.
Have you ever been to any of the 10 best mom and pop restaurants in Texas? Which one is your favorite? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
What are the best hidden gem restaurants in Texas?
Journey off the beaten path to Cattleman’s Steakhouse in Fabens. This delicious eatery is one of the best hidden gem restaurants in Texas. If you’re looking for a refreshing glass of wine, visit Flat Creek Estate in Marble Falls. These places are worth going out of your way for.
What are the best places to get chicken fried steak in Texas?
Mary’s Cafe in Strawn is often praised as the best place to get chicken fried steak in Texas. People travel from all around just to taste this delicious goodness. You can also find wonderful CFS at Hoover’s Cooking in Austin. This down-home restaurant will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside.
Address: 211 US-281, Marble Falls, TX 78654, USA
Address: 119 Grant Ave, Strawn, TX 76475, USA
Address: 2814 Fredericksburg Rd, San Antonio, TX 78201, USA
Address: 10661 US-87, Fredericksburg, TX 78624, USA
Address: 8337 FM279, Ben Wheeler, TX 75754, USA
Address: 2442 K Ave, Plano, TX 75074, USA
Address: 809 E Pine St, Edgewood, TX 75117, USA
Address: North Leona Blvd, 136 TX-75, Leona, TX 75850, USA
Katie Lawrence is a Southeast Texas native who graduated 18th in her high school class with a GPA of 4.25. She attended college in the Houston area and changed her major twice (psychology, computer science, and finally criminal justice) before taking a leap of faith and dropping out to pursue a career in freelance writing.
Today, Katie writes for the Texas and Arizona pages of OnlyInYourState.com and has never been more passionate about a job before. Outside of work, you can likely find her curled up on the sofa with a hot cup of coffee, watching a crime TV show or scary movie.
Love Texas?
Thank you! You'll receive your first newsletter soon!
