Home to the rodeo, Willie Nelson, the Wild West, and finger lickin’ BBQ food, the Lone Star State is not to be overlooked. So, in true STA Travel style, we’re here to delve in to the food and music scene in Texas, giving you the low-down on where to go to soak up all those warm and welcoming Texan vibes…
For foodies:
Big Daddy’s Eats & Treats: Colourful shaved ice, hot cheetos with corn in a cup, or HUGE cucumbers with tons of toppings?! Who says it's all about BBQ food in Texas?
Mi Tierra Café and Panaderia: This little family-run café was opened in 1941 by Pedro and Cruz Cortez, who wanted to serve the hard-working early risers in San Antonio. Nowadays it’s world-famous, run by the same family, and serving up authentic Mexican food (and margaritas) with a warm Texas welcome.
If you’re a lover of food AND music:
County Line River Walk for proper Texas country roadhouse vibes and a plate of legendary Texas BBQ. Hit the BBQ house on a Thursday or Friday and you’ll be treated to some damn good live local music.
If you’re a lover of music:
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport: You don’t even have to leave the airport to get a taste of Texas’ music roots – the airport hosts Music in the Air, which delivers 23 shows a week in six different venues in the airport.
Continental Club: One of Austin’s oldest clubs opened in 1955 and since then it’s lived through a few refurbs (swanky supper club, Austin’s first burlesque club, a working man’s blue collar bar, punk rock ‘n’ roll venue) all the way through to what it is today – a retro club dedicated to roots, rockabilly, country and swing music, and refurbed to its original 1950’s style. You’ll find a classic neon sign out front, murals on the walls, and an old-school interior – it’s easy to see why it’s often been named one of the best bars in America. We caught a Blues night when we were there - the acts before 9pm are free to watch, and then afterwards you pay for whatever night they've got going on. I could have stayed there all night.
Antone’s Nightclub on East 5th Street: For the music lovers who really want to catch some great Blues music, head to this oldie but goodie. The club opened in 1975 and has hosted legendary artists like BB King, Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton & Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Broken Spoke: One of the last remaining traditional dancehalls in the state, you can go for a lesson in two-stepping and stay for a proper Texan night out. I absolutely loved this place - we went for some food (this is where I tried the well-loved Texas dish, chicken fried steak... yep, that's a thing), listened to a cowboy singing country songs, and then headed out back afterwards to watch people learning to two-step. A totally different Friday night for me - I couldn't stop staring at the amount of guys in full cowboy getup... and I'd be lying if I didn't say I considered staying and making a real-life Hallmark movie right there and then.
If you’re a lover of music AND food:
Gospel brunch at Stubb’s Bar-B-Q: Slow smoked Texas BBQ and live gospel music on a Sunday. We didn’t know we needed gospel music while eating BBQ food… until now. Book in advance for this, because unfortunately I didn't and I couldn't get a table. So this is right at the top of my agenda the next time I visit!
Austin City Limits Music Festival at Zilker Park: A huge annual festival that’s made up of 8 stages over two weekends. They've had the likes of Jay-Z, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Gorillaz, Martin Garrix, Vance Joy, and The Killers. Like any festival that’s worth its salt, ACL also has a banging food court – ‘ACL Eats Food Court’ brings in all the surrounding area’s best restaurants and lets them set up shop to ensure their customers are well fed and watered.
If you’re a lover of food:
Vaudeville Bistro in downtown Fredericksburg: Devour artisanal wood-fired pizzas and charcuterie boards, wash it down with some tasty local wine, and then browse home furnishings and the contemporary art gallery upstairs. Oooo, fancy.
If you’re a lover of music:
Luckenbach Texas: This little gem was made famous by Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson (aka the bad boys of country). If that’s not enough to draw you in, then maybe the promise of a dancehall and quirky country hangout with a daily dose of live music will. Make sure you’re there for the pickers circle at 4:30pm, where local singers jam together under the old oak trees. Ahhh, country life.
STATEWIDE
If you’re a lover of food:
Texas Roadhouse: I know this is a chain - so, sue me - but I actually loved this, because it was one of the first places I visited and it just made me feel like I was in Texas. The country-style interiors, the huge cuts of meat on display, the giant steins of beer and the complimentary buckets of monkey nuts - plus, the steak was actually really good!
Torchy’s Tacos: What started as just a taco-loving guy with a red Vespa scooter, quickly became a Texas sensation; a well-loved taco heaven located in stores and trailer parks all over Texas. Mike, his team and his customers are now living the taco dream across the state. Try them out and you’ll quickly see why Torchy’s Tacos have won awards… they were so yummy, and I was even able to sip frozen margheritas at the same time. If that's not a great fast-food restaurant, I don't know what is.
Local food trucks are a serious trend in Texas, and you can find them almost anywhere. If you’re a big fan of casual street food, some of the best bites are served up in these vans. If you head down to Rainey Street in Austin, you'll find most bars have food trucks in their beer gardens... best of both worlds.
Komentarze