13 Best Restaurants in The Hill Country, Texas

This is the gathering spot in the morning for locals looking to savor a rich cup of coffee or a fully cooked breakfast. But lunch is just as popular, with a daily menu of flavorful soups, salads, and sandwiches, including the "salad trio," which is a scoop of homemade chicken salad and a scoop of homemade tuna salad on a fresh field-greens salad. The creamy pimiento-cheese sandwich on nine-grain bread is easy on the mayonnaise and spicy with black pepper, while thick and garlicky hummus with crispy pita chips makes a great appetizer for sharing. Save room for a sweet treat from the dessert case of fresh baked goods, including fudge-walnut brownies, lemon cupcakes, and chewy chocolate-chip Cowboy cookies.

Though it's also open for lunch, most locals flock to this family-owned restaurant for a delicious and hearty breakfast. Lacy German pancakes come with butter pats, orange slices, and powdered sugar for sprinkling. Order schnitzel with eggs or skip straight to lunch and enjoy homestyle plates of sausage, kraut, and potato salad. If you don’t order a pastry with your meal, be sure to visit the bakery counter on your way out to get an apple strudel, prasselkuchen, or pretzel nut twist for the road.

On weekends you may find a line out the door at this town favorite known for its extensive breakfast buffet with eggs, fruit, and fresh-baked muffins, pastries, and breads. Most patrons brave the long counter line for cinnamon rolls, which are as big as a Frisbee. The breakfast crowd arrives early for one of the few inside tables, and locals swarm here for lunch as well.

Don't even think about coming to Marble Falls without taking a seat at this small-town diner. There's a sign above the hostess stand that commands you to "eat some pie," and you'd be a fool to not listen and sample one of the at least 10 different types made fresh daily. From mountainous meringue to creamy custard, the geniuses behind these sweet concoctions mean business. If you come between 2 and 5, you've made it for "Pie Happy Hour," when you can have a slice of pie and a cup of joe for $3. They also serve all the standards you'd find at an old-fashioned diner.

More than just a coffeeshop, Chaparral is truly a community hub. Owners Taylor and Austin Burge have developed the breakfast and lunch menu of the tiny space to fit the town's growing needs, and they throw DJ-fueled dance parties and other events here, too. But yes, the coffee is also stellar—in fact, it's worlds better than most of the coffee you can find anywhere else in small-town Texas.

At this tiny little bakery housed in an old building, the enchanting aroma of fresh-baked pies and pastries envelops you the second you walk in the door. The question of what to order then immediately overwhelms you as you scour the glass cases showcasing pies, sweet and savory kolaches, and cookies. The German-style sweet pretzel and the cream cheese–poppy seed kolach are great choices. Of course, the jalapeño, cheese, and sausage kolaches and cinnamon rolls are amazing as well, but you'll have to get there before the hunters, fishers, and early travelers do; they go fast.

Local baker Rebecca Rather, well-known for her now-shuttered Rather Sweet Bakery, opened this sweet breakfast and lunch spot and bakery to much acclaim. Breakfast items span from a build-your-own biscuit bar to a croissant egg sandwich, while the lunch menu exudes farm-to-table Southern comfort, with offerings like fried oyster nachos and a pimiento cheese BLT. Details like speckled enamelware and beautiful garden flowers simply add to the charm.

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.

This quirky bistro and coffeeshop serves breakfast, brunch, and lunch in a 19th-century building, with a connected retail shop selling clothing, housewares, and gift items. Choose from a classic breakfast plate or croissant sandwich, or step up your morning with French toast sliders or chicken-fried steak Benedict. If you're on the go, pop in for a coffee and one of their fresh-baked, homemade pastries for the road. Lunch options include a variety of sandwiches and salads, plus grab-and-go lunch boxes you can take on your next Hill Country adventure.

Once you've had your fill of Tex-Mex and chicken-fried steak, turn to the locally beloved The Dough Joe, a pizzeria and coffeeshop in the heart of Bandera. Morning brings an entire menu of breakfast pizza to accompany your latte, while lunch and dinner offerings include an array of specialty pies, with the option to build your own creation (even with a cauliflower crust).

If a hearty, comforting plate of cheesy eggs, crispy bacon, and buttered waffles is what you're looking for, head to The Hen's Nest. The digs are humble (in fact, the day's featured dishes are written on postcards in lieu of a menu), but this tiny little café packs a big breakfast punch.

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, including a Texas-size chicken-fried steak that covers the whole plate.

This coffeeshop set in a renovated bungalow invites you to settle in and stay a while. And with its cozy vibe, cute decor, great coffee (pour-over, French press, Chemex, espresso, or just plain drip), homemade baked goods, and tasty sandwiches, there's really no reason to say no.