Barbecue and tacos are a must when dining in the Lone Star State, but don’t miss out on pho, jerk chicken and other culinary delights at these budget-friendly MICHELIN Bib Gourmand-awarded spots.
Texas is the second largest state in the U.S., yet when most people think of its culinary offerings, it’s often the iconic staples: smoked brisket, Tex-Mex, tacos. And while these things are plentiful and delicious, locals and frequent visitors know that there also is a wealth of excellent food that spans cultures and categories. Much of it is surprisingly affordable, too, like at these standout restaurants that have earned Bib Gourmand Awards.
Check out some of the top spots selected by MICHELIN Guide Inspectors in Texas.
African
ChòpnBlọk (Houston)
Since opening in 2024 in Houston’s Montrose neighborhood, ChòpnBlọk has become a popular destination for Chef-owner Ope Amosu’s original take on West African food. Raised in Houston by Nigerian parents, Amosu’s menu focuses on bowls and salads filled with intriguing combinations, like smoky jollof jambalaya, yellow coconut curry, vegetables with yaji (a fiery seasoning blend) and stewed plantains with chicken or shrimp. Creative cocktails like the Frozen Irie Punch (Jamaican and coconut rum, blackberries, Falernum, banana, lime and pineapple) and nonalcoholic drinks like the Oga Palmer (African hibiscus tea and lemonade) are the perfect complement to the menu.
Barbecue
Barbs B Q (Lockhart)
The small town of Lockhart is the official “Barbecue Capital of Texas,” so the bar is high when a new establishment opens. At Barbs B Q, a woman-owned smokehouse, pitmaster Chuck Charnichart has made a name for herself with dishes that introduce new flavors to Texas barbecue. Charnichart adds lime zest to her Molotov pork ribs and coats brisket with a spicy rub made with ground guajillo chiles and chile de árbol. Sides like spaghetti in a creamy roasted poblano sauce and charro beans with queso fresco are a welcome change of pace from the usual suspects.
Burnt Bean Co. (Seguin)
After meeting on the competition-barbecue circuit, pitmasters Ernest Servantes and Dave Kirkland combined forces to open Burnt Bean Co. in the town of Seguin, just outside of San Antonio. Since opening in 2020, diners from all over the state have traveled to taste their take on Texas classics like smoked brisket and jalapeño sausage, as well as Moroccan lamb ribs and beef cheek pastrami. While the meat is the star, side dishes like bacon ranch taters, street corn pudding and cowboy beans are just as memorable.
Franklin Barbecue (Austin)
Nowadays, long lines are to be expected at standout barbecue joints in Texas. And then there’s Franklin Barbecue. Pitmaster Aaron Franklin’s restaurant never seems to have a slow day, as evidenced by people queuing up in the pre-dawn hours and waiting for hours in folding chairs and down the block. The patient ones are rewarded with trays piled with beef ribs, pulled pork and slices of brisket with Franklin’s signature dark, peppery bark. Or go for the Tipsy Texan sandwich, chopped brisket and sliced sausage with coleslaw and pickles on a bun.
Goldee’s Bar-B•Q (Fort Worth)
A meal at Goldee’s Bar-B•Q requires some advance planning — and maybe setting your alarm clock — but it’s absolutely worth it. The restaurant opens at 11 a.m., but repeat customers know to arrive around 8 a.m. for the full menu, which tends to sell out quickly. (Online pre-ordering is also available.) Whether you go for the meltingly tender brisket, savory jalapeño-cheddar sausage, smoked turkey or any of the other expertly prepared proteins, you can’t go wrong. Just don’t miss the brisket beans, potato salad and banana pudding.
Caribbean
The Jerk Shack (San Antonio)
“Sunshine on every plate” is the motto at The Jerk Shack, and Chef Nicola Blaque’s colorful, bountiful dishes certainly deliver. Jerk and fried chicken are the things to order here, along with a menu of tasty sides like fried plantains, pineapple slaw, cheese grits and rice and peas. Throw in a few beef patties and a rum raisin brownie and you’ve got a fantastic feast that’s easy on the wallet.
Mexican
Casaema (Houston)
It’s hard to categorize Casaema, a casual cafe in Houston Heights that celebrates Mexican ingredients and cooking traditions. It’s a bakery, a coffee shop and a place where you can enjoy a thoughtfully crafted breakfast or lunch by Chefs Stephanie Velasquez and Nicholas Veras. Your best bet is to experience all of it: sip Oaxacan cold brew alongside a chocolate concha or a guava-queso empanada, then dig into the main menu with dishes like hoja santa (a peppery herb) French toast or chilaquiles with chunks of brisket, black beans and salsa verde.
Cuantos Tacos (Austin)
Texas’ capital is filled with food trucks — especially ones selling tacos — but Cuantos Tacos is a cut above the rest. Owner Luis “Beto” Robledo specializes in Mexico City-style street tacos, which are made with small, thin corn tortillas and include fillings like pork carnitas, grilled mushrooms and chorizo. The same fillings can be enjoyed in quesadillas made with flour tortillas. Most menu items cost $8 or less — a bargain for one of the best bites in the city.
Maximo (Houston)
Executive chef Adrian Torres offers one of the best and most affordable tasting menus in the state at Maximo, a charming spot with a bright and colorful dining room and covered patio. Five courses for $45 is a steal, especially for dishes that change daily, like hanger steak and truffle mole negro and cippolini onions. The regular menu offers a mix of starters like bluefin tuna tostadas and corn ribs with chipotle mayo, cotija cheese, pepitas and cilantro, as well as tacos and heartier main dishes, like wagyu carne asada.
Mezquite (San Antonio)
Mexico’s Sonoran region inspires the menu at Mezquite, a stylish, plant-filled restaurant inside Pullman Market. Start your meal with a light but flavorful seafood dish like ceviche negro (yellowfin tuna, charred fruit, cucumber and peanuts) or a savory caramelo (tortillas filled with carne asada, queso Oaxaca and salsa verde). Main dishes include an array of proteins, such as swordfish or chicken, served with rice, cabbage salad and other side dishes.
Vietnamese
Ngon Vietnamese Kitchen (Dallas)
Savor green papaya salad and crab fried rice at owner Carol Nguyen’s love letter to Hanoi and her mother Ngon (the name also means “delicious” in Vietnamese). Cherry blossom branches and hanging lanterns are suspended over the dining room at Ngon Vietnamese Kitchen, creating a warm and welcoming space in Dallas’s Lower Greenville neighborhood. Other standouts include fried rolls filled with Gulf shrimp, noodle soups and cơm gà rôti (chicken braised in coconut juice, served with jasmine rice, cucumber, tomato, pickled vegetables and chicken broth on the side). With most entrees priced around $25, it’s an affordable meal that tastes like a splurge.
Một Hai Ba (Dallas)
If you come to Một Hai Ba expecting traditional bowls of pho, you’ll be surprised by Chef Peja Krstic's wide-ranging menu, which combines Vietnamese cuisine with local and global influences ranging from French to Korean. Her version of shaking beef is made with angus tenderloin in a soy vinaigrette with pickled red onions, charred tomatoes and watercress. Steamed buns are filled with braised brisket and topped with shallot marmalade and crispy shallots. Don’t miss dessert, especially the coconut lemongrass panna cotta with orange marmalade and chocolate peanut crumble.
Nam Giao (Houston)
Some of the best restaurants in Houston’s Asiatown are tucked away in unassuming strip malls, like this one, which specializes in dishes from central Vietnam. Nam Giao is a family-run, casual spot, but there is exceptional attention to detail in each dish, like grilled flank steak, which is wrapped in vine leaves and served with bundles of vermicelli noodles. Don’t miss the banh khoai, a crispy rice pancake layered with beansprouts, shrimp and aromatic fresh herbs.
