6 Best Restaurants in Comfort, The Hill Country

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.

Colorful, quilt-draped walls and a cool ceiling-fanned patio make this a comfortable spot no matter the weather. The menu changes with the season, but you might find an entrée such as a juicy grilled New York strip steak in a balsamic reduction or sautéed rainbow trout. The 814 Burger is a half-pound of grilled bliss.

Townies and visitors alike love this pizza joint housed in a former gas station, for both its wood-fired sourdough pies and its good selection of American and Belgian craft beer. Kick back in the colorful patio furniture and enjoy one of their signature creations, like the California Club pie, which is loaded up with mozzarella, bacon, roasted chicken, avocado, greens, and tomatoes. 

True to its name, this family-owned bistro makes food that is simultaneously simple and satisfying, from sandwiches to salads to burgers. Friday night is reserved for their famous buttery steaks, served alongside baked potatoes with the works. Be sure to save room for the addictive bread pudding. 

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.

A former post office now serves appetites in the middle of nowhere. There are some unusual dishes like mahimahi (a mild, white fish) with tomatillo sauce, but also plenty of German fare. Start with potato pancakes served with apple sauce or sour cream. The schnitzel is fabulous, as is the rouladen—a tenderized beef fillet wrapped around dill pickle, ham, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese. If it's warm outside, sit beneath the vined trellis and watch the resident goats and donkeys grazing nearby. Live music accompanies your meal on Thursdays and Sundays. Reservations are strongly recommended.