49 Best Restaurants in The Hill Country, Texas

This biergarten on Main Street is always buzzing, and for good reason. Choose from a wide array of craft German beer while enjoying the live music that happens nearly nightly. The hearty fare is also great, whether you opt for a classic schnitzel or a juicy Reuben sandwich on toasty pumpernickel.

Although Black's now has locations in Austin, New Braunfels, and San Marcos, there's nothing like a visit to the original location in Lockhart, where pitmaster Ken Black still smokes the meat just like his grandfather did in 1932. The brisket here is thick and juicy and the 9-inch beef ribs are memorable, but the sides also stand out, with less-common offerings like Mexican street corn, green beans, black-eyed peas, and extra-cheddar mac 'n' cheese. 

Locals and visitors alike flock to Brick's for country cooking with a view. The restaurant itself has a humble interior, but it's the patio overlooking the river that wins everyone's heart. It's a great spot to start with a mason-jar drink while you wait for a table to sample the simple but well-done menu, with comforting classics like a light and crispy chicken-fried steak, homemade meatballs, and smashed potatoes.

Dining at the Gristmill is as mandatory as shuffling your boots along the floors of Gruene Hall when visiting Gruene. On a sunny day, request a seat on the multitiered deck that climbs the side of the cliff overlooking the Guadalupe River. Though you can find fabulous soups and salads, there's nothing quite like the Gristburger. The secret to this burger's success is the spicy chili con queso that oozes from the sides.

This sprawling landmark barbecue spot is another must when touring Lockhart for barbecue. Like Smitty's, this one has pits, so you can watch while you wait, but unlike Smitty's, they have more rules here: no sauce and no forks (so don't try asking for any!).

Named for the longleaf pine lining the interior of the dining room, this craft kitchen and bar lets local and seasonal ingredients drive the menu, so the offerings may change, but they are always incredibly fresh and flavorful. Offerings might include dishes like Hill Country quail stuffed with mushroom and apples and served with caramelized brussels sprouts, paired perfectly with local Hye-fig cider. The wine and beer list are robust, but the cocktails, which also utilize fresh and seasonal ingredients whenever possible, are some of the best in town. Enjoying one in their garden courtyard is a must when in Wimberley.

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.

At his sleek but cozy bistro, chef Henry Gutkin focuses on some of Germany’s lesser-known dishes, reimagined with creative, refreshing twists. Bavarian Frittatensuppe (crepe soup) is brightened with herbs and rainbow carrots, while the Düsseldorfer Senfrostbraten (Dusseldorf mustard roast) is elevated with Akaushi steak and an onion-mustard-cheese crust. And while there’s plenty of beer here to keep your stein full, as well as a focus on German and Austrian wines, the exceptional cocktail menu should not go unnoticed. 

Locals will tell you Pecan Street Brewing is one of the area's best-kept secrets—not only for the house brews, but for the food, too. Try their refreshingly light-bodied No Conviction Stout (poured through a nitro tap) alongside the crispy-crusted flammkuchen topped with crème fraîche, house-smoked bacon, mushrooms, and Swiss cheese. The brewery also serves as the tiny town's neighborhood hub. 

Drawing Texans and visitors alike out to the Hill Country since 1967, at Salt Lick you can order barbecue plates a la carte, but most folks opt for the family-style option, which comes with unlimited brisket, sausage, pork ribs, potato salad, coleslaw, and beans. You can BYOB or head to the adjacent Salt Lick Cellars space to purchase beer and wine made from the estate’s own fruit (including a BBQ Red designed to accompany the food).

If you're coming to Lockhart to experience its barbecue, a stop at Smitty's is an absolute must: it's still housed in the original 1948 Kreuz Market, which Edgar A. "Smitty" Schmidt started (it's a long story), and you can scope out a good look at the historic building while you queue for your 'cue. The line moves quickly here as you watch their team in action cutting meat and tending the live fire, which is said to have been burning for more than a hundred years. The brisket, sausage, and turkey are not to be missed, but they also offer a decadent smoked prime rib if you're feeling fancy. 

With its authentic German architecture, the Ausländer draws quite a crowd for lunch and dinner. For more than 20 years, it has been one of the town's most popular beer gardens, and you're bound to find a few things to your liking—perhaps the Spicy Texas Schnitzel, a bold concoction featuring a hand-breaded pork loin cutlet smothered with Tex-Mex ranchero sauce and melted Monterey Jack cheese.

If you see smoke rising while driving along FM 1826, don't be alarmed. It's just a barbecue beacon calling you to the perpetually smoking pits, long picnic tables, and dance hall–style compound of The Salt Lick. On weekends, and particularly when the University of Texas Longhorns have a home game, this family-friendly hot spot on the edge of south Austin is tough to get into, but always worth the wait. You'll be joined by locals and travelers from miles around waiting to feast on perfectly smoked brisket, baby back ribs, vinegary German potato salad and cole slaw, and enough soft white bread to sop up a gallon of the secret sauce. Oh, and did we mention the sausage? Get some of that, too. You can order the all-you-can-eat, family-style option and share with friends. Though it may seem impossible to save room for homemade blackberry cobbler with Blue Bell homemade vanilla ice cream on top, we promise it is worth every calorie. If you're driving from the Hill Country back to the Austin airport, this makes a great lunch stop on the way.

This hip, modern interpretation of a European bistro also includes a retail showroom, art gallery, supper club, and wine club. The restaurant features rotating specials, such as lump crab curry, duck confit, and herb-roasted chicken, plus a daily menu with gourmet sandwiches (try the French dip, made with Angus prime beef), soups, salads, cheese, charcuterie, and wood-fired pizzas. For dinnertime prix-fixe menus and the Monday night supper club, expect a more elevated menu with dishes like beef carpaccio, venison tenderloin, and grilled rack of lamb.

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.

From Sarah Heard and Nathan Lemley, the chef-owners behind Austin's Foreign & Domestic, comes this modern interpretation of a country café. Their famous popovers can also be found on the menu here, and the golden-flaky layers are perfect balanced with the seasonal salad of the moment. The menu is on the short side, but everything on it has been truly perfected, from the cheeseburger to the roasted chicken with molasses carrots and mushroom jus. The real pièce de résistance is the chicken-fried steak, which is fried to featherweight perfection, topped with creamy redeye gravy, and served with herbed potato salad and lemony green beans.

This veteran-owned and -operated Tex-Mex barbecue kitchen is a favorite among locals for its heaping trays of mesquite-smoked chicken, beef fajitas, and pulled pork served in tacos or by the pound. Also not to be missed are the generous loaded nachos, massive enchiladas, and succulent birria tacos.

This modern kitchen and lounge, located right on Cypress Creek, is breathing new life into downtown Wimberley. There are several different bars on the property, making it easy to grab drinks and snacks, take in the amazing views, and enjoy the live music likely playing. Try the ranch-dusted fries topped with cheese curds and glazed pork belly or the charred shishito peppers and okra with salsa macha and chili-lime ranch. The Wimberley Way, the house hibiscus margarita, is a winning cocktail.

Set in a historic limestone building at the end of Main Street, Der Lindenbaum started as a bakery for chef Ingrid Hohmann to showcase traditional German desserts like apple strudel and Black Forest cake, but customers quickly latched onto her savory lunch specials, and it organically grew into a full-fledged restaurant. The menu features dishes directly from the Rhineland (especially the Alsace-Lorraine region between Germany and France). Of course, they offer standard schnitzel, but the sauerbraten (a sweet-and-sour Rhineland version of roast beef) and Hühnerfrikassee (chicken fricassee with mushroom sauce) are among the favorite house specialties.

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.

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. 

Driving to the end of town to try this Haufbraü-Haus-meets-Disneyland restaurant is certainly a trip; in more ways than one. Schnitzel is available in more ways than you can count on one hand, and the beer selection is impressive.

Located just up the hill from Texas State University, Grins has been a favorite among students and tubers alike since 1975. They're known for their burgers (and have 12 different kinds to choose from) and crispy onion rings, as well as heaping, sizzling fajitas and frozen margaritas in several different flavors.

Behind the Gruene Mansion Inn, this riverside grill draws quite a crowd. People seem to frequent this locale for the famed rib eye pan-seared in butter and balsamic vinegar, but a cup of the creamy jalepeño corn chowder brimming with fresh crawfish tails makes a notable impression as well.

Hidden near the train tracks off San Antonio Street, the Huisache (pronounced wee-satch) is a must-stop. Consistently delivering fantastic soups, salads, sandwiches, and main dishes, there's a lot to love about this place, and the beautiful 1920s building only adds to the experience. For lunch the ham and gouda sandwich with sweet caramelized onions offers a nice adult version of a grilled cheese. Pecan-crusted pork chops soar with a rich bourbon-butter sauce.

This popular Thai trailer opened a physical restaurant in Johnson City, where the staff serves a short but stellar menu of dishes like the Crying Tiger, featuring char-grilled steak and served with Thai dipping sauce, rice, and salad greens. Other options include gluten-free Alaskan cod fish-and-chips served with house-made Thai basil tartar sauce; there are also daily specials, like banh mi on Thursday and fried chicken sandwiches on Sunday.

At Krause's, you can even have schnitzel for breakfast: the Bauern schnitzel comes topped with two eggs and hollandaise sauce plus home fries, hash browns, and grits. Texas-German mashups can be found throughout the rest of the menu, too. Order Kartoffel (potato) poppers with apple sauce and sauerkraut for dipping, or elevate your sausage game with the wild-game plate, which comes with wild boar, venison, and “jackalope” (rabbit and antelope) sausages, plus bier mustard, cheese, pickles, and crackers. Outside, in the Munich-inspired beer hall, live music lights up the stage every weekend.

If you've had your fill of German food in Fredericksburg, opt for a beautiful cheese and charcuterie board from La Bergerie, an adorable European-style wine bar and market located just off the town's main strip. Relax on the patio or choose from the well-curated selection of meats, cheeses, and small-production wines to-go if you prefer to picnic somewhere in the Hill Country.

The vibe is just right at Lea Lou Co-Op, whether you're taking in the beautiful exposed-stone wall interior or kicking back with friends in the spacious yard of the classic 1800s hardware store and lumber yard. The braided-crust pizza is famous here, but the juicy steaks and seafood platters shouldn't be overlooked either. In the back, you'll find live music on some nights at the Cow Palace, a venue with a dance floor, and there's even an adjacent boutique hotel with seven rooms if you wish to stay the night.

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.