Texas chili and cheese ladled into a slit-open bag of Fritos corn chips, eaten with a plastic fork. Originated as a school-cafeteria and BBQ-stand snack and remains a state-fair staple.
Where to eat it: 4 restaurants across 2 cities.
Frito pie was invented in Texas in the 1930s after Fritos hit the market in 1932 from San Antonio's Frito Company. The 'pie in a bag' format came from the Texas State Fair concession stands in the 1950s. The Austin version takes a small bag of Fritos, slits the side, ladles in Texas-style chili (no beans for purists), tops with shredded cheddar and onions, and hands it back. The Salt Lick, Micklethwait Craft Meats and several BBQ stops keep it on the snack menu; some Austin Tex-Mex rooms run a queso-and-chili variant.
Common allergens: Dairy
Tip from the editors. Texas chili is meat and chiles, no beans. The chunkier the chile texture, the better; do not blend the chili smooth.
The Salt Lick in Driftwood is the 30-minute-drive-from-Austin open-pit BBQ since 1969, a destination Hill Country smokehouse with byob policy.
Try: Brisket, sausage and ribs from the open pit
Tip: BYOB is the trick; the place is bring-your-own-beer and the wait at 13:00 Saturday can stretch to 2 hours.
Micklethwait Craft Meats in Austin is Tom Micklethwait's BBQ smokehouse on Tanney Street, a Michelin Bib Gourmand kitchen relocated from the 12-year Rosewood.
Try: Smoked brisket and house sausage
Tip: The kitchen runs Thursday to Sunday; pre-order online to skip the brisket-and-sausage line.
Cowgirl BBQ keeps the kitchen open until 22:00 weeknights and 23:00 weekends; bar runs later with live music most nights on Guadalupe Street.
Try: Frito pie or buffalo burger
On the Plaza since 1905, the Razatos family Plaza Cafe pours weekend brunch coffee for locals and tourists ordering blue corn pancakes and posole.
Order: Blue corn pancakes with pinon and house syrup
More cities are in research. Want frito pie covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.