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.
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.
2 editor picks for Frito pie in Austin, ranked by editorial score. All Austin signature dishes · Frito pie across every city.
Micklethwait Craft Meats ★ 4.6
4602 Tanney St, Austin, TX 78721
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.
The Salt Lick BBQ (Driftwood) ★ 4.3
18300 FM 1826, Driftwood, TX 78619
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.