Verified in 2 cities.
Frito pie is a signature dish of United States; we have verified places to eat it in Austin and Santa Fe. Texas chili and cheese ladled into a slit-open bag of Fritos corn chips, eaten with a plastic fork.
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.
Where to eat in Austin:
Where to eat Frito pie in Austin: the editor picks
A bag of Fritos split open lengthwise, topped with red chile con carne, grated cheese and chopped onion, and eaten straight out of the bag with a plastic fork. Plaza tradition, Pueblo-meets-junk-food.
Frito pie has competing origin claims; the Plaza Cafe Frito's Bar version, dating to the 1960s when the Plaza Pharmacy lunch counter was the Plaza institution, is one of the strongest. Cowgirl BBQ keeps the bag-format version on the menu today and the dish remains a Plaza Fiesta tradition every September.
Where to eat in Santa Fe:
Where to eat Frito pie in Santa Fe: the editor picks
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