Food destinations within easy reach of Houston, worth the early start.
Food destinations within easy reach of Houston. worth the train, the rental car or the early start.
Famous for: Gulf shrimp, oysters and fried-fish piers
Galveston, 50 miles south of Houston on I-45, is the Gulf-port seafood day trip with Strand-area pier shacks, Gaido's since 1911 and the BLVD seafood pier on Seawall Boulevard.
Famous for: Blue Bell ice cream factory tour and Hill Country small-town dining
Brenham, 80 miles northwest of Houston on US-290, is the Blue Bell Creameries factory tour day trip with the Visitor Center scoop, plus Truth BBQ's original Brenham room nearby.
Famous for: Central Texas barbecue: Black's, Smitty's, Kreuz Market
Lockhart, 165 miles west of Houston via Austin, is the Texas barbecue capital day trip with Black's (since 1932), Smitty's Market and Kreuz Market on a single barbecue trail loop.
Famous for: Round Top Antiques Fair plus Royer's Cafe pies and Hill Country farm-to-table
Round Top, 85 miles northwest of Houston on US-290 and TX-237, is the twice-yearly antique fair (spring and autumn) day trip with Royer's Round Top Cafe and Lulu's Cafe on the Square.
Famous for: Cajun and Creole at the Louisiana border
Beaumont, 85 miles east of Houston on I-10, is the Texas-Louisiana-border Cajun country day trip with boudin, etouffee, gumbo and the closer-to-Louisiana grocery counters.
Peak food season in Houston is year-round.
Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.
service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Houston rewards trust.