WHERE

ver the last few years, the restaurant industry has been forced to adjust, adapt and overcome. New business models, operations and menus were created by innovative restauranteurs aiming to keep their doors open amid a pandemic. Now, dining rooms are filled to the brim, reservations are required and we’re reminded that bold flavors are in abundance in the Coastal Bend. From new spots opening up to tried and true staples that never let us down, the food scene is anything but scarce.

With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of local eateries you need to try. To help us narrow down the list of recommendations, we put out a call to a few of our foodie friends. Comprised of Coastal Bend influencers with their fingers on the pulse of local cuisine to a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef, our “Foodie Panel” knows a thing or two about the local dining scene. After our panel submitted their list of recommendations in varying categories, our editorial staff cross-referenced each list with our own, resulting in the almost two dozen recommendations within this feature. Contents herein include the best bone-in ribeye in town; the only 100% locally sourced burger in the city; new restaurants you have to check out; food trucks we swear by; the inside scoop on a few new spots opening this year; and much more. If your stomach isn’t already growling, you’ll surely be ready to eat by the time you finish reading.