How to Spend 24 Hours Eating and Drinking in Waco (Sans Silos)

Spending a day in Waco for many folks means a day mostly at the Silos and other Magnolia properties. But it doesn’t have to. There is so much to see in this growing city; an experience can be curated without going full Fixer Upper — or if you’re looking for somewhere to go on Sundays when all things Magnolia owned by Chip and Joanna Gaines are closed. Dive deeper into Waco with a trip to local favorites, newish hip spots, and some of the city’s best food and drinks.

Grab coffee at Pinewood

Pinewood Coffee Bar is the shop with the best beans in town. The flavor is rich with notes of cinnamon and pecans and is firmly aimed at dark roast drinkers. Head in before noon to enjoy a coffee paired with vinyl—the staff picks records from an esoteric stack and plays them all the way through. In addition to all the expected coffees, with house-made syrups, it has a limited selection of pastries and breakfast bites.

Step into Pinewood Coffee Bar and be transported to a bygone era. The interior, reminiscent of a 19th-century public school, features thin wood tables and chairs that fill the space. Inside, you’ll find cozy booths and countertop seating. The establishment boasts two patios, one basking in the full sun and another attached patio that offers shade from a tree and coverings. We welcome well-behaved dogs in our outdoor spaces, adding to the warm and inviting atmosphere.

If you like, leave with your own vinyl and coffee care package. The music aesthetic is so strong here that Pinewood has itsit’s own Spotify account. In the afternoons and evenings, it turns into a Public House serving beer, wine, and coffee.

Get a doughnut, Waco-style

Head to Nightlight Donuts to taste the doughnuts this city cannot get enough of. Opened by brothers Eric and Jackson Wren, it serves cronuts—that croissant/doughnut hybrid that took the world by storm a decade ago and was discovered by the duo while they were living in New York City. It started with sales to local coffee shops, then became a doughnut truck, and as of 2020, it’s a storefront where doughnut lovers can get a taste of Nightlight all day and night.

In addition to doughnuts, it serves savory kolaches and pinwheels. The food is made fresh all day long.

Courtney E. Smith

Grab lunch or brunch and a cocktail

Maria Mezcaleria is an ideal midday option, with lunch every day and brunch on the weekends. The menu encompasses authentic Mexican dishes, including chilaquiles, a slew of seafood dishes like camarones rancheros, and pozole. There are also Tex-Mex favorites, including tacos, nachos, and enchiladas.

The cocktail menu is divine — as it should be in a place with such an impressive collection of small-batch tequilas and mezcals. Some options will take you right to a tropical beach, heavenly margaritas, and smoky creations that show off the breadth of what this place can do.

Grab a seat at the counter or on the outdoor street-facing patio and watch Waco go by.

Take a beer spa

Head to Pivovar brewery and hotel for an experience you won’t forget. It offers an hour-long beer spa, in which patrons soak in a tub of unfermented beer made by the brewery. The hops, malt, barley, and brewer’s yeast are all bopping around in the tub, providing some exfoliation and possibly benefiting your skin. It was undoubtedly relaxing — an excellent spot for a mid-afternoon nap.

Pivovar offers the opportunity to order from its menu for your spa experience, with sweet treats like creme brulee cheesecake or savory, Czech-inspired bites. A glass of beer, wine, or a cocktail and non-alcoholic options are also offered. The intake form lets you select your favorite music for the spa, so make it as calming or rowdy as you like.

Dine at the coolest spot in town

Red Herring is hands down the coolest restaurant in Waco. Located next to the shipping container hotel, Hotel Herringbone, this shared plates Mediterranean restaurant is a vibe. There is an excellent raw bar that offers crudo, oysters, and sushi. The menu is built to pick and choose from, with waiters who will help curate the meal. It’s got a fun, communal feel — it’s a great place for large parties — and the grand piano in the center of the room, on which performers take turns nightly, makes staying around at the bar for cocktails after dinner a fun experience.

Courtney E. Smith

After dinner cocktails at an edgy bar

One Day Bar looks like a hipster bar from Brooklyn was popped right down on the outskirts of downtown Waco. It’s a true anomaly and certainly the most advanced cocktail program in town. You can get a classic drink here if you want to play it safe. But the staff are happy to walk you through the menu and decode some of the wilder flavor profiles to understand what these drinks are. When done right, it’s not just ordering a drink. It’s creating an experience.