Explore executive chef Jacque Siegfried’s menu of Native American foods, made with ingredients that are all local to Oklahoma. That means the menu changes seasonally, and could include items like corn cakes topped with pork belly, sunchoke gnocci, a corn and grain salad and seared bison sirloin.

If you’ve read all about Oklahoma’s onion burgers and are ready to give one a try, this is a spot that specializes in them. It is dedicated to preserving this Oklahoman delicacy in a leather seats and cow-head mounted dining room. In addition to a selection of burgers, there are coney hot dogs, steak nuggets, and Frito chili pie.

Since chef David Bull set up shop at the Crazy Water Hotel in Mineral Wells, the town has a new excellent dining room to visit — and one worth making the drive to visit. Bull has been working with local farmers and ranchers to source food for his seasonal menu where he serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. Try plates like the avocado fundito, a pork belly BLT, or coconut rice noodles.

If the challenge of eating the biggest chicken fried steak you’ve ever seen is what you want, the plate waits at this cafe in Strawn, between Abilene and Fort Worth. Mary’s is no-frills and you’ll get a CFS that takes up the whole plate with a bowl of gravy on the side.

The sophistication of this place, both in its decor and its menu, are so far ahead of Waco’s other dining establishments as to be noteworthy. It opened the first raw bar in the city, and is attached to a luxury container hotel whose theme the restaurant carries through. The menu is crafted to be shared, so bring in a big group and go to town.

If there is one thing Texans are willing to drive for, it’s good barbecue. This stand in Georgetown is worth a drive for its lamb barbacoa, cooked in agave leaves and roasted above ground for around eight hours. There are other tacos, but these are the star. Enjoy them outdoors at a picnic table with a Mexican Coke.

Drop in to Eater Austin’s 2023 pick for Best New Restaurant Sequel for a meal of stunning Mexican seafood. The restaurant is tucked away inside a converted craftsman but has plenty of room in it’s light-wood interiors for diners. Order plates of shrimp aguachile, halibut a la crema, and iterations of fish tacos.

Eater Houston calls this one of the best places to eat in the Woodlands, and that’s due in no small party to the amazing views of the Woodlands waterway as well as its menu. Try the Korean butter poached crab, lamb and wagyu meatball, Maine lobster and mushroom ravioli, or crab crusted swordfish — or just a big cut of prime steak. This is a destination for a splashy, pricey night out.

Have a big night out on the Gulf of Mexico at this restaurant inside the Hotel Lucine, with its decor that mixes French country and arts and crafts. Its executive chef, Leila Ortiz, did stints at Momofuku Noodle Bar in New York and UBPreserv in Houston. The menu is highly focused on local ingredients, from the raw scallop crudo to the roasted carrots with chimichurri.