This week and weekend is the annual Round Top Antiques Fair, a gigantormous event that draws tens of thousands of people from all over the country, all looking to score the very coolest in antique furniture, knick-knacks, jewelry, and finds.
Thinking about heading up? With so many out-of-towners coming in, you'll want to explore the nearby towns for grub -- and lucky for you, there's plenty of greatness to be found. We've mentioned several in Brenham, so now let's talk Burton, rich in both wildflowers and Texas history. Much smaller than Brenham, Burton also has fewer restaurants. Here are our two favorites.
Brazos Belle Inn and Restaurant Right on the block-long main drag of Burton is the picturesque Brazos Belle, a classically French restaurant housed in a historic building that dates back to 1875. Chef Andre Delacroix, who is French by birth, trained in Paris at Georges V, among other places, before working for ten years at the Four Seasons here in Houston. He came up with the concept for the Brazos Belle as he grew tired of Big City Life -- and we're glad he did. The menu is simple, seasonal and stunning. Delacroix uses farm-fresh ingredients and zero preservatives. The Brazos Bell is usually only open on weekends, but is offering special weekday hours this week for Round Top.
Cactus Café On a bend in FM 390 (just west of Highway 36) is the Cactus Café, a rockin' little restaurant with fiery waitresses and a deep-fried air. The menu is pretty much what you'd expect from a café in Small Town, Texas, which is exactly why we like it. Don't miss the onion rings; golden brown and fantastically crispy, they come in orders so enormous that most folks just get a half order -- or even a quarter or an eighth of an order. We also suggest the chicken tenders -- or whatever's on the list of hard-n-heavy daily specials.