Named after the family matriarch, Lupe Garcia, Lupitas in Sugar Land is the quintessential family-run Tex-Mex restaurant that we all wish we had in our neighborhood. The food here is not your mass-produced chain-restaurant food. You can taste the difference immediately in the freshness of the various dishes, which are made with pride and care using family recipes passed down through generations. Spices are ground the traditional way — with a molcajete. Lupe insists on a separate prep service for lunch and dinner to ensure that your food is always fresh and consistent. Simple things — like the freshly fried chips, super-thin and crisp, served with a roasted tomato salsa and the crazy-good charro beans — set this place apart. So do the beef fajitas. Made with 100 percent certified Angus beef marinated overnight in a special recipe, they come with all the usual accompaniments (cheese, pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole, lettuce, rice and beans) and are served on a sizzling comal over a bed of caramelized onions, to be eaten with Lupe's signature unforgettable, hand-formed 12-inch flour tortillas. Tacos al carbon, enchiladas, chile relleno and Mexican combo platters round out the affordable menu, while friendly service and ambience (the primary decor is piñatas hung from the ceilings) make this a place the entire family can enjoy.
READERS' CHOICE: El Tiempo