Summer Vacation Road-Trip: The Good Eats of Round Top, Texas

Everybody thinks about visiting Round Top during antique weeks, but a stay in this sleepy little town (population 90) during the off-season offers an entirely different experience. Find decadent pies at Royer’s Café, tasty Mexican fare at Los Patrones, wood-fired pizzas at Bistro Napoletana and those amazingly-gorgeous Texas-sized chicken fried steaks at Teague’s Tavern. Plus, you’ll always find culture at Festival Hill and local galleries and antique shops. So what are you waiting for? Round Top makes any Austin-Houston journey worth the trip.

Stop by Espressions Coffee & Art for lattes, weekend brunch buffets and the occasional tea parties. Who knows, you might even run into Rick Perry. Find them at 111 West Wantke in Round Top.
Order a glass of wine and light bites and watch the sun set on the patio at Prost on Block 29, located in Round Top’s most historic building. Find them at 112 Bauer Rummel in Round Top.
Royer’s Café and Pie Haven is known for its burgers, sandwiches and salads. But it’s the pies that have put this eatery on the map, gaining regional and national recognition. Find them at 105 Main Street in Round Top.
They’re serving up great Mexican lunches and dinners at Los Patrones Mexican Grill. Find nachos, tortilla soup, steaks, fajitas, seafood and those oh-so-decadent fried avocados. Find them at 102 South Washington in Round Top.
Bistro Napoletana is known for its eclectic Italian fare, wood-fired pizzas and craft beer and wine. Find them at 204 East Mill in Round Top.
Moms love Teague’s Tavern for its lively atmosphere, Texas-sized chicken fried steak, Tavern burgers (with bacon jam) and authentic Southern dishes. Time things just right and catch live music most Friday and Saturday nights. Find them at 105 North Live Oak Street in Round Top.
Houston restaurateurs Armando and Cinda Palacios found greener pastures in Round Top, establishing a trio of beautifully-restored properties with Armando’s Round Top Houses. The 184-year-old Winn house, the historic Bybee Cottage and the 1930s Nest have all been decorated with art and antiques. Find them at 304 South White Street in Round Top.
No vacation would be complete without some shopping. The Dapper Deer Gentlemen’s Provisions & Mercantile offers a curated collection of hats, caps and other vintage goods. Find them at 108 Schumann Lane in Round Top.
Looking for lodging in the Round Top area? Check out A Place to Stay at Round Top, with its Texas-centric, shabby chic farmhouses and run by locals MIke and Beverly Corte. Find them at 6978 Skull Creek and 6718 Skull Creek Roads in Fayetteville.
Shopaholics will want to check out the one-of-a-kind merch at Wild Women Wise Women. From Mexican handmade goods, to boho-chic and eco-friendly, this is the stop for gifts, artisan jewelry and apparel. Find them at 206 East Mill at Historic Bybee Square in Round Top.
The world-famous Junk Gypsies love hospitality. They’re putting the final touches on the Wander Inn, which is so close to opening we can almost hear that rusted junque jangling in the wind. Find them at 1215 South State Highway 237 in Round Top.
The Prairie by Rachel Ashwell is almost like a mini village within a mini village. This compound-like estate includes plenty of places to stay and shop, including The Meadow Manor, The Faith Cottage, Cornflower Cottage, Blue Bonnet Barn, Liliput Lodge, Shabby Shack, Pearl Barn, The Rangers Lounge and Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture Shop. Find them at 5808 Wagner Road, Round Top.
Art aficionados will want to check out the The Gallery at Round Top, with paintings and original prints, sculpture, pottery, jewelry and handmade furniture. Find them at 203 East Austin in Round Top.
Flophouze is one of Round Top’s newest lodging attractions. Owner Matt White and his crew from Recycling The Past have transformed recycled shipping containers into an amazing lodging solution. Find them at 1132 FM 1291 North in Round Top.
For short stays or large wedding parties, be sure to check out the vintage spirit and modern comfort at Lucky Penny Ranch. Proprietors Jim and Carol Howse have outfitted The Gathering Barn with electronics and entertainment for groups of up to 50 (or more). The Guesthouses and a new Bunkhouse are all decorated with antique furnishings curated by the Howses. Find them at 6822 Wied Road in La Grange.
What started out as barracks for soldiers at Camp Swift in the early 1900s has been transformed by owners Ray and Madelyn Casper into Madelyn’s Rusty Bike Inn. Within walking distance of Round Top Square, accommodations can be found in the main house and in a converted buggy barn out back. Find them at 302 South White Street in Round Top.
This 1852 historical German house now serves as Round Top Farms B&B, hosted by innkeeper Jeannette Burger. After Wilhelmine Bauer married Conrad Schuddenmagen in 1850, her father built the house two years later as a wedding gift. Round Top Farms is now a working farm with longhorn cattle and donkeys. Find them at 301 South Washington in Round Top.
Those familiar with the paintings coming out of D. Little Gallery will recognize the colorful scenes from country life: cows, barns, stands of trees and landscapes. Find them at 108 North Washington in Round Top.
There’s something so charming about the sextet of lodging abodes at Ten Oaks. From the Ten Oaks House, to the Winedale Bungalow, the Tyler Suite, the Stone Cottage, the Wilbur Winkleman House and the Shelby Retreat, these relaxing stays managed by Nancy Berg are conveniently located near Round Top Square. Find them at 509 North Live Oak in Round Top.
They had us at the organic chocolate, but there’s so much more at Lark, including modern heirloom jewelry, lifestyle accessories and gifts curated by proprietors and married couple Barbara Samuelson and Russell Smith (he’s the goldsmith in the family). Find them at 102 East Mill in Round Top.
The world-renowned Festival Hill Music Hall within the Round Top Festival Institute plays host to the annual Round Top Music Festival (June 4-July 16, 2017). No matter what time of year you visit, ask for a tour of the 210-acre campus with historic houses, extensive gardens and a library with rare collections. Find them at 248 Jaster Road in Round Top.
The centerpiece of The Belle of Round Top Bed & Breakfast Retreat Center is an 1880s Antebellum-inspired Victorian mansion. Be sure to request a bowl of Blue Bell ice cream before retiring to one of the five delightful bedchambers. Find them at 230 Days End Lane in Round Top.
At the intersection of modern and vintage you’ll find The Vintage Round Top, a haven for stylish lodging, eclectic shopping and inspired living. Paige and Smoot Hull (Houstonians remember her as VP of Page Parkes Models) have decorated the space with her signature style. Find them at 1450 North Highway 237 in Round Top.
A stay at this restful retreat in the country will soon have you forgetting the hustle and bustle (and traffic) of Austin, Houston and San Antonio. Once the location of the Schiege Cigar Factory, the property was purchased and restored by preservationist Hazel Ledbetter and now offers gracious hospitality as the Round Top Inn. Find them at 407 South White Street in Round top.