One of the best things about wandering down Texas backroads is discovering new places to eat a burger. On a recent day trip to take photos of windmills and railroad tracks, my friend Doyle and I found ourselves in Eagle Lake at high noon. And we were mighty hungry when we drove into this small community whose presence on Texas maps dates back as far as 1821.

Eagle Lake is located on Highway 90A east of the Colorado River and fifty miles southwest of Houston in southeast Colorado County. Folks believe the town was named by two of Stephen F. Austin’s scouts. When one of them killed an eagle on the lake, he called the water Laguna del Águila, which is translated Eagle Lake.
When we drove into town I asked Siri, my faithful smart phone concierge, to retrieve a list of burger joints in town. Peppers Burgers and Fries seemed the most interesting so that is where we headed. On our first pass we missed the restaurant entirely. So, we turned around and drove a bit slower and almost missed it a second time.
Peppers is housed in a modest little building on Main Street. The only sign is out in front of the building. The young lady at the counter told us that they’ve only been around for about a year. We ordered our meal at the counter and then sat and sipped cold iced tea while we waited for our food in the small but very clean dining area.
I ordered the Bacon Cheeseburger Combo and opted for fries rather than the side of okra offered with the meal. The service was reasonably fast. My burger arrived complete with a generous portion of slender fries. All of the ingredients were crispy fresh and held in place by a hot butter grilled bun.
As for my first bite — it was good. What I held in my hands was not some fancy gourmet inspired city burger. This was just an honest small town burger. No pretense. Just the basic burger ingredients that worked together well to make a good homestyle burger. I was not disappointed. I enjoyed my burger and certainly felt that I got my money’s worth.
There are not a lot of burger options in Eagle Lake. If I lived in town I would make it a point to eat at Peppers on a regular basis. And, as their sign says, they offer burgers — and more. If my travels take me through Eagle Lake again in the future, I will be sure to stop and sample some of the other things on the menu. And, if you ever find yourself in their neighborhood, stop by Peppers and give them a try. I think you’ll be glad you did.