Hamburgers

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Alicia’s Mexican Restaurant

I recently did the unthinkable in my quest to find the best bacon cheeseburger in Texas — I ordered a burger at a Mexican food restaurant. Yes, I was that guy. I have seen others do it and wondered what they were thinking. I mean, who orders a burger at a Mexican food joint.

I don’t know what possessed me but it was a spur of the moment decision. With Mexican food on the brain, when the waitress came to our table I blurted out that I wanted a hamburger, more specifically a bacon cheeseburger with fries.

Fortunately, this is one decision I would not regret.

Alicia’s Mexican Restaurant in Alpine has been around for a while. I had stopped at McCoy’s lumber earlier in the day to buy some supplies for our off-grid cabin in Big Bend. While there, I asked folks to recommend a good Mexican food restaurant. More than one person recommended Alicia’s so that settled the matter for me.

Alicia’s is housed in a modest-sized old building that has all the earmarks of a dive. Nothing fancy on the outside or inside but inviting nevertheless. One thing you don’t want to miss is the signage — scrawled out on white paper with a black marker — that alerts customers that this is a cash only (and local checks) establishment.

My bacon cheeseburger with an ample serving of home-cut fries arrived in a plastic paper-lined boat. At first glance I noticed that the meat was not a warmed-up frozen patty but rather hand pressed with ragged edges. The bacon was crispy, just the way I like it, and the cheese perfectly melted. The buns were moist and lightly toasted on what could only be a well-seasoned grill.

The first bite was amazing. The meat was seasoned to perfection. This burger had a symphony of flavors that worked in perfect harmony. Tasty does not even begin to describe the flavor. It was beyond that. This burger was absolutely delicious — the kind of delicious that moved the meter and convinced me that I would have to make this a regular stop on my treks to the cabin.

Alpine is somewhat off the beaten interstate path but if you are ever anywhere near this home of Sul Ross University, make it a point to head to Alicia’s. Just make sure you have cash in your wallet. If not, stop at an ATM because this burger is worth the eating.

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Ganado Cafe

When it comes to Texas towns with interesting names, Ganado is surely on the list. Located just a few miles east of Edna on Highway 59, Ganado is the second largest town in Jackson County. Ganado had its humble beginnings when a few cabins at the site of the present town came to be called Mustang Settlement, after nearby Mustang Creek. The early settlers were largely cattle ranchers who either drove their herds to New Orleans over the Old Spanish Trail or to northern markets in Kansas City.

In 1881, the Galveston, Harrisburg, and San Antonio Railway laid track near Mustang Settlement. A company official looked out the window of his rail car and observed a large herd of cattle. He casually remarked that the place should be called Ganado instead — the Spanish word for ”herd.” The name stuck and the rest is history. Sometime in 1882 the railroad built a station at Ganado and the town grew around it. A post office was established the following year.

The Ganado Cafe is one of the local businesses that has served the town for years. Located on a main thoroughfare through town, the cafe remains a popular eatery that serves up delicious meals to locals and passers-through alike. Not a very big place, it has retained its original footprint next to the town movie theater.

While on a road trip from Katy to the Rio Grande Valley, I decided to veer off Highway 59 to grab an early lunch in Ganado. When I arrived I was the first lunch-time customer of the day — although folks were already phoning in orders. It would not take long, though, before a steady stream of locals dropped in for lunch.

I ordered my usual bacon cheeseburger with a side of onion rings. I opted for water instead of iced tea since I had a large Buc-ee’s fountain drink waiting for me in my truck. I ordered my burger on a sourdough rather than a regular bun. This was definitely a very good choice.

While I waited for my burger, I perused a wall of historic photos of the town, including an old black and white pic taken of the interior of the cafe sometime, I figure, in the 1940’s. I love old photographs — pics planned and taken intentionally in the days before smart phone cameras turned all of us into amateur photographers.

As for the burger, my first glance told me it was going to be good. Wrapped in gingham paper, it looked great and smelled delicious. The meat patty was generous, the veggies fresh, and the bacon crisp. One bite is all it took to convince me that I had made the right call to take a detour into Ganado. The onion rings were mighty tasty as well.

I have to confess that I could not finish my burger, something that rarely happens. Delicious as it was, it was just far bigger than my appetite. I hated to walk away and leave the last third on the plate but, alas, I was stuffed and had no more room. I did manage to eat all of the onion rings, however.

All things considered, I am really glad to have discovered the Ganado Cafe and have added it to my list of places I would like to visit again. I hope that if you find yourself anywhere near Ganado at lunch time (or anytime) that you too will veer off the main road and wander down to this quaint small-town eatery. You will not be disappointed!

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Junction Burger Company

Ever on the search for the next good burger, my hunger intersected with Junction on my last road trip. There was no way I was going to drive another hour or even half-hour for lunch. I was hungry and my stomach insisted I stop at the nearest burger joint. So, I consulted my phone and learned I was within minutes of the Junction Burger Company.

Problem solved. That’s where I would eat lunch.

Junction is a cool little town located west of San Antonio along Interstate 10. It sits among some of the most beautiful scenery in the Texas Hill Country. Founded in 1876, the town was named Junction for its location at the confluence of the North and South Llano Rivers. Today, it is regarded as one of the state’s leading deer-hunting counties.

The Junction Burger Company was easy to find — located in a modest boxy building on Main Street just a short distance south of the interstate. I always get excited when I pull into a new burger joint. With my stomach growling, I was more than ready to chow down on a juicy burger.

Although the Heart Attack Burger was tempting, I opted for my usual bacon cheeseburger and a side of french fries. This time I ordered a cold root beer instead of tea. I was so hungry and really wanted for this burger to be good — no, better than good!

Well, suffice it to say that Junction Burger came through. Not only was my burger good, it was better than better than good. The crumbly patty was cooked to perfection, the bun was delicious and moist, the bacon was crispy. What more could a hungry man ask for? This burger did not disappoint. In fact, I regard to as one of the tastier burgers I have eaten since I started my Lone Star burger adventures.

I know that there are easier and quicker options to sate my appetite when on a Texas road trip. But it’s not about quick. It’s about the adventure of discovering another good burger eatery. It’s about meeting hometown folks who take great pride in making a delicious burger. And it’s about adding a measure of quality to a road trip that makes the journey from here to there all the more enjoyable.

Bottom line — my experience at Junction Burger Company was good, really good. There is no doubt in my mind that this is a burger joint I will visit again. I hope that if your travels take you anywhere near Junction you will stop by and check out Junction Burger for yourself. I think you and your taste buds will agree that you made the right choice.

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Marie’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers & More

A good thing has happened as my blog on my adventures in the Lone Star State continues to attract more readers — and that good thing is recommendations. I love recommendations from those who email to tell me about things they enjoy doing in Texas and especially about places that serve a great burger.
That’s how I learned about Marie’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers & More. The Granger family, good friends who moved to the Beaumont area, alerted me to the grand opening of Marie’s in Fannett. Exciting news to someone like me who is always on the look out for a new burger joint. I couldn’t wait to head toward Beaumont to visit with my friends and to share a meal at Marie’s.
A few days after Marie’s opened its doors, I was there and eager to place my order. Located along Highway 124 near Beaumont, Marie’s occupies a simple building along this highway that parallels Intestate 10.
As usual, I ordered a bacon cheeseburger with a side of onion rings and a tall glass of iced tea. Whenever I see a burger joint tag their burgers as old-fashioned I am immediately interested. I am not opposed to specialty burgers (I would eat one in a heartbeat). It’s just that I am quite happy with a good old tried and proven bacon cheeseburger.
Marie’s promises hand-pressed patties on oversized buns with fresh vegetables and endless options to top off your burger. Burger buns are a super important component so I was happy to read that Marie’s offered oversized buns. For whatever reason, burger buns have a tendency to shrink once you start eating your burger. So, oversized is good.
I am happy to report that Marie’s kept its promises on all fronts — oversized buns, fresh vegetables, crispy bacon, pepperjack cheese. Combined, each of these ingredients did its part to contribute to one really delicious burger. I was happy that my two-hour drive was not in vain. The burger was definitely worth the drive.
We are indeed blessed to have countless places in Texas that serve great burgers. I would need another lifetime just to visit them all. But, because I don’t have another lifetime, I am content to enjoy as many burgers as I can as I travel across Texas. Occasionally I stumble across a burger that is not noteworthy, but that is to be expected. I prefer to be thankful for the many places, like Marie’s, that serve up a delicious burger.

As I have often noted on my burger reviews, since you are going to eat anyway, be adventurous. Take a risk and discover new places to eat. And when you do come across a place that serves a great burger, please be sure to let me know.

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Bull Creek Cafe and Grill

A friend recently asked me if I have eaten some bad burgers on my search for the best burgers. The answer, of course, is yes. However, I was quick to add that I don’t write about the bad burgers. I am not a food critic. I understand that there is subjective latitude when it comes to whether something is tasty or not. So, I just write about those burgers that really get my attention.

The hunt for a good burger is a big part of the fun for me. I still get excited when I walk into a burger joint or cafe to check out their burgers. I love the anticipation of waiting for my burger to arrive and then taking that first bite. As I often note in my burger reviews, the first bite tells it all. If the first bite is not good then you can’t expect things to go uphill from there.
After a recent mountain biking outing with a friend to Brazos Bend State Park, we decided to find a good burger joint. Having burned a lot of calories we felt we could surely splurge on a big burger. We consulted our phones and then reviewed a list of possible places to have lunch. We chose the Bull Creek Cafe and Grill in Rosenberg.
The minute we pulled into the parking lot we could smell the deliciousness in the air. Aroma like that was good advertising. If the food was even half as good as the aroma we were certainly in for a treat.

I ordered my usual bacon cheeseburger and opted for pepperjack cheese on a medium-well patty with a side of onion rings. The cold glass of iced tea really hit the spot after a full morning on the trails at the park.
After a short wait I looked off toward the kitchen and saw my burger on its way to our table. Holy smoke — even from a distance I could tell that this was going to be an amazing burger. Fresh lettuce, juicy tomato, melted cheese, crispy pickles, wavy slabs of bacon, an amazing bun, and a very generous helping of meat — all held together by a serrated knife.
And those onion rings. Wow. The onion rings were a meal in themselves. They were huge. Nothing frozen or fake about these rings. This was the real onion ring deal. Hard as I tried, I would not be able to finish the onion rings.
As for the burger, I cut it in half to look at the beautiful burger strata. Totally impressed. The first bite was delicious. So good. Everything about this burger was perfect. I looked across the table at my buddy and we both shook our heads in agreement. We had found one amazing burger.

The only bad part of finding a good burger is that last bite. I hate to see something so good come to an end. If you live or find yourself anywhere near the Bull Creek Cafe and Grill, make the time to enjoy a meal there. One thing is certain, this place is amazing. And that’s no bull!

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Another Time Soda Fountain and Cafe

I love small town diners — perhaps because of the nostalgia but certainly for their food and all that these local eateries mean to the life of a community. I prefer dining at places where I know it will take a while for my food to arrive and I can fill the waiting time with good conversation.

As the pace of life grew increasingly faster, old-fashioned diners and cafes began to disappear from the culinary landscape. As for their replacement, we got faster service but not necessarily better food or a better dining experience. There is something to be said about eateries where things move just a bit slower.
There is just such a place in Rosenberg, a small town just outside of Houston. Appropriately named Another Time Soda Fountain and Cafe, walking through the doors of this place is like stepping into a time machine. From the decor to the menu, this is the kind of place that just sort of hugs your heart and mind when you walk in.
This place has it all — amazing hamburgers, made from scratch meals, malts made with real ice cream, banana splits, and an array of delicious desserts. They even have soda jerks that will prepare you a fountain drink the way they used to back in the 50’s. And, to make your dining experience even more memorable, the cafe is appointed with some pretty cool period decor.
As I always do when I try out a new place, I ordered a bacon cheeseburger, onion rings, and a cold glass of tea. The menu even states, “Please allow extra time for grilling.” I like that. I was not in any hurry and really wanted to soak in the atmosphere.
Once my burger arrived I cut it in half. Those of you who follow my blog know that I have this thing about burger strata. I just have to see what things look like under the hood and how a burger is put together, layer by layer. And wow, this burger had a big ol’ thick helping of meat with the bacon cooked to crispy perfection (just the way I like it).
I believe that the first bite always tells the story. If the first bite is bad then there is no reason to believe that the bites that follow will be any better. But if the first bite is good —oh my soul — then you can count on every bite that follows to keep a smile on your face.

My burger immediately passed the first bite test — really good. Everything about this old-fashioned burger was right. From the grilled bun to everything else, this was one delicious burger. I eat slow anyway, but I ate this burger even slower than usual because I wanted to savor every bite.
My mountain biking friend who was dining with me asked me if I have ever eaten a bad burger on my quest to find the best burgers in the Lone Star State. “Absolutely,” I replied. “But, this is not one of those burgers that is big on bragging and a failure on flavor.” This burger passed the test and is now on my list of burgers that I can recommend without hesitation.
You may live a long way from Rosenberg, but I’ll bet you don’t live a long way from a good burger near you. As long as you have to eat, make eating more of an adventure by searching for and trying places off the fast food highway. Remember to eat slow and have meaningful conversation around the table — just like it was done in another time.

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Pappa Gyros Greek-American Food

In my ongoing quest to discover the best burgers in the Lone Star State, I have pulled into more than one sketchy looking burger joint to check things out. In the process I have learned that unless you are willing to take a risk you are likely to miss some of the best eating in Texas.

That said, I must confess that I almost missed eating one of the best burgers I have ever had — not because the joint looked sketchy but because it was a place that did not specialize in burgers. To add to my indecisiveness about whether to walk in the doors is the fact that this joint is attached to a Shell station.
Pappa Gyros is located at the corner of Kingsland Boulevard and the Grand Parkway in my hometown of Katy. It is easy to miss because it occupies the south end of the Shell station on the southeast corner of the intersection. This place specializes in Greek food (which I enjoy) and American dishes.

I recently joined some friends to give Pappa Gyros a try. They assured me that they did offer burgers on the menu. So, I decided to be that guy that orders a burger at an ethnic food joint. Why not? After all, I was really hungry for a good burger.

Pappa Gyros is packed into a tight little space with a few tables and some bar seating. I noticed that their drive-thru service stayed pretty busy the whole time we were there. That was absolutely a good sign.
I ordered my usual bacon-cheeseburger and opted for a side of fries and some tea. My order arrived in good time. I did ask them to cut my burger in half, something I like to do in order to get a good look at the strata — a view of all of the burger layers and components.
The generous patty was cooked just the way I like it. All of the fixings were clearly fresh and the bacon was thick and crispy. One of the things that, in my estimation, ruins a good bacon cheeseburger is wimpy bacon. So, seeing the thick slabs of bacon cooked on the crispier side of the scale was a good sign for me.

As for the first bite, immediate confirmation that I had made the right choice. This burger was among the best I have had. Every bite brought a smile to my heart. Really good. And to think that I had almost missed this opportunity because I was judging a book by its cover. Goes to show you that you can find a good burger in the most unlikely places.

I have since recommended Pappa Gyros to friends who have thanked me for doing so. I certainly plan on visiting Papa Gyros again since it is only a couple of miles from my home. I encourage you to explore your own neck of the woods to discover a burger joint near your home. And remember to look past some of the things that might discourage you from giving a place a try. You just might find one of the best burgers you have ever had in the Lone Star State.

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G.W.’s Hickory Pit BBQ & Burger House

Honestly, I don’t think there is ever a bad time to eat a burger. In fact, I could actually live on burgers — while still observing Taco Tuesdays, of course. That said, I am always on the lookout for new places to indulge my appetite for a delicious bacon cheeseburger.
After a recent trip to bike the trails at Huntsville State Park, my friends and I decided to drive to Coldspring for a burger. I love little Texas towns like Coldspring — the small friendly places that lie between the bigger places on the map.

The first post office at this little settlement opened in 1847 and was named Coonskin. A year later the name was changed to Fireman’s Hill. In 1850 the name was changed to Cold Spring for the spring water found there. In 1894, the name was officially respelled Coldspring.
My biking buddies and I decided to stop at GW’s Hickory Pit BBQ and Burger House. This place has all the markings of a dive and all the promise of finding hidden treasure. The sign out front boasted what we hoped would prove true: “This stuff is so good that if you get some on your forehead your tongue will beat you to death to get to it.”
I ordered a bacon cheeseburger and opted for crispy fries because they were fresh out of onion rings. I smiled the second I noticed the cook slapping a big patty on the grill. That was a good sign, indeed. And t made the waiting all the harder. A few minutes later my burger arrived nestled next to a jumble of hot fries. Wow! This was one big burger. The thick slabs of bacon were cooked to crispy perfection. This was another good sign since I have no tolerance for wimpy bacon.
I cut my burger in half and took my first bite. No need for a second bite to confirm that we had made the right choice by stopping at GW’s. Absolutely tasty. As with all good burgers I have found on my burger quest, I savored every mouth-watering bite.

Once again, taking a risk on a dive proved to be a better decision than opting for the convenience of a fast food chain. No regrets about stopping at GW’s. This is one burger I would definitely try again — and again. So, if you ever find yourself anywhere near Coldspring, stop by GW’s and try one of their burgers. You’ll be glad you did.

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Spanish Angels Cafe

Dell City is a small town located right where the Chihuahuan Desert meets the western edge of the Guadalupe Mountains. This is wide open country with iconic cowboy landscapes. This little farming town, situated at the intersection of Farm roads 1437 and 2249, was founded sometime before 1949 after the discovery of a large underground aquifer.
Water in the desert is a big deal. The folks at Dell City capitalized on this and tagged their little town “The Valley of Hidden Waters.” However, despite the treasure beneath their feet, the population of Dell City has remained less than five-hundred with a median age of about fifty. The town has one grocery store, one restaurant, and some amazing views of five of the highest peaks in Texas to the East.
The Spanish Angels Cafe is the local eatery and well worth a stop if you are anywhere near the area. I visited the cafe on a cold December day after a week of camping in the Guadalupe Mountains. The warmth inside was generated by more than the old radiant gas heater in the corner. The folks inside added a warmth of their own, the kind that characterizes small town hospitality.

Hungry for a burger, I ordered a bacon cheeseburger with fries and a glass of tea. My camping companion ordered the bar-b-cue ribs plate. While we waited for our food, we struck up a conversation with some of the other folks in the cafe. All of this made us feel right at home, like we were regular town folk rather than just two outdoorsmen passing through.
My burger arrived on a colorful plate with a pretty ample serving of crispy and seasoned fries. The portion of meat was perfectly cooked, the bacon was crispy, and all of the other ingredients were as fresh as they come. And when fully assembled, the flavor of the burger was really good — delicious, in fact.
I thoroughly enjoyed the burger and felt I had burned enough calories to justify eating a slice of chocolate cake — also delicious. The whole experience was made even more enjoyable because of the friendly atmosphere, great service, and overall ambiance of this small town cafe. If I lived in Dell City I would make it a point to eat at this cafe as often as possible.
I love small town cafes and inconspicuous eateries that serve up great food. These places are easy to miss as we speed from point to point or get in such a hurry that we opt for fast food joints instead. If you are on the road, take time to slow down as you travel through small towns and be willing pull off the road. You just might discover a great place to eat — like the Spanish Angels Cafe.

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The Cafe Next Door

When it comes to the vast expanses of the western regions of Texas, one thing is certain — the counties in this part of the Lone Star State seem to go on forever. Crockett County, named after Alamo hero Davy Crockett, covers 2,807 square miles of land or more than 1,800,000 acres. That’s a whole lot of land by any measure.

Ozona, located on Interstate 10 between Houston and El Paso, is the county seat of Crockett County. Ozona was originally known as Powell Well when it was founded in 1891 by E.M. Powell, a land surveyor. The name of the community was later changed to Ozona because of the open and fresh air or ozone.
For those traveling down those long stretches of Interstate 10, Ozona is a great place to stop and stretch. And that’s exactly what I did on a recent road trip from my home in Katy to the Franklin Mountains. I stopped to top off my gas tank in Ozona and noticed a small cafe next door, appropriately named The Cafe Next Door. I couldn’t resist.
The Cafe Next Door offers a full menu of mouth-watering home-style dishes, including hamburgers. I ordered my usual bacon cheeseburger with a side of onion rings and a tall glass of iced tea. The onion rings, our waitress cautioned, would be enough to feed two. I assured her that I would have no problem with that.
The burger was really delicious. It had a healthy portion of meat beneath a warm blanket of cheese, crispy bacon, and fresh vegetables. The onion rings were cooked to perfection. They were so good, in fact, that I completely forgot about the french fries lying undisturbed on the table. But, because I only have so much room in my stomach I had to set my priorities and eat more onion rings than french fries.
The wait staff was friendly and attentive to our needs. And the general atmosphere of the place was great. This is a small town cafe at its best — friendly folks, delicious food, time to eat a meal without feeling as though I had to rush. My friends and I enjoyed eating at The Cafe Next Door. We have marked it down as a must-stop on future road trips.

I hope you’ll stop and check out the food at The Cafe Next Door on one of your future road trips on Interstate 10. This is the kind of eatery, after all, that adds a measure of culinary adventure to any road trip.