Traveling through Texas often includes a trip up and down the Texas I-20. This interstate highway, of course, is a major southern highway that runs through Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. So if you're taking on such a formidable drive, you better know a couple of good places to stop among all that wilderness. Therefore, you may as well pick places that epitomize the local cuisine at its pinnacle of yumminess.
In the spirit of keeping you fed during your journey, here are 10 places that you need to stop when you cross the Lone Star State from east Texas to west Texas.
Find more information on our picks below!
1. Stanley's Famous Pit Barbecue
525 S Beckham Ave, Tyler, Texas
From Yelp: "The epic sandwich of choice here is The Mother Clucker, which is brisket, bacon & egg, and a healthy portion of guacamole. You'll want to put your order in quickly on this since the sandwich is so appetizing & amazingly not too filling."
The consensus is that this place is outrageously good. Which is basically all you need to know.
2. Cousin's BBQ
5125 Bryant Irvin Rd, Fort Worth, Texas
From Yelp: "Their BBQ sauce is perfect. It's a vinegar based sauce that is perfect with the slow smoked meats. I always get extra on the side for sopping up with the Texas Toast that comes with most meals. "
If you're into saucy dispositions and are going west from Dallas, you won't regret stopping at this BBQ haven in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan Area.
3. Mercado Juarez
125 E Interstate 20, Arlington, Texas
Just head eastbound on the Texas I-20 from Fort Worth/ Forest Hill area, or west from Grand Prairie! Coming from Arlington, Matlock Road will take you right there.
From Yelp: "I have been going to Mercado Juarez in this location since I was very young. I still remember when I went for my birthday and the mariachi band came out to sing Barney to me."
4. Petty's Steak & Catfish
309 N Main St, Lindale, Texas
Just head west from Shreveport or Bossier City, pass through Kilgore and Longview, stop before you get to Terrell, and you're there. Perfect for any Texans taking the state highway I-20 east to Marshall, Waskom or Louisiana!
From Yelp: "This is a somewhat biased review. I've been going to Petty's for a long time now, and, there's a lot of nostalgia happening right now. If you're looking for healthy, high class or exquisite food in Lindale, Texas, just stop looking at this."
But really, who ever said that healthy and high class was better?
5. Smokestack
239 Private Rd 741, Mingus, Texas
From Yelp: "Hand breaded steak fingers, a "teenager-sized burger," and even a light option! We didn't have room to try the pie, but planning our trip home around stopping again!"
Did you know that the building this restaurant is in was the old general store in the 1890s? Talk about a cool place for a meal.
Stop here for some of the best chicken fried steak in Texas.
6. Waverly's Coffee & Gifts
610 Conrad Hilton Blvd, Cisco, Texas
From Yelp: "Holy crap. Like, no really, holy crap. The food is **amazing**. All 4 of us enjoyed what we ordered. Do you know how hard that is?"
When you finally do get to try it, you'll be a believer.
7. Belle's Chicken Dinner House
2002 N Clack St, Abilene, Texas
Just south of Kent County, between Colorado City and Eastland on the Texas I-20!
From Yelp: "The fried chicken, chicken fried steak and chicken dumpling heaven!! This place is like sanctuary in an industrial park"
Not to mention there's a giant chicken head that you can pose next to to make you look cool on Instagram.
8. Big Boys BBQ
2117 Lamar St, Sweetwater, Texas
The perfect pick-me-up between Big Spring and Abilene!
From Yelp: "ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE and we live in the southern region where bar-be-que is a religion. A MUST STOP when in Sweetwater Texas."
So it's not really Sweetwater, Texas so much as sweet, sweet BBQ sauce, Texas.
9. Teak & Charlie's Jersey Girl Pizza
4007 John Ben Shepperd Pkwy, Odessa, Texas
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQT4xk3jnSZ/
If you need a bite to eat between Midlands and Monahans, here's your spot on the Texas I-20.
From Yelp: "Praise the lord for having a place like this in the middle of nowhere. I know it's off the highway but there is no better place to eat in 5 hours radius of this place."
Who knew that it would be a pizza joint that would attract people to Odessa?
10. La Nortena Tamale Factory
211 E 3rd St, Pecos, Texas
Although you're only about 3 hours from the Mexico-Texas state line, no need to drive further, these are the real deal!
From Yelp: "Tamales were the best I've ever had! This is coming from a girl from San Antonio that grew up eating tamales every Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve."
And you can get them to go!
Watch: 11 National Road Trip Stops Along I-70
This post was originally published on April 10, 2019.
