Austin Mother’s Cafe defined “hippie” and “vegetarian” for forty years. A fixture of Weird Austin since 1992, Shady Grove made its Airstream Chili a must-order. Threadgill’s was the roadhouse where young Janis Joplin got her start; later the kitchen put its spin on Texas comfort food. Fort Worth No visit to El Rancho Grande was complete without indulging in its signature thin chips. La Piazza’s quiet elegance delighted its uptown clientele for more than 25 years before it closed at the end of 2019. El Paso Sorrento Italian Restaurant was an El Paso treasure for sixty years. This article originally appeared in the March 2021 issue of Texas Monthly