A weekend trip to Lubbock to watch the Baylor Bears football team face off against the Texas Tech Red Raiders was the perfect opportunity to explore the city's restaurant scene. While this West Texas city may not garner the attention of culinary heavyweights like Austin and Houston, we found plenty of good food (and lots of pie).
If you've lived in a bigger city like Austin, you might wonder what life is like in the far corners of the Lone Star State—I know I've wondered for the past nine years. So, when I learned Kel, a native Texan, had never been to Lubbock, we decided to fly out and see for ourselves.
Southwest Airlines takes about one hour and twenty minutes to fly from Austin to Lubbock. We flew in on a Thursday evening and picked up a rental car we'd reserved, thus saving ourselves a 12-hour roundtrip drive. Uber and Lyft are also available.
Our hotel was the relatively new Home2 Suites by Hilton Lubbock University, about one mile east of Jones AT&T Stadium and an even shorter distance from downtown.
As always, I researched places to eat and drink in Lubbock online before we left and came up with options ranging from cozy coffee shops and barbecue joints to fine dining. This story is for all the foodies heading to Hub City, whether to catch college sports, work, or see a little more of Texas.
Table of Contents
Friday
We began our day with breakfast at the hotel before making the short drive to Lubbock Lake National Historic Landmark. This museum and 336-acre archaeological and natural history preserve contains fossils and evidence of human activity from the past 12,000 years. It's free to visit and has four miles of walking trails.
Gold Stripe Coffee Roasters
We had some time before Evie Mae's BBQ opened for lunch, so I suggested a pit stop at Gold Stripe Coffee Roasters. Brothers Zach and Zane Montandon got their start in the coffee business with a mobile espresso bar in 2012 and later opened two cafes around town. Zach has since moved on to new endeavors while Zane continues to grow the business.
Coffee beans are carefully sourced from farmers worldwide and roasted in-house. The craft coffee menu boasts eight options, most of which can be brewed by V60, Chemex, or vacuum pot (siphon). The country of origin, elevation of the beans, and tasting notes are provided for each. I was craving something warm and comforting and opted for the seasonal orange spice latte.
9816 Slide Rd #102, Lubbock, TX, goldstripecoffee.com
Evie Mae's BBQ
After coffee, we drove 15 minutes west to the neighboring town of Wolfforth for lunch at Evie Mae's Pit Barbeque, arriving at 11 a.m. just as they opened. This family-owned West Texas BBQ joint began as a food truck in 2014 and recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. Named after owners Arnis and Mallory Robbins' daughter, Evie Mae's BBQ ranked #8 on Texas Monthly's 2021 list of the top 50 BBQ joints in the state.
When we stepped inside, I was happy to see no more than a dozen customers. We placed our order in under ten minutes and feasted at a table within 15 minutes.
The 3-meat combo plate costs $31 and comes with two sides. Kel and I ordered the Texas trinity: brisket, pork ribs, and jalapeno cheddar sausage. The plate included two sides; Kel chose green beans with bacon, and I got green chile cheese grits.
Evie Mae's dedication to dessert is admirable. I counted about a dozen on display, including pies, cobblers, Texas sheet cake, cheesecake, and banana pudding. The decision wasn't easy, especially with a peanut butter pie staring me down. However, we were both super happy with the s'mores pie, which consisted of thick layers of toasted meringue and chocolate filling.
217 US-62, Wolfforth, TX, eviemaesbbq.com
Travel Tip: On our drive back to downtown Lubbock, we stopped to pay our respects at the Willie McCool Memorial. Commander McCool grew up in Lubbock, became a test pilot in the U.S. Navy, and later, an astronaut. Tragically, he was one of six aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia when it broke apart during re-entry over Texas on February 1, 2003.
Cast Iron Grill
I thought 12:45 p.m. would be early enough to ensure a piece of quality pie at the Cast Iron Grill; however, they were practically sold out when we arrived. The family-owned restaurant is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday, so it was our only opportunity of the trip to grab a bite.
The 200-seat restaurant is sandwiched between Interstate 27 to the east and the Buddy Holly Center to the west. It was previously home to Stubb's Bar-B-Q (before it relocated to Austin). The Southern-style breakfast and lunch menus feature dishes like country-fried steak and eggs, a cast-iron breakfast burrito, a brisket burger, and pulled pork grilled cheese.
If you arrive earlier than we did, you'll be in pie heaven. They've got the classics like buttermilk cheese pie, fruit pies, cream pies (chocolate cream is one of my all-time favorites), and citrus pies such as key lime and Texas lemon. We had to settle for one of the remaining single pie slices, Southern pecan. It was okay, but it didn't blow us away.
So, before leaving, I threw a Hail Mary and asked for one of the only other items remaining in the display case, a caramel fudge pretzel-bottom brownie. While not a pie, this was the pastry I'd remember from Cast Iron Grill (especially after we warmed it up with the microwave in our hotel room).
620 19th St, Lubbock, TX, castirongrilllubbock.com
McPherson Cellars
Following a visit to the Buddy Holly Center, we went to McPherson Cellars Winery in the Depot District for a wine tasting. This urban winery is in a former Coca-Cola bottling plant, which adds to its charm.
Kim McPherson founded McPherson Cellars in honor of her father, Dr. Clinton 'Doc' McPherson, who was among the first to plant wine grapes in Lubbock. He was also instrumental in developing the Texas High Plains AVA, the second largest AVA in the state at 8 million acres.
I was happy to learn that a wine tasting with six samples would cost $15 (plus gratuity), and I also received a complimentary tour afterward! For reference, I'm used to paying $20 to $25 for wine tastings in the Texas Hill Country AVA. I tried two whites, a rose, and three reds. The 2019 Grenache' Lahey' was my favorite.
1615 Texas Ave, Lubbock, TX, mcphersoncellars.com
The Honeycomb Pie Shoppe #2
Kel was keen to try another pie shop following our near miss of a pie utopia at Cast Iron Grill earlier in the afternoon. Following some quick online research, she picked The Honeycomb Pie Shoppe #2, which had a case full of pies (chocolate dream, brownie bottom, millionaire, peach, and cherry, to name a few). We settled on a slice of the coconut cream pie, which we'd wait until the following day to devour.
3833 50th St #3, Lubbock, TX, Instagram
The Nicolett
Our last meal of the day was an intimate dinner at The Nicolett, named one of Bon Appetit's 50 Best New Restaurants of 2022. Lubbock-native Chef Finn Walter's resume includes time in Austin, New Orleans, Paris, and a three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Napa Valley. But, when he was ready to open his first restaurant, he preferred to return home to Lubbock.
At The Nicolett, you'll experience chef Finn's take on High Plains cuisine, using ingredients native to the region and reflecting Texas culture. Appetizers on the fall menu included caviar on corn churros, Wagyu beef belly glazed in wild maple, and seared foie gras with honeyed heirloom tomato and local sunflower.
Had we not been eating our way through Lubbock all day, I'd have chosen one of them. However, we kept it simple, sharing the lavender brioche with house-cultured butter. My restraint faded as I enjoyed a bowl of farm cheese ravioli with brown butter and bergamot. It was my warm-up for the grilled Hill Country antelope served with squash blossom ragout and okra.
It was my second time eating Hill Country antelope; the first was a deep-fried disaster in Terlingua, on the opposite (southern) end of West Texas. Grilled a medium rare over peach wood, the meat was lean and not too gamey. Other mains at the time included "Lamb in the Style of Brisket," wild boar schnitzel, and a Wagyu ribeye for two.
Believe it or not, we finished with more pie—a buttermilk pie with a lavender crust, yuzu buttermilk filling, Texas olive oil, lime zest, and salted cream. Brioche bread pudding with Texas olive oil ice cream and crema Catalana (a Spanish custard) were also available.
511 Broadway St, Lubbock, TX, nicolettrestaurant.com
Saturday - Game Day
Slaton Bakery
On Saturday morning, we drove 18 miles southeast out of Lubbock via Route 84 to the small town of Slaton (with a stop at the Texas Air Museum along the way). This historic town is named after a Lubbock businessman who, in 1911, helped bring the Santa Fe Railroad to the region. Our destination was the family-owned Slaton Bakery; established in 1923, it's one of the oldest bakeries in Texas and boasts "a century of keeping West Texas sweet."
When we arrived at 10:30 a.m., there were plenty of cookies and pastries and no line to order them. The bakery also serves breakfast burritos, kolaches (sweet and savory), empanadas, cream cheese croissants, cakes, and pies.
We picked up a few of their world-famous thumbprint cookies (small shortbread cookies with a touch of icing), a chocolate donut, fried apricot pie, and a pumpkin empanada to eat in the adjacent town square. It's a quick and easy side trip if you have the time and a means of transportation.
109 S 9th St, Slaton, TX, slatonbakery.com
La Diosa Cellars
Back in Lubbock, we briefly stopped at the National Ranching Heritage Center until a light rain began to fall. At that point, we sought shelter and sangria at La Diosa Cellars. We'd encountered the Spanish restaurant in Lubbock's Depot District a day earlier during our visit to McPherson Cellars.
Inside, the decor is colorful and eclectic, especially around the bar, where paintings of Frida Kahlo decorate a bright red wall. We ordered glasses of La Diosa Cellars' red and white sangria. The wine list, which features local, domestic, and international wines, is curated by the owner's daughter, an Advanced Sommelier.
Spanish and Mediterranean tapas are served, and choosing among the many options wasn't easy. Our favorite of the three dishes we tried was the signature meatballs with sweet onions and jalapeño in a marsala wine sauce. We also tried baguette toasts with savory goat cheese and a caramelized onion marmalade, and beef empanadas with ancho chili. The service was friendly, and I'm sure the evening vibe is even more intimate than the pre-game lunch scene.
901 17th St, Lubbock, TX, ladiosacellars.com
Texas Tech Stadium
We dropped our car at the hotel and hailed a Lyft to Jones Stadium on the Texas Tech University campus. This was my third Baylor football game and my second away game (though I don't think of attending a 2023 game versus Texas at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium to be "away" from home).
Baylor took an early lead with the help of some big-yard, explosive plays and never looked back. It was the start of a six-game winning streak that turned the team's season around and qualified them for a bowl game. With Baylor leading 21 to 14 at the half, Kel and I departed early and watched the remainder of the game from a local bar.
The Brewery LBK
Another Lyft ride later, and we were watching the game in the warmth of The Brewery LBK in the heart of downtown Lubbock. Here, a beer flight lets you try six local brews (each a 5-ounce pour).
While Baylor continued to pound Texas Tech in the second half, we sampled their:
- Broadway & K, a German-style Kolsch.
- LBK Imperial IPA, which we were told, has received national attention.
- Unemployed Astronaut, a hard lemonade brewed with sugar cane.
- Doc Watermelon, a lemon ale.
- Oktoberfestbier, a Bavarian-style lager.
- Champurrado Porter is a cinnamon chocolate porter made with brown sugar and cacao nib.
I also realized we were running out of time to try a signature Lubbock mixed drink, The Chilton. It's a refreshing cocktail with simple ingredients: vodka, soda water, lemon, ice, and salt. The Brewery LBK serves a Ruby Chilton cocktail with Deep Eddy Ruby Red Vodka (Texas Hill Country).
We arrived at the brewery around 5:15 p.m., so we also ate dinner there. The goat cheese croquettes were a delicious deep-fried snack to start us off. The Vietnamese shaking beef with jasmine rice was large enough to share and quite tasty. The dish brought back memories from our trip to Vietnam the year before.
1204 Broadway St #104, Lubbock, TX, thebrewerylbk.com
Sunday
On our final morning, we had a light breakfast at the hotel and stopped by Prairie Dog Town with a bag of carrots. Prairie Dog Town is a small enclosure within Mackenzie Park, established in 1935 to protect black-tailed prairie dogs. We only saw one during our visit, and he was not the least interested in raw carrots. We nicknamed him "Lubby."
Monomyth Coffee
There's no shortage of cafes in a city of 266,000 people with a major university. I picked Monomyth Coffee near campus, where a small line had formed before they opened at 10 a.m. Like Gold Stripe Coffee Roasters, Monomyth was founded by two brothers, Trenton and Randall Jackson, in 2019. Their mission is "To create experiences that welcome people well and leave them encouraged."
I can attest to this attitude, as I heard the staff at the colorful tile counter greet each customer personally and chat with them as they took their order. I ordered a yummy hot Firefall Latte with housemade syrup of fall spices and the Cold Brew Cola made with cold brew, bourbon maple, and Coca-Cola.
Kel picked out an orange bun with cardamom, and I went with a pumpkin coffee cake. Both pastries were warmed up and delivered to our table with the drinks. My latte was comforting, while the Cold Brew Cola was a curiosity. My initial reaction was distaste; however, as we left and I continued sipping it in the car, the flavor combo grew on me.
2024 Broadway St, Lubbock, TX, monomythcoffee.com
Dirk's Signature Chicken & Bar
The last restaurant we visited on our Lubbock game day weekend was at a Lubbock original, Dirk's Signature Chicken & Bar. Opened in 2020, Dirk's is designed after old West Texas diners. The restaurant is named after owner Cameron West's grandfather, Dirk West, who was a former mayor of Lubbock and professional cartoonist. The walls are adorned with Dirk's hand-drawn cartoons, many appearing in local newspapers.
When we dropped in at 11:30 a.m. for brunch before leaving for the airport, the place was hopping. From patrons eating at the bar to families with young kids and us out-of-towners, it seemed like Dirk's has broad appeal. Of course, the chance to dine on chicken tenders as an adult reminds me of one of my favorite childhood meals.
We shared a combo platter with chicken tenders and chicken fried steak strips. The pieces were quite large, and there was plenty of food for both of us. I preferred the chicken tenders to the steak strips; the French fries were nicely seasoned. About ten dipping sauces are available a la carte. I fancied Dirk's signature sauce; other choices include jalapeno bacon gravy, sweet chili, and honey mustard.
1636 13th St, Lubbock, TX, dirkslbk.com
Final Thoughts
Lubbock surprised me in many ways. The city is larger and more populated than I realized and home to a thriving university (40,944 students enrolled in the 2023-2024 academic year). While the dining scene in Lubbock is full of casual restaurants where you can grab game day fare like barbecue, burgers, and pizza, there are also standout spots like The Nicolett for special occasions. Family-owned businesses are typical, and we felt welcome everywhere we went.
If we’d had more time, I would’ve loved to explore some Texas High Plains AVA wineries outside the city and hike at Caprock Canyons State Park, 95 miles north, or Palo Duro Canyon State Park, 111 miles north. It’s always a good sign when a trip leaves you with reasons to return.
