South Padre Island, known for having the best beaches in Texas, offers visitors a super casual dining scene. From fresh seafood caught in the Gulf of Mexico to breezy beach bars with live music and laid-back restaurants, South Padre Island delivers more than just sun and sand.
Thanks to its spring break reputation, South Padre was the only Texas Gulf Coast destination I knew about when I moved to the state in 2016. It would take me eight years and a girlfriend who grew up in the area to see it firsthand.
Kel and I flew down for a long weekend in mid-November, after the official end of hurricane season but before the holiday bump in tourism. I love traveling in shoulder seasons as it's an opportunity to experience hotspots with fewer people. The weather was warm and sunny, though the Gulf waters were too cold for me to take a plunge.
Along with sunrise walks on the beach and learning about sea turtle conservation, I enjoyed the easy access to some of the best restaurants. Here are my favorite spots from our vacation to South Padre Island, all of which I'd return to in a heartbeat, plus a few places on the mainland.
Table of Contents
South Padre Restaurants
Louie's Backyard
It was a little after 3 p.m. when we checked into our hotel room at the Hilton Garden Inn South Padre Island Beachfront. After settling in, we looked at our options on the island's western side and drove to Louie's Backyard for sunset. It's one of a half-dozen waterfront restaurants and bars, each seemingly ideal for happy hour.
The outdoor patio with views of Laguna Madre was enormous, so we had no trouble getting a table by the water at 5:30 p.m. We ordered a Miami Vice (strawberry daiquiri meets pina colada) and dinner off the Early Bird Special Menu (available until 6 p.m.).
The first entree I chose was utterly indulgent: a Texas Gulf shrimp mac 'n' cheese. When we returned a few days later, Kel and I were impressed with the Gulf shrimp pupusas, made with corn masa, black beans, Oaxacan cheese, and cream. We agreed that it was one of the best dishes of our vacation.
At our hotel, we'd seen a coupon for a free piece of chocolate layer cake at Louie's Backyard but didn't remember to bring it. When we mentioned as much to our server, she was kind enough not to charge us for the dessert (even at $7.50, it's still a great value). It was larger than we anticipated and drizzled with chocolate and caramel sauce. The sheer size reminded me of the Hula Pie at Duke's Waikiki in Honolulu.
Beyond the first-floor dining, Louie's Backyard claims to be the biggest sports bar in South Texas. It has 65 high-definition TVs broadcasting everything from college sports and the NFL to baseball and soccer. The sports bar also hosts karaoke every Friday and Saturday night.
2305 Laguna Blvd, South Padre Island, TX, lbyspi.com
Cafe On The Beach
The Palms Resort is a beachside motor lodge that opened in 1972 and has been updated through modern renovations. Cafe On The Beach is its on-site American restaurant, serving year-round breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
There are a small number of tables in an open-air room with a full bar and an outdoor patio with a few picnic tables and umbrellas. Both seating areas offer beautiful views of the grass-covered dunes and coastal waters.
The breakfast menu features omelets, variations of eggs Benedict, and malted pancakes, served from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday and until noon on weekends. The bar also serves mimosas, Bloody Marys, and various adult specialty coffees, such as Mexican coffee with tequila and Kahlua and Jamaican coffee with Meyer's Dark Rum and Kahlua.
The lunch and dinner menu offers plenty of seafood from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Friday and from noon to 10 p.m. on the weekends. Appetizers include peel-and-eat shrimp, crab cakes, oysters Rockefeller, and jalapeno hushpuppies.
I ordered the heart-healthy grilled red snapper sandwich with housemade potato chips dusted in parmesan. Elevated fare includes an 8-ounce cold-water lobster tail, snapper Veracruz, maple-glazed salmon, chipotle chicken, and a 6-ounce filet mignon.
3616 Gulf Blvd, South Padre Island, TX, palmsresortcafe.com
Blackbeards
If there's one South Padre Island restaurant Kel has talked about the most since I met her, it's Blackbeards, a seafood spot that has been serving beachgoers since 1978.
She's raved about their onion rings, in particular, and I can now attest to their size. If only all onion rings were cut so large. They're meaty, and a half-order was plenty to get us started.
Chicken fried steak, chicken fried chicken, and chicken tenders are among the deep-fried delights on the menu, which also includes seafood platters, Black Angus steaks, and burgers.
I ordered the mahi mahi fish tacos (four to a serving), heaped with fresh lettuce, tomato, avocado, and queso fresco. Kel ordered the Gulf shrimp (blackened, fried, and charbroiled) served with grilled zucchini.
Keep an eye out on the night you visit, as Blackbeards' offers dinner specials, with steak night on Mondays being the most popular. Like many of the restaurants on South Padre Island, Blackbeards offers guests the option to have them cook whatever fish they've caught locally, as long as it has already been cleaned and scaled.
103 E Saturn Ln, South Padre Island, TX, blackbeardsspi.com
See also: Where To Eat on Easter Island
Josephine's Kitchen
I picked Josephine's Kitchen for Sunday brunch, our last meal on South Padre Island. Upon entering the restaurant at noon, we found it full of diners, though we could still get a table immediately. The American menu features Southern favorites like chicken and waffles, pancakes with toasted pecans, French toast, and omelets.
Chilaquiles and a barbacoa Benedict offer Mexican-inspired fare. I was tempted by the croissant Benedict, "...filled with grilled ham, sautéed spinach, two poached eggs topped with hollandaise sauce," but decided to choose something lighter.
The berry parfait was one of their healthier dishes, offering vanilla yogurt with oats, granola, strawberries, blueberries, and bananas. As fresh and tasty as it was, I couldn't help but look longingly across the table at the cheese-smothered shrimp and grits with Texas toast Kel had ordered.
3409 Padre Blvd, South Padre Island, TX, josephineskitchenspi.com
Padre Island Brewing Co
Across the street from Josephine's Kitchen is the Padre Island Brewing Company, established in 1995. Here, you can pony up to the bar and order a beer flight with five 6-ounce pours for $12.50.
Pictured above, from left to right:
- Speckled Trout Stout
- Tidal Wave Wheat
- South Padre Island Blonde
- Padre Island Pale Ale
- Pelagic Porter (seasonal) - my favorite
Behind the bar is much of the equipment used to make each beer. Brews are available in 10, 16, and 24-ounce glasses, and growlers are available if you'd like to take beer when you leave. During happy hour, which runs from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, you can get draft beers for $3 a pop.
We didn't try the food at Padre Island Brewing Company. However, they have an extensive menu, including burgers, tacos, and award-winning pizzas, as well as seafood, baby back ribs, and Texas quail.
3400 Padre Blvd, South Padre Island, TX, Facebook
Cafes and Bakeries
Sunrise Bakery
If you're looking for a place to go after an early-morning walk on the beach, check out Sunrise Bakery. Pastries are made in-house in this year-old female-owned bakery, a process you can watch through large windows behind the counter. A tic-tac-toe table on the window challenges customers to beat a baker to win a free pastry.
Laminated dough pastries include croissants, pain au chocolate with 48% semi-sweet chocolate, and cruffins. When I visited, I also saw muffins, scones, bear claws, brownies, and chocolate chip cookies. The prices are in the $5 to $9 range per pastry, which is on par with big-city bakeries. A platter of day-old pastries was available at a discount.
I had difficulty choosing which treats to try, but ultimately selected a flaky cheese Danish and a small chocolate-covered eclair. Espresso-based coffees are also available, which you can enhance with standard and seasonal flavored syrups. Teas, including matcha, chai, and jasmine, and custom caffeine-free drinks like the Peppermint Belly Soother (peppermint leaves, ginger root, and lavender) are also available.
2312 Padre Blvd, Suite A, South Padre Island, TX, sunrisebakeryspi.com
Karma Coffee
Coffee drinkers can choose from a handful of independent cafes on South Padre Island. The first one I visited was Cafe Karma, which operates two locations, one of which is also a bookstore. Both cafes offer various espresso-based drinks, pastries, and sandwiches. Karma Coffee and Books also serves 16 flavors of ice cream.
During our first morning on SPI, I stopped in for a peppermint iced latte and a piece of banana crumble cake. Other pastries I spotted in the display case included sweet and savory kolaches, a blueberry scone, baklava, and a peanut butter cookie cup.
Cafe Karma - 5200 Padre Blvd Suite 101, South Padre Island, TX, facebook.com/cafekarmaSPI
Karma Coffee and Books - 2500 Padre Blvd Suite 8, South Padre Island, TX
Los Pescadores Coffee
My favorite (and most unexpected) cafe experience was at Los Pescadores Coffee & Outfitters, a modern coffeehouse and bar attached to a fly fishing shop. It's centrally located in a strip mall on Padre Boulevard near Queen Isabella Causeway (the only bridge to the mainland).
Visitors are treated to a spacious, modern, attractive coffee shop with plenty of seating at the counters and tables. The drink menu is comprehensive and well-considered, offering pour-overs, lattes (iced or hot), and nitro cold brews. Latte and pour-over options allow customers to sample several drinks in one sitting.
Specialty drinks included the iced Vietnamese coconut coffee I ordered, the High Tide Tonic (ginger beer, Irish cream syrup, and mint syrup), and the El Dorado (a cold brew bourbon-aged dark roast with agave cream).
One of several limited-time specials was the Mocha Monkey, a chocolate and banana latte topped with banana sweet cream cold foam and cocoa. I still regret not finding the time to return and try that one! Los Pescadores also serves a small menu of pastries and toasts for breakfast and lunch, plus wine, beer, and cocktails.
410 Padre Blvd #111, South Padre Island, TX, lospescadores.com
See also: Austin's Coolest Cafes
Beyond South Padre
As it was my first visit to South Texas, we took a few day trips on the mainland. We saw downtown Brownsville and drove past SpaceX's rocket launch facilities to reach Boca Chica Beach. Here are the standout spots where we ate and drank along the way.
Vermillion Restaurant and Watering Hole
The motto of Vermillion Restaurant, painted on the side of the building, has been "Not Fancy, Just Good" since it opened in 1934. Our visit in 2024 coincided with the restaurant's 90th anniversary, an impressive feat in the restaurant industry and reason enough to stop in and grab a bite to eat. Kel's family dined at Vermillion when she was growing up, so returning with her brought extra enjoyment.
The extensive menu offers everything from fried pickles and ceviche lettuce to familiar favorites like wings, nachos, burgers, and sandwiches. Mexican specialties include tacos, enchiladas, and fajitas. I ordered one of the signature dishes: the fantastic cheese enchiladas with chicken smothered in beef chili and cheese. They were served with crunchy housemade tortilla chips thick enough to scoop up whatever was on the plate. Meanwhile, Kel enjoyed her favorite: the deluxe fajita nachos with guacamole and sour cream.
115 Paredes Line Rd, Brownsville, TX, facebook.com/TheVermillionTX
Vera's Backyard Bar-B-Que
Another historic South Texas restaurant, Vera's Backyard Bar-B-Que, is a few miles east of Vermillion. Pitmaster Armando "Mando" Vera specializes in barbacoa de cabeza (whole cow head barbecue) at the joint, which opened in 1955. The most recommended and approachable meats are the cachete (beef cheek) and lengua (tongue). If you're feeling adventurous, order the less common cuts like palador (palate), jeta (jaw), and ojos (eyes, which some say is a delicacy).
Everything is ordered a la carte, so when we stopped by for lunch, I ordered the cachete (beef cheeks), a pack of large flour tortillas made locally, onion and cilantro, and salsa. In recent years, I've become a fan of beef cheeks at places like LeRoy and Lewis BBQ and the Austin Food + Wine Festival, and Vera's was no different.
It's the only restaurant in Texas still allowed to cook meat in an underground pit. In 2020, the James Beard Foundation awarded Vera's Backyard Bar-B-Que one of six America's Classics Awards, a testament to their longstanding history and traditional barbacoa.
2404 Southmost Rd, Brownsville, TX, facebook.com/VerasBackyardBarBQue
Rio Grande Distillery
The 5,000-resident town of Port Isabel is the last stop before crossing Laguna Madre to reach beautiful South Padre Island. The city is home to many restaurants, some more touristy than others. Across the street from the Port Isabel Lighthouse is the Rio Grande Distillery and Brewery, where we stopped for a drink one afternoon.
We had the place to ourselves, and the bartender gave us samples of the moonshine the distillery produces. I always prefer a mixed drink over straight liquor, so I ordered the Horchata and Shine with their 50-proof Aguas Frescas Horchata. It was milky, mild, and easy to drink. I could see why it's one of their best sellers. In addition to flavored moonshine and aguas frescas, the distillery produces gin and several varieties of vodka.
110A N Garcia St, Port Isabel, TX, riograndedistilleryllc.com
Conclusion
Ultimately, my first visit to South Padre Island introduced me to a laid-back restaurant scene where great food is never far from the beach. With a range of options showcasing everything from fresh-caught seafood to classic comfort dishes, the island left me eager to return. I look forward to discovering more fun places to eat on my next trip.
Here's my shortlist for next time:
- F&B is one of the island's newest restaurants, specializing in modern American cuisine. It offers an enticing menu of craft cocktails and upscale dishes like seafood risotto, whole salt-crusted red snapper, and short rib ragu. Despite its fine dining feel, F&B's owners kept the dress code island casual.
- Sea Ranch Restaurant is in the marina at the southern end of South Padre Island and has served the community for over 34 years. The restaurant specializes in local, wild-caught seafood. Owner Bob Friedman was involved in the opening of F&B.
- Grapevine Cafe is an alternative breakfast/lunch spot to Josephine's Kitchen.
- Rocotto Grill offers traditional Peruvian dishes like ceviche, tacu tacu, and chaufa, as well as plenty of seafood.
- Pirates Landing is a waterfront restaurant in Port Isabel that offers the best shrimp, according to Kel. Unfortunately, when we stopped by, it was closed for maintenance.
