As any patriotic Texan is happy to tell you, chili con carne means chili with meat. It does not include beans, peppers, or other vegetables, and such add-ons as cheese and sour cream are generally unwelcome. True Texas chili con carne is a bit of a rarity these days, but here are some places that do it right.
Tolbert’s Restaurant
Tolbert's menu is broad, including steaks, seafood and bar food; but true-Texas chili con carne, aka bowl of red, remains true to its origins.
Little Diner
Little Diner of Canutillo, Texas, just outside El Paso, offers the best true Tex-Mex food: superb chili con carne, flautas, gorditas, and made-here tortillas.
Avalon Diner
Eating at Houston's Avalon Diner is a happy event. Hamburgers dressed with tomato, lettuce, pickle, onion, mustard and mayonnaise are some of Texas' best.
Black’s Barbecue
Black’s is one of the world-class BBQ restaurants of Lockhart, Texas, where ribs, sausage rings, and brisket are at their best.
Monument Café
The Monument Café in Georgetown makes some of the best pies in Texas; meals that precede them (including breakfast) are masterful roadside-restaurant classics.
