11 Delightfully Unusual Foods You’ve Probably Never Tried In Texas
Texas cuisine goes way beyond the usual barbecue and Tex-Mex favorites most folks know about.
As a born-and-raised Texan, I’ve spent years hunting down the weirdest, most wonderful foods my state has to offer.
From county fairs to hole-in-the-wall joints, the Lone Star State serves up some truly head-turning treats that most visitors (and even many locals) have never sampled.
Ready for a tasty adventure through Texas’ quirkiest culinary creations?
1. Fried Coke: Soda You Can Eat With A Fork
Y’all won’t believe this one! The first time I stumbled across Fried Coke at the State Fair of Texas, I thought someone was pulling my leg. How do you fry a liquid? Turns out, it’s genius in its simplicity.
Imagine Coca-Cola-flavored batter balls, deep-fried to golden perfection, then drizzled with Coke fountain syrup and topped with whipped cream. The texture hits you first—crispy outside, soft and doughy inside—followed by that unmistakable cola sweetness.
Created by Texas concessionaire Abel Gonzales Jr. in 2006, this wacky treat won the Most Creative food prize at the State Fair. Fair warning: one serving packs a serious sugar punch that’ll have you buzzing like a kid on Christmas morning!
2. Deep-Fried Butter: The Ultimate Indulgence
Remember when I first heard about deep-fried butter at the Texas State Fair? I laughed out loud. Surely this was peak Texas excess—how could anyone actually eat straight butter?
Turns out I was wrong about what it actually is. They take frozen butter balls, coat them in sweet dough (think cinnamon roll batter), then dunk them in the fryer until golden brown. When you bite in, the butter has melted into the dough, creating something that tastes remarkably like the world’s richest, most decadent hot dinner roll.
Another Abel Gonzales Jr. creation, this artery-challenging treat won the 2009 Big Tex Choice Award. My cardiologist would faint, but my taste buds throw a party every time I have this once-a-year splurge!
3. Chicken Fried Bacon: Breakfast Meets Dinner
Holy moly, chicken fried bacon changed my life at a little roadside diner outside Amarillo! Take everything you love about chicken fried steak—that peppery, crispy batter—and wrap it around thick-cut bacon strips instead of beef.
The process is pure Texas magic: bacon gets dipped in egg wash, coated in seasoned flour, then deep-fried until it reaches crispy perfection. Most places serve it with cream gravy or ranch dressing for dipping, though I prefer mine with a side of jalapeño honey.
Created by Frank Sodolak of Sodolak’s Original Country Inn in Snook, this dish embodies Texas’ “go big or go home” philosophy. One bite delivers a salty, crunchy, porky explosion that makes regular bacon seem downright boring by comparison!
4. Cactus Fries: Desert Vegetation Gone Gourmet
My first encounter with cactus fries happened at a Mexican restaurant in San Antonio where my Texan grandmother insisted I try them. “You can’t call yourself a true Texan until you’ve eaten cactus,” she declared with a wink.
Made from nopal (prickly pear cactus pads), these unusual fries start with carefully de-spined cactus paddles cut into strips. They’re then battered, seasoned with spices like cumin and chili powder, and fried until crispy on the outside while maintaining that slightly tart, green bean-like flavor inside.
Native to the Texas landscape, nopales have been eaten by indigenous people for centuries. Most restaurants serve them with cilantro-lime crema or spicy salsa for dipping. The slightly tangy, vegetal taste paired with the crunchy exterior creates an addictively unique snack!
5. Texas Caviar: Cowboy Beans With Attitude
During my first college potluck in Austin, I was puzzled when my roommate’s contribution—a bowl of marinated beans—was labeled “caviar.” One bite later, I was converted to this Texan classic that has absolutely nothing to do with fish eggs!
Texas caviar (or cowboy caviar) combines black-eyed peas, black beans, corn, bell peppers, and onions in a tangy vinaigrette spiked with cilantro and jalapeños. The beans soak up all that zesty dressing, creating a flavor-packed medley that’s addictive when scooped up with tortilla chips.
Created in the 1940s by Helen Corbitt, a New Yorker who became food director at Neiman Marcus in Dallas, this dish brilliantly transformed humble beans into something worthy of high society. My personal twist? Adding diced avocado and extra lime juice just before serving!
6. Armadillo Eggs: Jalapeños In Disguise
Don’t worry—no armadillos or eggs were harmed in the making of this Texas favorite! I discovered these bad boys at a backyard barbecue in Houston, where they vanished faster than cold beer on a hot summer day.
Despite the name, Armadillo Eggs are actually jalapeño poppers on steroids. Whole jalapeños stuffed with cream cheese and cheddar get wrapped in seasoned sausage meat, then coated in breadcrumbs before being smoked or baked. The result? A softball-sized flavor bomb with multiple layers of texture and heat.
The genius lies in how the cooking process mellows the jalapeño’s fire while the sausage exterior forms a protective shell—hence the armadillo reference. My uncle claims to have invented these in the ’70s, but so does everyone else’s uncle in Texas. Whoever created them deserves a monument!
7. Giant Cinnamon Rolls From Richter Bakhaus: Pastries Of Epic Proportions
My first road trip through Central Texas included a mandatory stop at Richter Bakhaus in Fredericksburg, where I witnessed grown adults acting like excited children. The cause? Cinnamon rolls roughly the size of my face!
These legendary German-Texan pastries weigh nearly a pound each, with soft, pillowy dough spiraled around generous layers of cinnamon-sugar butter. The crowning glory is a thick blanket of cream cheese frosting that melts slightly into the warm roll. One roll easily feeds two people, though I’ve never been willing to share mine.
Founded by German immigrants who settled in the Hill Country, Richter’s has been making these colossal treats for generations using the same family recipe. Pro tip: arrive early because they sell out daily, and the heavenly cinnamon aroma that fills the bakery will haunt your dreams forever!
8. Buc-ee’s Beaver Nuggets: Gas Station Gold
Last summer’s road trip across Texas turned magical when my cousin insisted we stop at Buc-ee’s. “Trust me,” she said mysteriously, “you need to try Beaver Nuggets.” Skeptical about gas station snacks, I reluctantly followed her into the massive convenience store.
These unassuming corn puffs, coated in caramelized brown sugar and butter, create an addictive sweet-salty crunch that’s impossible to stop eating. Something between caramel corn and breakfast cereal, they leave a subtle buttery coating on your fingers that you’ll find yourself licking clean without shame.
Exclusive to Buc-ee’s—Texas’ beloved mega gas station chain with the beaver mascot—these nuggets have developed cult status among travelers. I’ve now joined the ranks of Texans who plan road trips around Buc-ee’s locations just to restock my Beaver Nugget supply!
9. Pink Peanut Patties: The Candy That Screams Texas
Grandma’s candy dish always held these peculiar pink discs that fascinated me as a child. “Why are they pink?” I’d ask, and she’d just smile and say, “Because that’s how we do it in Texas, sugar.”
These old-fashioned confections combine roasted peanuts with sugar, corn syrup, and butter, cooked to the perfect temperature before being formed into round patties. The signature pink color comes from a generous dose of food coloring—completely unnecessary but absolutely traditional in the Lone Star State.
Dating back to the Great Depression, when resourceful Texans made affordable treats from local ingredients, these patties have a distinctive grainy texture and intense sweetness balanced by the salty peanuts. You’ll find them at old-school gas stations and country stores throughout East Texas, wrapped in cellophane and tasting exactly like they did 80 years ago!
10. Movie Theater Pickles: Cinema Snacking, Texas-Style
My first date at a Texas movie theater left my out-of-state boyfriend completely baffled. “Are you seriously buying a pickle for the movie?” he whispered as I confidently ordered my giant dill pickle alongside popcorn.
This uniquely Texan movie tradition features massive dill pickles served in their own plastic pouches, often with the option to add chamoy sauce, chili powder, or hot sauce for an extra kick. The sour crunch provides the perfect counterpoint to sweet sodas and buttery popcorn, creating a flavor combination that simply works.
No one knows exactly how pickles became standard concession fare in Texas theaters, but the tradition runs deep. Every Texan has their preferred pickle preparation—mine is drizzled with chamoy and sprinkled with Tajín. My boyfriend thought I was crazy until he tried a bite, then promptly ordered his own!
11. Frito Pie In A Bag: Stadium Food Perfection
Friday night football in my small Texas hometown always meant one thing: Frito Pie served right in the chip bag. My dad would buy us each one at halftime—a ritual I cherished more than the actual game.
The brilliance of this portable meal lies in its simplicity. A bag of Fritos corn chips gets sliced open lengthwise, then loaded with hot chili, shredded cheddar, diced onions, and jalapeños. The heat from the chili slightly softens the chips at the bottom while leaving the top ones crunchy, creating a perfect texture gradient.
Though similar versions exist elsewhere, Texas claims this dish as its own, particularly when served in the original bag with a plastic spoon. The ultimate walking food, it keeps your hands warm during chilly football games while delivering a perfect bite of Texan flavors in every spoonful!