16 Popular Foods And Drinks That Started In Texas

Texas isn’t just big in size—it’s huge in flavor too!

The Lone Star State has gifted the world with some truly mouthwatering foods and thirst-quenching drinks that have become American classics.

As a food writer who’s traveled across Texas sampling everything from smoky barbecue to spicy Tex-Mex, I’ve fallen in love with the state’s unique culinary contributions.

Join me on this tasty tour of 16 iconic foods and drinks that were born under Texas skies but conquered hearts nationwide.

1. Chili Con Carne

Chili Con Carne
© Dinner, then Dessert

The first time I tasted authentic Texas chili, I nearly fell off my barstool—no beans, just pure meat magic! Texas chili con carne (which means “chili with meat“) traces back to San Antonio in the 1800s, where “chili queens” sold bowls from plaza stands.

Cowboys loved this hearty, spicy stew because it traveled well and packed a flavor punch that made trail life bearable. The secret? A perfect blend of dried chilies, cumin, and chunks of beef simmered until tender.

In 1977, chili con carne was officially named the state dish of Texas. True Texans will fight you if you try adding beans—that’s considered a northern abomination in these parts!

2. Fajitas

Fajitas
© Reddit

Holy sizzling platters! Nothing announces dinner like the theatrical entrance of fajitas at a restaurant. I still remember my first encounter—the server warning, “Don’t touch the plate!” as steam rose dramatically from strips of grilled skirt steak.

Fajitas originated with Mexican ranch workers in the Rio Grande Valley who received skirt steak as part of their pay. These vaqueros grilled this tough cut over open flames and wrapped it in tortillas—genius simplicity!

Ninfa Laurenzo of Ninfa’s restaurant in Houston gets credit for popularizing fajitas commercially in the 1970s. The dish’s name comes from “faja” (Spanish for belt or strip), describing the cut of meat that makes authentic fajitas so irresistibly tender when properly prepared.

3. Tex-Mex Cuisine

Tex-Mex Cuisine
© escalantestxmex

Cheese-smothered enchiladas, crispy tacos, and nachos piled high with toppings—these aren’t Mexican dishes, folks! They’re Tex-Mex, that glorious fusion cuisine that stole my heart (and expanded my waistline) when I moved to San Antonio years ago.

Tex-Mex evolved in the 1800s when Tejanos (Texans of Mexican descent) adapted their traditional recipes using locally available ingredients. The liberal use of beef, yellow cheese, wheat flour, and cumin distinguishes it from interior Mexican cuisine.

The term “Tex-Mex” wasn’t actually used until 1972, when food writer Diana Kennedy made the distinction in her cookbook. Before that, people just called it Mexican food! Today, this comfort food powerhouse has spread worldwide, bringing a taste of Texas to global dinner tables.

4. Brisket Barbecue

Brisket Barbecue
© Grillax

My barbecue awakening came at 2 AM outside a legendary Texas smokehouse—I’d waited hours in line, and that first bite of peppery, smoke-ringed brisket brought actual tears to my eyes. Texas brisket isn’t just food; it’s a religious experience.

German and Czech immigrants who settled Central Texas in the 1800s brought their meat-smoking traditions with them. They transformed the tough, undesirable brisket cut into something magical through low-and-slow cooking over post oak wood.

What makes Texas brisket special is its simplicity: just salt, black pepper, smoke, and patience—sometimes 12-18 hours of cooking time! The result is meat so tender you don’t need sauce (though don’t let a Texan catch you using it anyway).

5. Chicken-Fried Steak

Chicken-Fried Steak
© Our Sweet Adventures

Whoever first decided to treat a beef steak like fried chicken deserves a Texas-sized monument! My grandmother’s chicken-fried steak was legendary—a crispy, craggly crust hiding tender beef underneath, all smothered in peppery cream gravy that would make angels weep.

This dish emerged in the early 1900s thanks to German and Austrian immigrants who brought wiener schnitzel techniques to Texas. Adapting to available ingredients, they substituted veal with tenderized beef round steak, creating this Southern comfort classic.

The preparation is an art form: pounding tough beef until tender, dredging in seasoned flour, dipping in egg wash, then flour again before frying to golden perfection. The accompanying white gravy isn’t optional—it’s essential for achieving chicken-fried nirvana.

6. Queso Dip

Queso Dip
© Little Spice Jar

Yellow cheese shouldn’t technically melt that smoothly, but Texans figured out the alchemy anyway! During college in Austin, I survived primarily on queso and tortilla chips—that warm, velvety cheese dip with green chiles and maybe a scoop of guacamole floating in the middle.

Texas queso (pronounced “KAY-so”) differs from Mexican queso fundido by using processed American cheese like Velveeta instead of traditional Mexican cheeses. This innovation came about in the 1920s when processed cheese became widely available.

The dish reached icon status when Arkansas-born restaurateur Matt Martinez added green chiles to create “Chile con Queso” at El Rancho restaurant in Fort Worth. Today, no Texas gathering is complete without this molten cheese masterpiece bubbling in a crockpot.

7. Kolaches

Kolaches
© My Texas Kitchen

Picture this: I’m driving through the Texas Hill Country at dawn when I spot a handwritten sign—”FRESH KOLACHES”—and nearly drive off the road making a beeline for that bakery. These Czech-Texan pastries are worth risking life and limb!

Czech immigrants brought kolaches to Central Texas in the 1800s, settling in places like West, Texas (yes, that’s the town’s name). Traditional fruit-filled kolaches feature a sweet yeast dough with a divot holding fruit preserves, cheese, or poppy seed filling.

Texans then created a savory spin-off called klobasnek (though everyone still calls them kolaches) filled with sausage, cheese, and jalapeños. These hand-held treasures became road trip essentials along Highway 35, where Czech bakeries like the Czech Stop have achieved cult status among travelers.

8. Breakfast Tacos

Breakfast Tacos
© freddsters

San Antonio mornings changed my life forever—I discovered that breakfast doesn’t need to involve boring cereal when you can wrap eggs, potatoes, and chorizo in a warm tortilla! Breakfast tacos are Texas morning magic, portable enough to eat one-handed while commuting.

These handheld delights evolved naturally in South Texas, where Mexican and Texan cultures blend seamlessly. Unlike breakfast burritos (which are larger and often smothered in sauce), breakfast tacos showcase simple, fresh ingredients in a compact form.

Austin and San Antonio maintain a friendly rivalry over who makes them best. The beauty lies in their versatility—from basic egg and cheese to elaborate migas (eggs scrambled with tortilla chips) or machacado (dried beef). They represent Texas breakfast culture perfectly: unpretentious, satisfying, and available at gas stations that somehow make them better than fancy restaurants!

9. Dr Pepper

Dr Pepper
© eBay

I’ll never forget my grandfather’s advice: “When you need a pick-me-up in Texas heat, reach for a Dr Pepper, not those cola imposters!” This beloved soda was born in Waco in 1885, making it older than Coca-Cola and one of America’s oldest soft drinks.

Pharmacist Charles Alderton created the unique blend of 23 flavors at Morrison’s Old Corner Drug Store. Legend has it that he was trying to capture the mingled aromas of the drugstore’s soda fountain in a single beverage—pure genius!

The drink was originally called a “Waco” before store owner Wade Morrison renamed it after a doctor friend. Texans have such devotion to Dr Pepper that during sugar rationing in WWII, the company successfully argued in court that the drink was so distinct it deserved its own sugar quota separate from other sodas.

10. Frozen Margarita

Frozen Margarita
© Garden & Gun Magazine

Margarita machines should be Texas’ official state appliance! I’ve spent many scorching Dallas afternoons cooling off with brain-freezing sips of these lime-kissed tequila slushies—a necessity for surviving summers where temperatures hit triple digits.

While regular margaritas have disputed origins, the frozen margarita machine was definitely invented in Dallas. Restaurant owner Mariano Martinez modified a soft-serve ice cream machine in 1971 to create consistent frozen margaritas after customers complained about inconsistent hand-blended versions.

Martinez’s original machine now sits in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History—that’s how culturally significant this contribution is! The invention revolutionized Tex-Mex restaurants nationwide and helped popularize tequila in America. Today, Texas produces more frozen margaritas than anywhere else, with creative flavors ranging from classic lime to prickly pear cactus.

11. Blue Bell Ice Cream

Blue Bell Ice Cream
© H-E-B

Summer evenings in my backyard wouldn’t be complete without a bowl of Homemade Vanilla Blue Bell—the ice cream so creamy it makes grown Texans misty-eyed with nostalgia. When I moved away from Texas briefly, I genuinely considered having it shipped to me!

Founded in 1907 in Brenham, Texas, Blue Bell Creameries started as the Brenham Creamery Company making butter from excess cream. They didn’t produce ice cream until 1911, and the name “Blue Bell” came later in 1930, after the Texas wildflower.

Despite being available in only about 22 states, Blue Bell ranks among America’s best-selling ice creams. Texans are fanatically loyal to flavors like Homemade Vanilla, Dutch Chocolate, and seasonal favorites like Peaches & Homemade Vanilla. The company’s slogan—”We eat all we can and sell the rest”—perfectly captures their quality-over-quantity philosophy.

12. Corn Dogs

Corn Dogs
© fletcherscornydogs

The Texas State Fair isn’t complete without the nostalgic smell of corn dogs frying in vats of oil! My first Fletcher’s Corny Dog experience is etched in my memory—that perfect crispy cornmeal coating giving way to juicy hot dog goodness, all conveniently served on a stick for optimal fairground wandering.

While corn dog origins are contested, Texas stakes a strong claim through the Fletcher family. Neil and Carl Fletcher introduced what they called “Corny Dogs” at the State Fair of Texas in 1942, perfecting the recipe after reportedly discovering an incomplete version being sold elsewhere.

The genius was in the stick—making it portable for fair-goers—and the cornmeal batter that creates that distinctive crispy-sweet coating. Fletcher’s alone sells over 500,000 corn dogs during each 24-day run of the Texas State Fair, proving that simple concepts executed perfectly become timeless classics.

13. Pecan Pie

Pecan Pie
© Homesick Texan

Thanksgiving at my Texas grandmother’s house always featured the great pie debate: pumpkin or pecan? Pecan always won because, well, it’s practically patriotic in Texas! Those sweet, nutty triangles of gooey perfection showcase Texas’ native nut in its most glorious form.

While pecan pie recipes date back to the 1800s, Texas made it famous thanks to the state’s abundant pecan trees. The modern version we love gained popularity in the 1920s when the wife of a Karo Syrup executive created a recipe using their corn syrup, which gives the filling its signature gooey texture.

In 2013, Texas officially named pecan pie the state pie—a well-deserved honor! The best versions use Texas pecans, which are smaller and more flavorful than varieties grown elsewhere. Some Texans add controversial twists like chocolate chips or bourbon, but purists insist the classic recipe can’t be improved.

14. Texas Toast

Texas Toast
© Orchids + Sweet Tea

“Everything’s bigger in Texas” isn’t just a saying—it’s a bread philosophy! I grew up thinking all garlic bread was supposed to be Texas toast thickness until I left the state and was served those skinny disappointments elsewhere.

This double-thick sliced bread was reportedly created in 1941 at the Pig Stand restaurant in Beaumont. When a bakery delivered bread sliced too thick for their toasters, quick-thinking cook Royce Hailey suggested buttering and grilling the slices instead. The result was an instant hit!

What makes Texas toast special is its thickness (typically twice that of regular bread) and the preparation—slathered with garlic butter on both sides and grilled to golden perfection. It became a staple side dish for barbecue and chicken fried steak, eventually making its way into grocery freezers nationwide. Sometimes the simplest innovations become the most beloved!

15. King Ranch Casserole

King Ranch Casserole
© Southern Plate

Potlucks in Texas have one guaranteed dish—that cheesy, tortilla-layered masterpiece known as King Ranch Casserole! At my first church social in Houston, three different women brought versions of it, each claiming their recipe was the authentic one.

Strangely, this Tex-Mex casserole has no documented connection to the famous King Ranch in South Texas, which spans larger than Rhode Island. Food historians believe it emerged in the 1950s when convenience cooking with canned soups became popular.

The classic version layers corn tortillas with shredded chicken, Ro-Tel tomatoes, cream of mushroom and chicken soups, cheese, and green chiles. It’s essentially enchiladas transformed into an easy-to-serve casserole. School cafeterias across Texas have served generations of kids this comfort food, cementing its status as a nostalgic favorite that appears at everything from funeral receptions to football watch parties.

16. Whataburger

Whataburger
© San Antonio Report

That orange-and-white striped A-frame building is like a lighthouse guiding hungry Texans home! My college years were fueled by late-night Whataburger runs—where else can you get a custom-made burger at 3 AM while making questionable life choices?

Harmon Dobson opened the first Whataburger in Corpus Christi in 1950 with a simple mission: create a burger so big that people would exclaim “What a burger!” when they saw it. His five-inch burger was revolutionary when most competitors served smaller versions.

Whataburger’s cult following is no joke—Texans who move away often pack Whataburger ketchup and Fancy Sauce in their suitcases. The chain remains family-owned and Texas-based despite expanding to 10 states. Its 24/7 operation, made-to-order philosophy, and iconic items like the Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit have earned it a special place in Texas culture.