Heart O' Texas Foodways
Situated in the Heart of Texas, Waco’s food services reflect the diverse eating habits and culinary practices of the state at large. As far as regional fare is concerned, diners have their pick of establishments that serve everything from standards of Southern comfort food like chicken fried steak and Frito pie to Tex-Mex offerings such as enchiladas and fajitas. Here, family-owned barbecue restaurants thrive, their passed-down recipes drawing in loyal customers that span generations. Local sandwich shops and burger joints operate proudly beside franchises, their commitment to quality ingredients and homegrown flavors earning them a long-standing place in the community despite increased external competition. When it comes to food industries, Waco is most well-known as the birthplace of Dr Pepper, a soft drink much beloved by Texans. The city has also been home to specialty grocery stores which featured imported fine foodstuffs. This tour highlights some of Waco’s historic eateries and invites you to experience the diverse palate of the Heart of Texas.
Stories 15
Jesse's Tortilla Factory
Since 1958, Jesse’s Tortilla Factory, founded by Waco couple Jesse and Esther Contreras, has provided the Waco community with fresh tortillas and chips made in-house. Jesse’s sells at both wholesale…
Tony DeMaria's Bar-B-Que
Tony DeMaria’s Bar-B-Que has graced Elm Avenue with its unique style of barbecue for many decades. The restaurant is a family-owned business with a rich history that began with the immigration of the…
Shakey's Pizza Parlor
In the 1960s and 1970s, the taste of pizza and the sound of Dixieland jazz went hand in hand for Wacoans who frequented Shakey’s Pizza Parlor. Shakey’s, the nation’s first franchise pizza chain, would…
Vitek's BBQ
For over 100 years, Vitek's Grocery and, now, BBQ restaurant, has remained a cherished business in the Waco area, providing residents with quality meats and a community gathering place. The story…
Magnolia Table
Positioned on what used to be the only highway through town, Magnolia Table now draws in patrons from around the country and the globe. Though a new restaurant itself, the Table resides in a building…
Magnolia Market at the Silos
A decade ago no one dreamed that two abandonedcottonseed silos would become the icon of a burgeoning retail empire—yet that is exactly what happened. After the Brazos Valley Cotton Oil Mill closed in…
Cupp's Drive-Inn
Nestled behind several fast food chains at Fifteenth Street and Speight Avenue, Cupp’s Drive-Inn has been offering diner favorites to local residents and Baylor students and staff for seventy years…
Kitok Restaurant
Over the past forty years, Kitok Restaurant has gone from a humble diner to a local institution, known for its blend of American and Korean fare. But when it first opened in 1975, owner Kitok Moore…
Dr Pepper Museum
Few major products are as closely identified with the people and environment where they began as Dr Pepper in Waco. Developing from a soft drink invented at a local drugstore to one of the largest and…
Elite Cafe
Faced with decreased business and enormous renovation costs, the brothers decided to sell the restaurant in 1986. David Tinsley, a well-known Texan restaurateur, purchased the Elite Café for…
Health Camp
In 1948, brothers-in-law Jack Schaevitz and Lou Stein opened a small mobile food cart at James Connally Air Force Base. The two became so successful selling burgers and frozen custard to military men…
O&H Rare Foods
During World War II, Waco provided a place of refuge and hope of starting anew for many seeking refuge from persecution, such as Otto and Hilde Levy. As tensions escalated throughout Germany as a…
George's
In 1930, Harry Burmeister opened Harry B’s at 1925 Speight Avenue. Burmeister, a former Baylor student and founding member of the Noze Brothers society, developed the small restaurant, soon making it…
Jasper's Bar-B-Que
At the corner of Clifton Street and Elm Avenue is Jasper’s Bar-B-Que, Waco’s oldest-operating barbecue restaurant. Although East Waco has undergone many changes, Jasper’s has never changed locations…
La Fiesta Mexican Restaurant & Cantina
La Fiesta Mexican Restaurant & Cantina serves as a landmark of the success of the Castillo family—one of the oldest Central Texas restaurant families still in business today. Family patriarch Antonio…Tour curated by: Baylor University Institute for Oral History & The Texas Collection