For a town of 1,000, Johnson City has several worthy restaurants, perfect for fueling up before a day at the LBJ ranch or Pedernales Falls Park. The best of the bunch is Silver K Cafe (209 E. Main St., 830/868-2911, www.silverkcafe.com, $10–25). Housed in a historic lumberyard alongside several antique shops, the Silver K offers upscale country fare in a pleasant environment.

Choose from standards like chicken-fried steak, bronzed catfish, crab cakes, or tenderloin steak. Sunday mornings feature a sumptuous brunch buffet with egg casseroles, fried green tomatoes, and carved roasts. Local singer-songwriters such as John Arthur Martinez and Mike Blakely enhance the Hill Country experience with their mellow acoustic tunes from the small corner stage.

The other reliable local restaurants in town serve standard Tex-Mex fare. You can’t go wrong with either El Charro Restaurant (502 N. Hwy. 281, 830/868-7040, $7–12) or nearby El Rancho(408 S. Hwy. 281, 830/868-0812, $7–12). Both feature classic cheesy and beefy Tex-Mex dishes such as enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas, and burritos.