For a town of 1,000, Johnson City [1] 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 [2], $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 [3] 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.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/texas/austin-and-the-hill-country/the-hill-country/johnson-city
[2] http://www.silverkcafe.com
[3] http://www.moon.com/destinations/texas/austin-and-the-hill-country/the-hill-country