Bryan, Texas Is A Foodie City – We're Officially Claiming It

Messina Hof Winery & Resort planted its roots here in Bryan, Texas back in 1977 – at what is now their Estate Vineyard. Today, Messina Hof's Bonarrigo family is known affectionately as the First Family of Texas Wine. Over the years, Messina Hof has earned the title "Most Awarded Winery In Texas," and they definitely lived up to that moniker in 2021.

Messina Hof was named Top Texas Winery at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo 2021 Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition. They also received an additional 21 awards, including 10 Class and Texas Class Champion awards, three Reserve Texas Class Champion awards, and three Gold Medals.

The winery also received several awards at the largest competition in the U.S., the 2021 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition which featured more than 2,500 entries from 18 countries. Messina Hof’s 2018 Private Reserve Tempranillo and 2019 Private Reserve Viognier both received Best of Class awards, the top honor in each category. Messina Hof won six other awards at the competition, including a Gold Medal for their Angel Late Harvest Riesling.

Messina Hof has also been honored with at least 20 other awards on the regional, national, and international levels in the past year. Click here to start planning your trip to Messina Hof Winery & Resort.

Lamar & Niki’s Pit BBQ and Soul Food opened in 2014, fulfilling a long-held dream for owners Lamar & Niki Cole. They’ve been serving up some of the best, most authentic soul food & barbecue in the Brazos Valley ever since. This year, they’re being recognized by Yelp has one of the Top 100 Places To Eat In Texas For 2021.

This small, family owned and operated restaurant is featured on Yelp’s list alongside some of the most well-known restaurants across the state thanks to an incredible number of 5 star ratings on the popular restaurant review site.

Lamar & Niki’s serves classic, homestyle soul food Tuesday-Saturday, and mouthwatering pit bbq plates every Friday and Saturday. To find their full menu and operating hours, visit www.lamarandnikis.com

Right at the end of 2020, Texas Monthly released their Tacopedia issue – an in-depth guide of all the best examples of various styles of tacos found throughout the state. Two of Bryan's very own taquerias, Raspas El Payasito & Taqueria Poblana, were featured as some of the best examples of tacos estilo Matamoros & trompo, respectively.

Raspas El Payasito has since moved their operations into Texas Meat Market on Texas Avenue near Historic Downtown Bryan. Taqueria Poblana has become one of the most popular taquerias in town, and they've got an incredibly inspiring story to tell. Click here to check it out.

Back in August of 2021, we were delighted to see Bryan's very own Ronin Farm & Restaurant featured by OpenTable, one of the most-trusted brands in the restaurant world, as one of the 11 most Idyllic Restaurants On Farms For The Ultimate Farm-To-Table Experience. Ronin features family farm cuisine with a constantly evolving menu. Set in the beautiful, newly-renovated historic Ice House on Main in Downtown Bryan, their restaurant shares an open-air kitchen with the dining room, floor-to-ceiling exposed brick, and hand-built suspension tables made using wood salvaged during renovation from the original office flooring. Ronin's farm is located just south of Lake Bryan and serves as an event venue as well as the center of their food production. Their menu is updated daily, based on the current growing season and what they have harvested from their garden during that given week. Ronin's farm is located just seven miles from the restaurant, ensuring that ingredients are always fresh and sustainable.

Click here to read more about Ronin Farm & Restaurant.

2021 saw several new Bryan businesses find their place in the culinary spotlight. A coffee roaster, a brewery, a wine bar, and a bagel shop & deli lead the pack as our foodie scene expanded this year.

Polite Coffee Co. opened amid the chaos & hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, so it took a bit for their popularity to really take off. By mid-2021, Polite had become one of the most loved coffee shops in Aggieland. Located in the historic Kyle House – the former home of Edwin Kyle, namesake of Kyle Field – Polite Coffee honors the past with a mind for improving the future, offering a full-service coffee shop, roasting operation utilizing cutting-edge technology, and education on the production of coffee. Steve Turner, US Army veteran & owner/operator of Polite Coffee Roasters, has found a way to truly spread kindness each & every day, one cup of coffee at a time. Learn more about their legendary story here.

Located right next door to the Kyle House & Polite Coffee Co, KinderHill Brew Lab is the Bryan-College Station area's newest brewery & only biergarten. Creating unique & tasty microbrews is their specialty, but their craft cocktails are not to be missed either. You'll find plentiful seating options at KinderHill Brew Lab, in their Biergarten shaded under sprawling trees, or inside if the weather isn't cooperating. They feature a rotating selection of local food trucks, including everything from wood-fired pizza to delicious Texas BBQ. Follow KinderHill Brew Lab on Instagram to keep up with all their latest offerings.

Zeitman's Grocery Store & Deli is the newest offering in Bryan, and it's a must-try for any foodie (or, just anyone who likes delicious food, really). For owner Blake Zeitman, opening his deli in Downtown Bryan was more than just a way to make a buck. He is rebuilding a family legacy of food, customer service, and community left behind by the original Zeitman's Grocery Store run by his ancestors in Portland, Maine. Zeitman's serves, without question, the best bagels in the Brazos Valley. You can't go wrong with the Richie Rich on an everything bagel, a breakfast sandwich with incredible, thick-cut bacon, egg, and cheese. They're also known for the cheesesteaks, grinders, and other deli sandwiches – plus other baked goods, homemade spreads, and so much more. Learn more about Zeitman's here.

The Bryan Taco Trail launched in September and features dozens of authentic taquerias, Mexican restaurants, and even a few non-traditional & fusion taco offerings. From the trendy birria at Don Chente to the traditional pastor straight off the trompo at Taqueria Poblana, or even a Cubano taco complete with pulled pork & pickles at Proudest Monkey, there are so many incredible tacos to try. Whether you prefer to stick with the more traditional taqueria offerings, or like to venture out into the more unique fusion options… It’s all on the table here in Bryan!

Simply sign up for your digital passport & check in at participating restaurants to start earning points which can be redeemed for exclusive prizes!

Get started on your Bryan Taco Trail adventure today.