This century-old restaurant in Texas is ‘legendary,’ Southern Living says
Southern Living has named a 97-year-old cafe in Texas Hill Country as one of the most legendary restaurants in the country.
Blue Bonnet Cafe in Marble Falls has been serving all day breakfast, comfort food and pies since 1929 — a remarkable feat, given all the difficulties restaurants face. It’s not just the award-winning breakfast that makes it legendary, but the fact that there are many employees who have spent over 25 years serving familiar faces in this community about three hours south of Fort Worth.
The owners, John and Belinda Kemper, were also long-time breakfast regulars before they took over in 1981.
The good food and friendly service has been recognized by Texas Highways Magazine for best breakfast and best restaurant in Texas. Travel and Leisure magazine has ranked Blue Bonnet Cafe among the top 100 breakfasts in the country. Now, Southern Living coins them as “legendary.”
This restaurant is different from the Bluebonnet Cafe in Haltom City, which recently got a lot of attention for its “I Love Lucy” memorabilia. While the Bluebonnet is also a longtime local favorite —opened more than 30 years ago — it’s quite a bit younger than Marble Fall’s Blue Bonnet Cafe.
Blue Bonnet Cafe in Marble Falls
The menu at Blue Bonnet Cafe in Marble Falls features classic Southern comfort food, all-day breakfast and pies made by a co-owner named Belinda.
There’s chicken fried steak, omelettes, pancakes, french toast, biscuits and gravy. Lunch and dinner specials feature meatloaf, chicken and dumplings, enchiladas and smoked ribs. There’s hot meat sandwiches as well as double pattied burgers. And of course a Mexican portion of the menu with enchiladas and crispy beef tacos.
For pies, there are 15 flavors to choose from – classics like apple, lemon meringue, pecan, banana cream and chocolate but also coconut cream and peanut butter cream. Customers can order by the slice or whole pies.
Located at 211 N. US 281 in Marble Falls, this cafe is about 200 miles from Fort Worth. If you are ever making your way towards the Hill Country, the legendary cafe is worth a pit stop.
The other Bluebonnet Cafe, in North Texas
As we mentioned earlier, North Texas also has the popular Bluebonnet Cafe in Haltom City.
While this diner has only been open for 32 years, it remains a popular local brunch and lunch spot in the area.
Thanks to social media, the cafe has blown up as the “I Love Lucy” cafe because co-founder Judy Quiroz plays “I Love Lucy” all day long and show merchandise is sprinkled about the restaurant.
This cafe also serves breakfast that has never changed. From crowd favorite cinnamon rolls and biscuits and gravy, it may have been blown up for its shrine of 1950s nostalgia, but customers stay for the consistently good southern food.