Hottest New Restaurants in Waco
Waco, Texas might be best known for its charming small-town vibe and Magnolia Market, but lately, its food scene has been stealing the spotlight. From trendy new spots to locally loved gems, Waco’s restaurant landscape is evolving into something much more exciting and diverse. Whether you're craving classic Texas food, innovative dishes from up-and-coming chefs, or a cozy bakeries and coffee shops, you'll most likely find it in Waco! In this post, I’m diving into the hottest new restaurants in Waco right now—because the city’s culinary scene is only getting better and better!
About me: I’m Kelsey, a bestselling travel book author and the creator of 3 Texas travel websites. As a native Texan, I spend my own time and money exploring this state to help millions of readers find the best food, things to do, places to stay in Austin and beyond. Check out my other sites: TheSanAntonioThings.com and TheAustinThings.com!
The Hottest New Restaurants in Waco Texas
Opal's Oysters
Terry Black’s BBQ opened their first non-barbecue restaurant, and guess where they decided to put it? In Waco.
Yep, head to downtown Waco to visit the charming Opal’s Oysters, which was named after the Black family matriarch Opal Faye Hendershot. The concept is a “coastal cuisine, cocktails, and the spirit of balmy summer good times in Waco, TX” and they deliver!
The design is absolutely adorable. It’s a small oyster bar, with a few seats at the oyster counter, some bar seatings, and a smattering of tables both indoors and outdoors on the darling patio. The menu is pretty much what you would expect: fresh raw oysters (both east coast and gulf), coastal seafood favorites like redfish, and a lot of fun cocktails.
This is a great spot for a date night, a group dinner out with a big group of friends, or just a solo “treat yo-self” moment with a half dozen raw oysters and a martini at the bar. Read the full review of Opal's Oysters here.
WEBSITE | 228 S 8th St Suite B, Waco, TX 76701, United States
Terry Black’s Barbecue
Adjacent to Opals Oysters is the newest location of Terry Black’s Barbecue, which has quickly been expanding all over the state of Texas.
Terry Black’s started in Austin by twin brothers of the famous Black Family Barbecue name (there’s some drama there between them and the original Black’s BBQ - I won’t go into it right now.) But here’s what I know for sure: this team knows good barbecue!
The Waco build-out is very impressive, with a line of smokers that customers get to walk past on their way into the restaurant. It gives a “behind-the-scenes” feel. The restaurant is big, with lots of indoor and outdoor picnic tables. And unlike traditional Texas BBQ joints, which close around 3 pm when they run out of meat, Terry Black’s stays open until 9:30 or 10 pm every night, making this an excellent group dinner restaurant in Waco.
WEBSITE | 228 8th Street Waco, TX 76701
Red Herring
Red Herring is a much-needed fine dining restaurant in downtown Waco. Until Red Herring opened, there really wasn’t anything that was super cool and modern, and so this place has been a very welcome addition to the Waco dining scene. It’s located on the ground floor of Hotel Herringbone.
The menu is heavy on Mediterranean influences, with a raw bar, a cocktail bar, and a lot of shareable plates. There’s a chef’s tasting counter, a grand piano for live music, and the coolest art-deco vibe.
Red Herring is an absolute gem in Waco, but it wouldn’t be quite as impressive in a city like Dallas or Austin. It’s good, but it’s not “best in Texas” good. However, if you’re in Waco and you're looking for one of the best upscale restaurants in downtown Waco, Red Herring is definitely it.
WEBSITE | 319 S 4th St, Waco, TX 76701, United States
Songbird Wine Bar
Right next to Red Herring is Songbird, a courtyard wine bar on the ground floor of Hotel Herringbone. This wine bar is so pretty! It’s not overwhelmingly pretentious, but they do have a good selection of bottles if you want to buy one to either open on site or take to go. (They also have a couple of basic options available on draft.)
One of my favorite parts of Songbird Wine Bar is their charcuterie boards, which are served with an assortment of cheese and crackers and jams and snacks. It’s really fun to get a glass of wine and a board and enjoy it on the pretty patio. They sometimes have live music on the weekends, so look for that.
WEBSITE | 319 S 4th St, Waco, TX 76701, United States
Milo
Milo opened in 2018, so we can hardly call it “new” in Waco…but if you haven’t been to Waco in a decade, it will be new to you!
Milo is from the same chef who does Red Herring. This one is a southern-inspired brunch, lunch, and dinner restaurant with lots locally sourced ingredients and seasonal cuisine. They have fresh salads, roasted entrees like burgers, jerk salmon, and grilled chicken sandwiches, and plenty of delicious shareable items like pimiento cheese, truffle fries, and crispy brussel sprouts.
The best part about Milo is that it’s so darn cute! It’s a bright, light-filled space with lots of live plants and a big patio. It’s a very popular brunch spot in Waco.
WEBSITE | 1020 Franklin Ave, Waco, TX 76701, United States
The Butcher’s Cellar
Located in the neighboring town of Woodway, The Butcher’s Cellar is one of the hottest new restaurants in the Waco area. It’s a traditional upscale steakhouse and seafood restaurant, but the thing that sets this place apart from other Waco chophouses is that the two chefs at The Butcher’s Cellar are quasi-food celebrities: they were both on the tv show Hell’s Kitchen Season 21. {Photo: The Butcher’s Cellar}
WEBSITE | 13701 Woodway Dr bldg 5, Woodway, TX 76712, United States
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