When visiting a new city, one of my favorite things to do is try local restaurants that serve dishes native to the area. And as someone who has lived and traveled outside my home state, I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to seek out a lot of hole in the wall places where locals congregate. This has often led me to think about our own Texan specialties. What are they, and where would I send an out of towner to sample them?
When most people think of Texas cuisine, the first thing that comes to mind is of course barbeque. One of our best, locally owned barbeque sources in Tyler Texas is Stanley’s. Located at 525 South Beckham, Stanley’s is about sixty years old, making it one of the oldest restaurants in Tyler. They serve outstanding Texas fare that has gained statewide recognition. The signature dish is a sandwich called “The Brother-in-law,” it’s packed with chopped beef, hot links and cheese. They also serve the usual forms of sliced or chopped beef brisket, pulled pork, chicken and ribs. The brisket is cooked for at least sixteen hours. Stanley’s also has an outdoor deck where they occasionally feature live music. They also offer catering services.
So the next time you have out of town guests who want to experience genuine Texas flavor and culture, consider this family owned and operated Tyler landmark instead of the usual chains. The food is outstanding and the atmosphere authentic. Located across from Trinity Mother Francis Hospital. Also see http://www.stanleyspitbbq.com
Some of the best Italian in Tyler can be found at the corner bistro, Little Italy’s. Located at 3320 South Broadway where it has been for many years this restaurant continues to serve authentic Italian in a relaxed casual environment.
Little Italy’s is a great stop for either a family dinner or a business lunch. It’s all about the food here, as opposed to atmosphere. You won’t find violinists playing Italian love songs for moonstruck patrons. What you will find is great food at reasonable prices.
The Lasagna and spaghetti at Little Italty are both unbeatable but their signature dish would have to be the calzone. Packed with cheese and sausage it’s the best calzone in town. But don’t come to Italy’s expecting the Olive Garden or Johnny Carino’s.
This is more of a local joint where regulars have a “usual.” They also offer take out for that quick stop off on your way home from work. If you won’t bad quality recipes we recommend Olive Garden. If you want good food and an extra long hour wait for that food than go to Johnny Carino’s.
So next time you find you have craving for great Italian without calling ahead, try this local spot. Before you know it, you’ll find that you have a “usual.”
With Tyler being overrun with restaurants and a large number of them being mexican restaurants, it is real easy to overlook a restaurant like the Cancun Cafe. If you are in the mood for mexican food and are bored with the multiple Lugars, it might be time to try something with a little kick. Cancun Cafe is located off of the loop in Tyler across from the Green Acres Bowling Alley. Without the bright lights of Mercados it can be easy to overlook but this is one dining spot in Tyler you don’t want to miss.
Cancun Cafe has quality mexican food and surprisingly enough I’ve found that they also have a large quantity of delicious seafood dishes, and no this isn’t fish tacos or a trout with a jalepeno stuffed down its throat, this is quality seafood dishes with a kick, coupled with great mexican food. The signature dish that I have to suggest that everyone try at least once is their fajitas and snowcrab. I found as odd as this sounds it is one of the tastiest combos I’ve ever tried.
The service is decent although many people have had problems with food arriving late. Since this is not one of the more popular mexican restaurants like On the Border or Mercados, you will not find the crowds you will find packed out the doors as is frequently the case at those places, allowing you to be seated almost immediately. The atmosphere is like that of most of the mexican restaurants in Tyler and is roomy enough to cater to nearly all of your party needs. This is a restaurant that hosts events like karaoke night so if you don’t mind the howling that comes with these events it can be a good night out on the town.
Prices are pretty good, with several dishes under $10, and quantities especially in the fajitas and snowcrab are very generous. When ordering a dish like that you might consider taking a bag to go because I’ve found they often serve more than one can eat. So next time you are eating out, try something new like the Cancun Cafe, as long as you don’t mind the occasional wait for your meal it’ll definately be worth your while.
Until recently if someone had asked me about a restaurant in Tyler called Bruno’s, I would have responded rather indifferently, “Yeah; that sounds familiar.” After trying their food recently however I’m now anything but indifferent. With as long as I’ve lived in Tyler Texas, I find that I’m sort of annoyed with myself for never having tried Bruno’s until now.
Even with all the other pizza places in Tyler, I can say with some confidence that Bruno’s is easily the best in town. While Double Dave’s makes a great pie, even they cannot measure up to Bruno’s work. And Cici’s, my least favorite pizza of all time, (this includes Totino’s by the way), hardly seems like the same food. But Bruno’s serves more than just great pizza. They have all sorts of Italian dishes, including salads and sandwiches. But their signature dish may well be their legendary lasagna.
If you go to Bruno’s however, don’t go for the atmosphere. It’s not the sort of place lovers go to meet in the middle of a spaghetti noodle. The space is limited, so a lot of customers opt for take out. Where the food is eaten matters little though; carry their food across state lines and it’s the best Italian in Arkansas. So for authentic Mediterranean cuisine try a visit to Bruno’s. Business hours are from 11:00am to 9:00pm weekdays and Saturdays, and the store is closed on Sudays. Located at 1400 South Vine in Tyler. For pick-up call (903) 595-1676.
For more information on Tyler area Italian food see the Tyler Blog section of this website and look for the titles “Local Italian relaxed atmosphere,” or “A pizza, a beer and a ball game.” Also, see “The best of the Buffets” under the Articles section.
