The Official Visit: Exploring the Best of Texas Football
Editor’s note: The Official Visit is a series that explores the best places to eat, drink, and congregate at college football locales across the country. In Year 1, we visited five campuses.
The month of August was hectic, but it’s one that won’t be soon forgotten.
My colleague Ari Wasserman and I traveled to five different college campuses with one mission: give people a guide of what to do when going to games this fall. The place to eat? We found it. The place to drink? We tried it. Campus traditions? We lived them.
That’s what separates college athletics from pro sports. It’s about the people, the traditions, and the places that make each one of these colleges — and the fans that support them — unique.
Our final episode of the season: Texas.
Veracruz All Natural
Breakfast tacos are a big deal in Austin, and we began our visit with one of the most popular spots in town. Owners and sisters Reyna and Maritza Vazquez brought the authentic recipes they learned growing up in Veracruz, Mexico, to Austin and opened their first trailer in 2008. Their menu is loaded with terrific options. I’m particularly fond of their migas taco with eggs, tortilla chips, cheese, tomato, onion, cilantro, and avocado, and be sure to order an agua fresca as well.
University of Texas campus
If you’re coming to Austin for a game, it’s worth your time to take a walk through this beautiful campus. You’re not going to miss the UT Tower, the centerpiece landmark of the 40-acre campus. The 307-foot-tall tower was designed by French architect Paul Phillipe Cret and completed in 1937. They light the tower burnt orange after football victories and light it with a No. 1 to celebrate national championships.
We also stopped by Littlefield Fountain, a World War I memorial on the South Mall of campus. Students usually wait until graduation to jump in the fountain (and they can get fined for it), but there was no stopping them from partying in it late into the night after the Longhorns’ upset win over Alabama earlier this month.
The Frank Denius Family University of Texas Athletics Hall of Fame
When you walk into the north end zone entrance of DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, a 1,200-pound statue of Bevo welcomes you to one of the most impressive Hall of Fame spaces you’ll find in all of college athletics. Texas opened this $17.1 million monument to its greatness in 2019 to honor the legacy of its student-athletes and coaches in all sports. Everything’s bigger in Texas like you’d expect, but it’s a refreshingly modern take on a Hall of Fame experience that’s worth checking out to appreciate the Longhorns’ history.
Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium
The seventh-largest stadium by capacity in college football will celebrate its 100-year anniversary next year. It’s a historic venue that still manages to be state-of-the-art thanks to its newly completed south end zone expansion. DKR can pack in more than 100,000 fans and achieved a new school-record crowd of 105,213 for last year’s Alabama game. The gameday experience has also improved in recent years thanks to Bevo Blvd., the pregame street party outside the stadium.
Terry Black’s BBQ
If you want to experience real-deal Central Texas barbecue, Terry Black’s will treat you right. Twin brothers Mike and Mark Black opened this joint in 2014 and have built Terry Black’s into a powerhouse with locations in Austin, Dallas, and Lockhart and another coming to Waco next year. We couldn’t resist ordering a little bit of everything there and loaded up two trays with brisket, pork ribs, sausage, turkey, and a massive beef rib. And that was just the meats. They do serve up sides and desserts cafeteria-style and have a ton to offer including mac and cheese, pinto beans, cream corn, Mexican rice, peach cobbler, and banana pudding. You’re going to want to try their famous black margarita while you wait in line, too.
Pinthouse Brewing
The fine folks at Pinthouse were kind enough to take us behind the scenes of my favorite Austin brewery. They opened their first brewpub, Pinthouse Pizza, in 2012 and have become a local favorite for their award-winning beer and pizza. We got a chance to tour Pinthouse Brewing, their stunning flagship taproom and brewhouse, and have a few beers with director of brewing Jacob Passey. If you’re stopping in, you can’t go wrong with a pint (and a four-pack to go) of their Electric Jellyfish hazy IPA.
Pluckers Wing Bar
We didn’t film at Pluckers, but we certainly did feast at their Rio Grande location on campus. This beloved sports bar, founded by two UT grads in 1995, now has locations throughout the state of Texas but got its start in Austin. If you’re looking for a great spot to have a big meal and a few drinks and watch a lot of games, go with Pluckers. They’re serving up perfectly fried wings and massive boneless wings tossed in your choice of 22 sauces or six dry rubs. They also offer burgers, sandwiches, salads, appetizers, and lots of sides.
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In conclusion, if you’re planning a visit to the University of Texas for a football game, make sure to check out these amazing spots. From Veracruz All Natural’s delicious breakfast tacos to the stunning University of Texas campus, there’s something for everyone. Don’t forget to visit the Frank Denius Family University of Texas Athletics Hall of Fame and take in the history of the Longhorns. And of course, enjoy some mouthwatering barbecue at Terry Black’s and grab a pint at Pinthouse Brewing. Finish off your visit with a feast at Pluckers Wing Bar while watching the game. Texas truly offers a unique and unforgettable college football experience.