The Highland Lakes of the Hill Country are one of the most beautiful regions in all of Texas. While Marble Falls rightly draws a lot of attention, one of the area’s best-kept secrets is Burnet. Founded in 1847 as a base of operations for the Texas Rangers, the town that would become Burnet became the home of Fort Croghan – still standing today as a museum and historical site – for the U.S. Army in 1852.
By 1857, the residents voted to change the town’s name from Hamilton to Burnet as Burnet County became the seat of government. The arrival of the railroad brought great growth to the town. These days, Inks Lake and nearby Longhorn Caverns State Park draw tourists and adventure seekers to the town, which is what draws many visitors to the area.
I’ve been coming to and through Burnet for decades. I’m a sucker for the town square and the scenery by the lake. For a little while now, though, I’ve heard about a spot that seemed right up my alley. They call it Mama’s Home Cooking.
With a free weekend, I packed up my traveling partner and we hit the road. Burnet is about an hour and 45 minutes from Downtown. Passing through Blanco and Johnson City, and the aforementioned Marble Falls, the drive up US 281 is really one of the most beautiful ones you can take. The roadsides are still overflowing with late-season wildflowers, and the hills are still a vibrant green.
Before stopping for lunch, we decided to work up an even bigger appetite by walking around the town square. Decorations from April’s Bluebonnet Festival were still spread out throughout. Most of the storefronts on the square are full of interesting shops, like the Burnet Antique Mall and the Vintage Gypzy, which can keep visitors busy for hours.
Also on the square is the Wedding Oak Winery tasting room. The spot – which is guarded by one of the city’s newest attractions, a topiary of a bulldog in honor of the high school’s mascot – is open for visitors looking to sample some of the vintages from this hill country winery.
After a nice stroll, my appetite was upon me, so we headed to Mama’s. A lunch and dinner spot, Mama’s specializes in Southern cooking and comfort foods. With a lineup ranging from house-made meatloaf and pork chops to BLTs and chef’s salads, you’re guaranteed to find something you’re going to like. I, myself, am a well-documented chicken-fried steak fiend, and the measure of a restaurant, to me, is how well this dish is done.
Let me tell you, this dish was very well done.
I went the traditional route with a side of mashed potatoes and green beans, but I chose brown gravy instead of cream gravy. To my pleasant surprise, this mushroom gravy greatly enhanced the steak’s savoriness. It was fork-tender, which is always a quality I value highly, and the crust was perfectly seasoned. This was a really good chicken fried steak. The sides were the perfect complement, and I finished every bite and was greatly satisfied.
Mama’s Home Cooking also specializes in desserts and features a rotating cast of stars. With a belly (temporarily) filled, we took home a peanut butter pie and something called a chocolate explosion. Both were excellent and were great late-night treats.
I highly enjoyed my visit to Burnet. While I love that it is still somewhat of a hidden gem, I do hope more people find their way to it soon. Also, when in town, make a visit to Mama’s Home Cooking. You’re going to love it.