This place is great. I ran out of food while camping at a nearby 5-day music festival so I drove…read moreinto Smithville and had breakfast here. It's entirely donation based. You place your order and then take a seat and when they bring out your food, you get a little pocket to put cash into to pay whatever you want. The food was great and it benefits addiction recovery. My only complaint is that they really really really need to put fans on the patio cause I was swatting away flies the entire time I was eating. I wouldn't eat outside again. I went for breakfast and had a 3-meat omlette which I actually couldn't even finish cause I was full. It was a little weird getting the apple juice in a cup full of ice but I guess I could have gotten more if I wanted it. I'd like to back for lunch sometime.

I wanted to thank the staff for making my last two Friday's feel special…read more I am new to Texas and have been wanting to come and try out this spot. I'm also a first time mom and not working currently so my funds are low for spending. The staff (shout out to the ones I've met so far) Kevin, Brittany and Terrance took the time to explain how the cafe works. so many delicious options, I went with the jalapeno popper omelette which did not disappoint. Brittany helped navigate a coffee I would enjoy and I did! Try the Vietnamese iced coffee so good. my daughter and I sat outside and met Terrance, who came right up and introduced himself. made sure we were doing good and dj'd some great tunes. I'm not sure who was at the counter today but she was lovely. thank you all for the experience and great food

Great food and service in a friendly hometown atmosphere. We try to make it by every time we're in…read moretown.

Dropped into the airport in Smithville and they recommended this place. So glad they did! We had…read morea really good breakfast and then got muffins to go. Blueberry and Apple Cinnamon were delicious! They gave a good variety of other pastries as well. Service was excellent. Will happily go back!

Window staff was not friendly. I ordered tacos and the shells were RANCID!!! Could not eat tacos…read morebecause of that. I have never had taco shells that tasted this bad. Highly disappointed because they are usually the best DQ!!!

bring da old manager back they took my burritos off guy was telling cooks they had to make em sum…read moreor he'll throw up back there spicy tenders were regular tenders

9/10 chicken and dumplings 9/10 roasted turkey sandwich…read moreAll I can say is wow. Best chicken and dumplings I've had. Sandwich was very fresh. If there was a McAllisters right next door, I'd come to the bakery 9 out of 10 times. I almost ordered a gallon of soup to go. Had to settle for a cup There's a small seating area in the store. Next time I'll grab a drink and chips from there. Staff very friendly

For a town celebrated for its charm, I expected this bakery to embody the same warmth…read more As a first-time visitor and tourist, I naturally had questions about the bakery's history and the pastries they're known for. The woman who appeared to be the bakery manager, working around 8:15 a.m., answered every question with an attitude that felt forced, dismissive, and unwelcoming. When someone says, "This is my first time here," it's usually an opportunity to create a memorable experience--not make them feel like they're interrupting your morning. I won't be rating the bakery's famous pigs in a blanket because, to me, hospitality is part of the product. Outstanding customer service can elevate good food to a great experience. Without it, even the town's signature pastry loses some of its appeal.

Cute little pizza and ice cream shop. "Little" being the operative word. Crowded and one teeny…read moreunisex (yuck) bathroom which had a continuous line. My sis and I were looking for quick scoop of ice cream on our way back to Austin. There's an ice cream and fudge shop in the back of the business with several flavors of Blue Bell ice cream. Pizza looked good but wouldn't go again due to the location (hard and dangerous to get back onto 290 without a light) but the good ole folks of Giddings can knock themselves out there.

What a perfect little stop after lunch ! We went for the Blue Bell Ice-cream but they also had…read morehomemade fudge, candy, pizza, and more. Clean and cute. We are going to try the pizza on the way back home from Austin.

My husband and I have stopped at Hruska's multiple times when traveling. It's a gas station that…read morehas a convenient store, a grill and bakery. I usually call in our order when we are about 20 minutes away from our stop. Everytime I call in the order the person on the other end is friendly and repeats back what we order. The convenient store part of Hruska's has a lot of items that you can choose from to purchase and they have clean bathrooms which is a positive. When we get there we park, walk in and head to pick up our food at the counter. It's usually labeled with the ticket stapled to the bag. We then get in line to pay for our food. The line is usually backed up but moves fairly quickly. There is also a small area with tables and chairs that you can sit at and enjoy your meal or sit there if you need a rest. For my meal I usually order a Hamburger which comes with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and onions. I usually get mine with mustard. Their burgers are so good and a good size. Overall Hruska's is a great stopping place while traveling. Whether it's for gas, a bathroom break, or if you want to grab something to eat this is a one stop shop place.

A must stop if you are traveling between Houston and Austin on Hwy 71. I'm usually a Bucees guy,…read morebut this place specializes in something that the beaver doesn't. Kolaches! Arguably one of the greatest foods ever invented. Atleast in my world. How can you go wrong with bread filled with sweet or savory fillings? Hruska's is about halfway between Houston and Austin and a perfect rest stop to fill up on gas, use the clean facilities, grab a snack or indulge in their amazing baked goods. They are steeped in history and have been around for decades passing along the family recipes. It's obviously improved structurally over the years from a country store and looks like a modern gas station now. It's always pretty busy every time I have stopped in, but they are a well oiled machine and keep the masses moving with excellent customer service. They have all your gas station essentials like snacks and beverages. What sets them apart is their bakery. Here, they label their kolaches as the traditional fruit filled variety. I like them, but they are never my first choice. I love the ones with meat inside. Here, they label these as pigs in a blanket. They have a large variety of both. I usually go for a regular sausage and cheese, but over here, they sell a delicious pan sausage kind. On top of all their sweet and savory baked goods, they also sell burgers on the grill. Their burgers have made it to the Texas Monthly Top 50 burger spots. I have yet to try it. Overall, this is an always stop place for me. I highly recommend stopping here to stretch your legs and enjoy a delicious pastry while you're at it. I will definitely be back.

How did Smithville get so lucky as to get themselves such a great restaurant? Fat Cat is a…read morefriendly, family-run place with a casual atmosphere, live music on weekends, and a one-page menu with apps, salads, sandwiches, burgers and a few entrees like ahi tuna steaks, along with a beer and wine selection. All that's great. But what makes it so uncommon are the amazing things they add to this formula that simply knocked our socks off. The salads are farm to table. The pork and beef are ranch to table (which makes their pork belly bhan mi and blue cheese bacon burgers absolutely outstanding). The proprietor owns the farm and ranch. Their beer selection has something for everyone and you can even buy it by the bucket. And without a doubt, they offer the best wine selection, the most wine-by-the-glass options, and the best prices on wine-by-the-bottle in the county. It's likely even better than anything you'll find in Travis County. Seriously, if you know wines, look at that wine menu and tell me I'm wrong. You can't do it! The three of us enjoyed a really nice Napa Vally Cabernet Sauvignon in the restaurant, and we got a $39 bottle of 2018 Pinot Noir from Sonoma's Russian River Valley to go that they would have been just as happy to open for us in the restaurant. Who does that at those prices? I'm seriously canceling my wine club membership and I'll just come here more often. Plus, the owner really knows her wines. She judges wine competitions in Houston and is more knowledgeable than many California sommeliers I've known (and I lived in California for 15 years). But she also knows old world wines and Texas wines very well. I'll post pictures of the food later. I'm coming back to Fat Cat for a pre fixe dinner - ribeye stake and snow crab with wine pairings included. The way they wine, dine, entertain and treat you, I feel like I'm the Fat Cat! And I can barely hear the music over the purring :-)

Food was delicious, we met the owner and manager they were both absolutely wonderful. I love the…read morehome time feel. I got the Nelson's grill cheese with bacon added, Husband got the cartintas-stated they were AMAZING but requests a Texas size portion. Lasagna was VERY GOOD according to my mom and my dad had the Blue Chicken Sandwich and was good. They were SUPER sweet to my little, he was the star of dinner. Try the Vampire Merlot very peaceful and homey.