Out in Salado, the restaurant at the historic Stagecoach Inn has been serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner since 1947 — minus a two year break for renovations beginning in June 2023. Now, the team has opened their doors once again, welcoming diners back from Central Texas and beyond.
According to a press release, Stagecoach has partnered with Monument Group in Georgetown (owners of Monument Cafe and El Monumento) to "breathe new life into the celebrated restaurant."
With the reopening, guests can expect reimagined versions of old favorites — and that does mean old. Some of the classic dishes, like the famous hushpuppies, were on the menu when the restaurant first opened nearly 80 years ago.
"The infamous hushpuppies came into existence because of the need to buy time for [co-owner Dion Van Bibber] to run to the grocer and get the ingredients needed for each ticket as there was no menu, and guests ordered whatever dish they fancied at that moment," says a timeline on the inn's website.
The Stagecoach Inn's restaurant first opened its doors in 1947. Photo courtesy of Stagecoach Inn
Other items include a creamy goat cheese dip, a fried chicken salad, grilled bone-in pork chop with peach chutney, and seasonally-inspired and weekend-only dishes like prime rib. The Stagecoach Restaurant also features a bar with a wine, cocktail, and beer menu.
Dining at the Stagecoach Restaurant is a unique experience, not just for the food, but the history.
The Stagecoach Inn itself was established back in 1860 as a hotel, welcoming wagon pioneers and folks pulling up in horse-drawn carriages. More than 160 years later, the Stagecoach Inn is the second-oldest continuously-operating hotel in Texas, and though the rooms have certainly been modernized and amenities like a pool and gift shop have been added in over the years, the bones of the building remain the same.
Even the newer amenities have a retro feel.Photo courtesy of Stagecoach Inn
“The Stagecoach established itself as a welcoming rest stop on the Chisholm Trail for weary travelers over 160 years ago and that southern hospitality continues today,” said Monument Group's Rusty Winkstern in the release. “We want to honor that legacy with genuine hospitality and crave-worthy food and drink, continuing thetradition as a community hub for visitors old and new.”
The Stagecoach Restaurant is open for lunch and dinner Wednesdays through Sundays from 11:30 am to 8 pm.
