San Marcos – San Marcos is home to Texas State University and all of those students like to eat. Downtown is the best destination for some unique dining and that includes the Root Cellar Café.
“Like the old building it’s nice,” Alec Young said. “It’ s like, I don’t want to say authentic, but it’s authentic.”
Beth James is the General Manager here, and she’s worked here her entire college career. The founders of this fine establishment have found a way of keeping this college grad around to run the business that’s been around since 2005. The food might have played a roll.
“Everything is a from-scratch kitchen, so we make everything fresh,” Beth said. “I describe it as a twist on Texas food. It’s just amping up good traditional meals.”
All of the food you’ll find here has roots in the Lone Star State.
“Most of our stuff that we get is either from Texas farm or local, and we support them and we always say that we started from the roots,” Beth said. “There’s this really cool board over here that actually has all the local farms in Texas that we support.”
While you eat your amazing meal you might feel inclined to discuss the design of your dish. Because down in the dining room, you won’t find any distractions.
“We don’t believe in having TVs in our restaurant because this is a place that you’re supposed to come and commune with the people around you,” Beth said. “So our goal is to make sure people are actually talking when they go to lunch or dinner, and having a good experience.”
Well we’re focused and hungry, and that’s a good thing because we’re in line for some good southern cooking with their cheesy shrimp and grits goodness.
“That was a big southern dish that we could bring that we knew we had the right twist on that people would like it, and they don’t have it pretty much anywhere else in town,” Beth said.
“It’s a southern thing,” Daniel Becnel said.
Chef Daniel gave us the lowdown on these incredibly gooey grits.
“When we put the chorizo, and the garlic, and the cheddar in there, it all comes together really well,” Daniel said. “I think it’s kind of something you don’t find around here. Everybody kind of wants to do real boring grits.”
Just like the wedding at Cana, you want to save to good wine for last. Cook with what you’ve got.
“Nothing flames up like a little Cardboureux,” I joked.
The house-made cornbread is grilled, and cheese gets added to the grits.
We don’t call ’em cheddar grits for nothin’,” Daniel said.
Well, here you’ll find southern food with a little kick.
“The chef knows what he’s doin’,” Duane Davide said.
If you’re looking for a hidden gem that’s pretty much hidden underneath a building, The Root Cellar in San Marcos, Texas is well worth a stop on The Texas Bucket List.
“It’s on the bucket list you know…for a reason,” Alec said.