Midland eats barbecue, Mexican food and steak, and it also has wood-fired pizza, hand-pulled noodles and downtown brunch. This is a map of where to start by meal and craving, with a full Best of Midland guide behind every section.
This is not a complete list of Midland restaurants. It is a starting point, and each section links to a deeper guide that we keep adding to.
Breakfast and Brunch
Midland starts the day everywhere from family kitchens to downtown brunch rooms. The breakfast and brunch guide covers places such as Wall Street Bar & Grill, The Bar, Mulberry Cafe and Back In The Day Cafe. For something on a tortilla, the breakfast tacos and burritos guide covers burrito counters, tortillerias and loncherias, including Oscar’s Super Burrito and Diego’s Mexican Food.
Lunch Downtown
A few blocks of downtown Midland hold a wider range of lunch spots than most people expect. Wall Street Bar & Grill sits at 115 East Wall Street in a 1910 building, and nearby are Pachuco’s, Pi Social, Georgie’s Place, Opal’s Table and Saint Blaise. The downtown lunch guide sorts them by the kind of meal you want: a sit-down lunch, something different, a business lunch, or a place to take out-of-towners.
Mexican Food and Tacos
Mexican food is woven into how Midland eats, from decades-old family cantinas to taquerias pressing tortillas in-house and mariscos spots serving ceviche. The Mexican restaurants guide is organized by the kind of meal. It starts with sit-down Tex-Mex and cantinas such as Charlas Restaurante & Bar, Gerardo’s Casita and Dos Compadres, then moves through downtown and Wall Street spots, homestyle plates, taquerias, burritos and breakfast, and Mexican seafood.
Barbecue
Barbecue in Midland ranges from The Half Acre and Brown’s Bar-B-Q to KD’s Bar-B-Q, and Pachuco’s downtown pairs Texas barbecue with Korean flavors. Mac’s BBQ & Catering is at 2400 W Indiana Ave. The barbecue guide also includes one Odessa smokehouse, Brantley Creek BBQ, which Midland regulars make the drive for.
Steak and Special Occasions
Cowboy Prime, at 200 Spring Park Drive in the Ally Village development, is an upscale local steakhouse. Santomar, at 418 W Wadley Ave, serves steak, seafood and sushi, and Hayashi Japanese Steakhouse covers the hibachi side. The steakhouses guide also lists the familiar chains, and the date night guide shows how to pair dinner with a show or drinks downtown.
Pizza and Italian
Midland’s pizza runs from brick-oven pies at Bite Me PizzerÃa and wood-fired pizza at Decasa Wood-Fired Pizza to a pizza bar at Torino’s Pizza Bar and family-style Italian at Luigi’s Italian Restaurant. The pizza guide sorts the options by style, including wood-fired, Detroit-style, places with a full bar, and cauliflower crusts.
Beyond Mexican and Barbecue
There is more variety than most people expect. The international restaurants guide covers a dozen world cuisines: Chinese, Japanese and hibachi, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, Filipino, Indian, Italian, Cuban and Venezuelan. Places on it include Szechuan House, Pista Express and Venezia.
Coffee, Sweets and Drive-Thrus
The coffee shops guide covers specialty espresso rooms and all-day cafes, among them Twelve Gate Coffee Company, Kafeology and Far West Coffee. For something sweet, the ice cream guide includes Amara Crêpes & Gelato, Creamlab N7, Sophie’s Paleteria & Ice Cream Shop and Kilwins. When you would rather stay in the car, the drive-thru coffee, tea and energy drink guide has the stands keeping the Basin moving.
Drinks and a Night Out
Tall City Brewing Co., at 3303 West Golf Course Road, and The Waystone, at 2101 West Wadley Avenue, Suite 27, are the two breweries in town that brew on site. For cocktails, The Blue Door and Sip Haus are on the list in the bars and breweries guide. There is also a wine guide and a guide to where to watch the game if the draw is the screen.
Eating Out in Midland: A Few Tips
Many sit-down restaurants take reservations through their own websites or by phone, so it helps to check ahead for weekends and special occasions. Menus, hours and locations change, so confirm details with the restaurant before you head out.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kinds of food is Midland known for?
Barbecue, Mexican and Tex-Mex food, and steak are the long-time staples. Pizza, sushi, Italian and a range of other world cuisines round out the list.
Where can I find restaurants in downtown Midland?
Downtown, around Wall Street, has barbecue, Italian, sit-down and brunch options. The downtown lunch guide sorts them by the kind of meal you want.
Where can I get breakfast in Midland?
The breakfast and brunch guide covers downtown brunch rooms and neighborhood cafes, and the breakfast tacos and burritos guide covers burrito counters, tortillerias and loncherias.
Are there restaurants in Midland besides chains?
Yes. Most of the places in these guides are locally owned, and each guide notes where the familiar chains fit in.
How do I suggest a restaurant for these guides?
Use the Suggest a Spot form. Every submission is read, and we go check out the places that fit.
What did we miss?
These guides are living lists. Tell us a spot and we'll go check it out.
Have more to share? Use the full Suggest a Spot form.
