Marfa, Texas: Big skies, fine art, and great eating

Marfa is "the kind of place where you can see world-class art, eat a meal cooked by a James Beard Award semifinalist, and see a guy riding his horse to the bar."

(Image credit: Dukas / Getty Images)

By The Week US

published 18 June 2025

These days, the high desert town of Marfa, Texas, is "a road trip destination for everyone, from your favorite yoga teacher to Beyoncé," said Rachel Monroe in Bon Appétit. Since artist Donald Judd put Marfa on the map in 1971, it has become "the kind of place where you can see world-class art, eat a meal cooked by a James Beard Award semifinalist, and see a guy riding his horse to the bar." Below, three stops not to be missed.

Margaret's

Marielle La Rue and Brandon Messer's "light-filled" neighborhood restaurant is named after La Rue's grandmother, and for locals and tourists alike, it's "a haven for contemporary comfort food, made with care and precision." Don't miss the deviled eggs "brightened with pickled beet brine," the cheddar tuna melt, or the key lime pie. If you sidle up to the horseshoe bar, you might just hear "some juicy local gossip." 103 N. Highland Ave.

Bordo

Bordo This "elegant" Italian restaurant and deli needed only a year to emerge as "a fiercely adored lunch (and occasional dinner) spot." Chef Michael Serva, one of those James Beard semifinalists, makes practically everything in-house, from the pasta to the gelato. Even so, "you can still walk out full for under $20." For the best experience, "grab a spritz and sit under the covered porch, where you can watch the Puccia-style bread bake in a wood-fired oven." 1210 W. San Antonio St.

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Valentine Texas Bar

When you head outside of town to visit Prada Marfa, you'll find that this modest hang is "the best, and only, drinking establishment around." Though "cramped, dim, and decorated with the odd piece of taxidermy," it's "full of dusty charm." The painted old car door out front will tell you if the bar's open or closed. 450 W. California Ave., Valentine.