El Patio Restaurant • 1954

Paul Joseph, a first-generation Lebanese-American, opened this University of Texas-area Tex-Mex institution in January 1954, building a seven-decade legacy on cheese enchiladas draped in house chili con carne and the quirky tradition of serving salsa with saltine crackers instead of chips. After a brief closure in 2019, Joseph's grandchildren revived the family restaurant, bringing back longtime staff and the same recipes that have drawn generations of students and locals. The enchiladas still arrive blanketed in that same unmatched chili, and the margaritas remain as cold and strong as they were when burnt orange was the only color that mattered on Guadalupe Street.