Matt's El Rancho • 1952

Bob Armstrong dip — a queso-laden masterpiece of beef, guacamole, and sour cream — was born here in the 1970s and remains the draw at this South Lamar institution. Matt Martinez started with a tamale pushcart by the Capitol in 1923 before opening this Tex-Mex landmark with his wife Janie three decades later. Presidents and locals alike still pack the sprawling dining room for fresh lime margaritas and Janie's original recipes.