Get out of the hustle and bustle of Austin by hitting up Round Top, Texas, for your next weekend escape. This small hill country town may be in the shadow of its eclectic neighboring city of Austin, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have great accommodations, great shopping, the best pie around, and an art and music culture that can’t be beaten.
Round Top, located an hour or so east of Austin, has come on the radar of shopping enthusiasts due to the charm of its downtown squares and The Original Round Top Antiques Fair, which occurs every spring and fall, and is one of the biggest antique fairs in the Lone Star State.
The main town square, called Henkel Square, is where your journey should begin. Even those not into shopping will enjoy viewing the old homes, built around 1820 to 1870 and converted into shops, restaurants, and art galleries. Henkel Square is where you will find Round Top’s unofficial gem, Royers Pie Haven, or the other family-owned establishment in town, Royers Round Top Cafe.
Royers Pie Haven is known to have some of the best pies in the state. Tara Royer, the pie magician often called the “Pie Queen,” makes all her pies from scratch. You can’t go wrong with a Pecan Pie – you’re in Texas. But chocolate lovers haven’t been able to resist Bud’s Chocolate Chip Pie.
After you’ve had a piece of pie to get you geared up for shopping, find some great goodies you can’t live without at Lolli and Dauts or Second Market & Company. However, those who aren’t shopping enthusiasts can head to The Humble Donkey, an art gallery featuring art and prints from Texas artists, or Copper Shade Tree, where one can find hundreds of handmade creations from American crafters.
Let your feet wander to Bybee Square, simply across from Henkel Square. Here you will find even more shops along with restaurants. Local favorite hot spots in Bybee Square include the fair trade shop of Wild Women Wise Women, the locally-sourced shop called Somerset Lavender & Herb Farm, and one of the best pizza joints in Round Top, Bistro Napoletana.
After a long day of eating and shopping, enjoy a performance by the Round Top Festival Institute, which has a 200-acre campus and features a 1,000-seat concert hall—performers from around the world head to this international center for the concert series that runs from April to August.
Not all of Round Top’s wonders were mentioned, leaving more room to explore this tremendous central Texas town. From fine eateries to world-class shopping to great concerts and art, you will have a wonderful time in Round Top.
