Where to Eat in Lancaster, Texas

The historic town square is the center of Lancaster's dining. HUG, housed on the square, has quietly become one of the area's best barbecue spots, known for its brisket and handmade link sausages, with a menu deep enough to take a few visits to work through.

Also on the square, La Calle Doce brings a decades-old Dallas Mexican-seafood name to downtown, serving Veracruz-style classics, fresh ceviche, and seafood dishes. The two anchor a square that's been coming back to life with new restaurants and shops.

Beyond the square, Lancaster keeps a good barbecue tradition — Hickory House is a local favorite for a barbecue meal, part of the town's steady lineup of smoked-meat spots serving brisket, ribs, and sausage.

On the Tex-Mex and seafood side, Mariscos La Marina is a go-to for fajitas, ceviche, and Louisiana-style seafood boils. Between the barbecue and the seafood-forward Mexican spots, Lancaster covers a lot of ground.

Lancaster's square is in the middle of a revival, with new restaurants and shops filling the red-brick storefronts around it — part of the rebuilding that followed the tornado that hit the historic district in 1994. It's worth watching as more spots open.

And because Lancaster sits close to Dallas, the full range of the city's dining is a short drive north when you want more than the local scene.