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Palestine Guide

Restaurants in Palestine, Texas

Listings checked against Texas Comptroller permit data · Updated September 2026

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Palestine's dining scene is a pleasant surprise for a town its size, thanks in part to the tourists the trains and dogwoods bring through. There's serious barbecue, a downtown restaurant in a century-old building, classic steak-and-catfish spots, and even wood-fired Italian. Whether you're in town for the railroad or just passing through, you'll eat well.

Here's where to eat in Palestine.

The Barbecue

Palestine has a solid barbecue bench. Country P's Barbeque is a family-run joint on W Palestine Ave that used to be on SH 155. Shep's BBQ & Catering on E Palestine Ave has been smoking and catering since the 1980s. Happy Trails Bar-B-Q on Crockett Rd is closed Sundays, so plan around that.

As in most of East Texas, go early before the brisket runs out.

Downtown Dining

Downtown's anchor is Queen St Grille, inside the historic Redlands Hotel at 400 N Queen St. It's casual fine-dining American food at brunch, lunch and dinner, with a full bar and a seasonally changing menu, and it's the spot for a special occasion or a date night.

A couple of blocks away on W Crawford St, Home Grill Steak House serves flame-grilled ribeyes and sirloins, chicken-fried steak and burgers. Hambone's Cajun Grill is on E Crawford St.

Pizza, Italian, Seafood and Tex-Mex

Switch Brick Oven Pizzeria and Wine Bar on S Royall St serves wood-fired pizzas with wine and cocktails. Giovanni's on W Oak St is a family-run Italian restaurant that has served pizza, pasta and Italian entrees since 2001. Mama Seafood, also on W Oak St, has served seafood and burgers since 2012.

Tex-Mex runs deep. Little Mexico on W Oak St is a family restaurant open since 1995, and El Toro on S Loop 256 has been around since 1999. Restaurante Acapulco is family-owned and serves sopes, molcajete and birria; it moved to W Palestine Ave in 2025. Taqueria San Luis on W Oak St is known for homemade tortillas and breakfast tacos, and Cecy Pupusa on W Palestine Ave serves Salvadoran pupusas.

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Restaurant Directory: Palestine

A directory of 63 restaurants, 22 food trucks, and 18 bars & nightlife spots, built from active Texas sales-tax permits, grouped by cuisine where the name makes it clear.

Sourced from the Texas Comptroller's active permit records. A spot that recently closed or changed hands may occasionally still appear — let us know and we'll fix it.

Barbecue (3)

Mexican & Tex-Mex (14)

Burgers & American (9)
  • Burger King ↗ chain $

    Burger King fast-food restaurant on S Loop 256.

    2901 S Loop 256, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 729-1019

  • Cotton Patch Cafe ↗ $$

    Cotton Patch Cafe comfort-food restaurant (chicken-fried steak, Texas value meals); in Palestine since 1996, now on Crockett Rd.

    2036 Crockett Rd, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 731-9220

  • Applebee's Grill + Bar ↗ bar chain $$

    Applebee's casual-dining bar and grill on S Loop 256.

    2225 S Loop 256, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 729-8888

  • Chili's ↗ bar chain $$

    Chili's Grill & Bar (store #1587) serving Southwest-inspired American food, fajitas and margaritas on S Loop 256.

    2210 S Loop 256, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 729-1122

  • Jack in the Box ↗ chain $

    Jack in the Box fast-food restaurant (#3819) on W Oak St, open late.

    2207 W Oak St, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 723-6233

  • McDonald's ↗ chain $

    McDonald's fast-food restaurant on S Loop 256.

    2120 S Loop 256, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 729-5000

  • Sonic ↗ chain $

    Sonic Drive-In fast-food locations in Palestine (S Loop 256 and W Palestine Ave).

    W Palestine Ave · permit since 2022
  • Wendy's ↗ chain $

    Wendy's fast-food restaurant on S Loop 256.

    2215 S Loop 256, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 729-6973

  • Whataburger ↗ chain $

    Whataburger (#579) fast-food burger restaurant on S Loop 256.

    1717 S Loop 256, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 729-5737

Steakhouse (2)
  • Queen St Grille ↗ bar

    Casual fine-dining American restaurant in the historic Redlands Hotel downtown, serving brunch, lunch and dinner with a full bar.

    400 N Queen St Ste 108, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 723-2404

  • Home Grill Steak House ↗

    Downtown steakhouse on W Crawford St serving flame-grilled ribeyes and sirloins, chicken-fried steak, burgers and bar appetizers.

    223 W Crawford St, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 723-5192

Chicken & Wings (5)
  • Chicken Express ↗ $

    Chicken Express fried-chicken fast-food restaurant on Crockett Rd.

    2117 Crockett Rd, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 723-0339

  • Church's Texas Chicken ↗ chain $

    Palestine outlet of the Church's Texas Chicken fried-chicken chain, serving bone-in chicken, tenders, biscuits and sides.

    419 W Palestine Ave, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 729-1888

  • Wingstop ↗ $

    Wingstop franchise (store #1073) serving classic and boneless wings in flavored sauces and rubs, plus fries.

    1625A S Loop 256, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 731-6494

  • Chick-fil-A ↗ chain $

    Chick-fil-A restaurant on South Loop 256 serving chicken sandwiches, nuggets and waffle fries.

    1940 S Loop 256, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 922-7168

  • KFC ↗ chain $

    KFC fried-chicken restaurant on West Palestine Avenue.

    1711 W Palestine Ave, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 723-5515

Seafood & Cajun (2)

Pizza & Italian (6)
  • Mazzio's ↗ $

    Mazzio's (store #617) pizza restaurant on South Loop 256 serving pizza and pasta.

    1929 S Loop 256, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 723-1400

  • Pizza Hut ↗ chain $

    Pizza Hut delivery and carryout store on Loop 256.

    3400 S Loop 256, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 723-5109

  • Giovanni's Italian Restaurant ↗ $$

    Family-run Italian restaurant on West Oak Street open since 2001, serving pizza, pasta and Italian entrees.

    2027 W Oak St, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 729-3595

  • Little Caesars ↗ chain $

    Little Caesars carryout pizza store on Old Elkhart Road.

    419 Old Elkhart Rd Ste 130, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 723-2620

  • Switch Brick Oven Pizzeria and Wine Bar ↗ bar $$

    Brick-oven pizzeria and wine bar on South Royall Street serving wood-fired pizzas alongside wine and cocktails.

    1615 S Royall St, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 729-7700

  • Domino's ↗ $

    Two Domino's delivery and carryout stores in Palestine, on Crockett Rd and W Oak St, run by local franchisee Ta-Dah! QSR.

    Crockett Rd · W Oak St · permit since 2020

Asian (4)
  • Asian City ↗ $$

    Chinese and Japanese restaurant on Crockett Road serving Chinese entrees, hibachi grill plates and sushi.

    2018 Crockett Rd, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 723-0384

  • Panda Express ↗ chain $

    Panda Express (store #3457) serving American Chinese fast food such as orange chicken, chow mein and fried rice.

    2218 S Loop 256, Palestine, TX 75801

  • Mr. Eat's Asian Cuisine & Seafood ↗ $$

    Locally owned Asian restaurant on West Oak Street.

    2501 W Oak St, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 723-1079

  • King Buffet $

    All-you-can-eat Chinese buffet on S Loop 256 with a salad bar, open daily from 11am.

    2800 S Loop 256, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 723-7700

Breakfast & Diner (2)
  • Bird's Egg Cafe ↗ $

    Long-running local breakfast cafe on West Palestine Avenue known for biscuits with local honey, eggs, bacon and hash browns in a small-town diner setting.

    1605 W Palestine Ave, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 729-6891

  • Denny's ↗ $

    24-hour Denny's diner inside the Pilot travel plaza on W Oak St, serving breakfast all day plus burgers and dinner plates.

    2350 W Oak St Ste 100, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 723-1888

Sandwiches & Delis (1)
  • Subway ↗ chain $

    Subway sandwich shops in Palestine; two stores, on West Oak Street and Crockett Road.

    W Oak St · 2006a Crockett Rd · permit since 1998

Mediterranean & Middle Eastern (2)
  • Pronto Gyros & Pizza ↗ $

    Father-and-son-owned Greek and Italian restaurant serving gyros, pizza and takeout, now on West Oak Street.

    1800 W Oak St, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 723-3240

  • Pita Hut & Frozen Yogurt $

    Mediterranean restaurant on South Loop 256 that opened in January 2026 in the former Pita Hut space.

    1625 S Loop 256 Ste F, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 729-0140

Coffee, Sweets & Bakery (13)
  • Cream and Coffee ↗ $

    Local coffee and ice cream shop on Crockett Road; the same company also runs Cream and Coffee at Wells Creek on East Crawford Street.

    126 Crockett Rd, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 922-7588

  • Exotic Turner Snow Cones ↗ $

    Snow cone stand on West Palestine Avenue.

    1015 W Palestine Ave, Palestine, TX 75801 · (214) 907-5984

  • Kenzie's Snoballs $

    Seasonal snoball stand on Crockett Road, operating since 2001.

    2034 Crockett Rd, Palestine, TX 75801

  • Palestine Donut $

    Donut shop on far West Oak Street serving donuts and coffee-shop fare.

    4218 W Oak St, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 731-9298

  • Scooter's Coffee ↗ $

    Drive-thru outlet of the Scooter's Coffee chain (store #1462) on W Oak St, serving espresso drinks, smoothies and breakfast items.

    2107 W Oak St, Palestine, TX 75801

  • 7 Brew Coffee ↗ $

    Drive-thru-only 7 Brew coffee stand on S Loop 256 serving espresso drinks, energy drinks, shakes and teas.

    1711 S Loop 256, Palestine, TX 75801

  • Smoothie King ↗ chain $

    Smoothie King franchise on Crockett Rd blending fruit, protein and meal-replacement smoothies.

    2212 Crockett Rd, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 573-7337

  • The SnoBox ↗ $

    Snow cone stand on Crockett Rd, open since 2023.

    2005 Crockett Rd, Palestine, TX 75801

  • El Natural ↗ $

    Long-running natural foods shop and vegetarian deli on W Oak St, open since 2010, with Mexican sweet bread, fruit smoothies, vegetarian tacos, fresh produce and herbs.

    1900 W Oak St, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 723-0021

  • Jocelyn's Donuts ↗ $

    Donut shop on far W Oak St, open since 2019.

    2703 W Oak St, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 723-8999

  • Paleteria y Neveria Chilangos $

    Mexican ice cream and paleta shop on W Palestine Ave, open afternoons into the evening.

    301 W Palestine Ave, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 284-3230

  • Round Here Donuts ↗ $

    Local donut shop on S Loop 256, open since early 2025.

    1301 S Loop 256, Palestine, TX 75801

  • Starbucks ↗ chain $

    Company-operated Starbucks cafe (store #65530) on S Loop 256 at Trail Hollow.

    2228 S Loop 256, Palestine, TX 75801 · (903) 912-0108

Food Trucks & Trailers (22)

Bars, Pubs & Nightlife (18)

Source: Texas Comptroller — Active Sales Tax Permit Holders (NAICS 722)

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