Fredericksburg Offers Lots Of Options For Food And Wine Lovers

German heritage shines through in almost everything about this Hill Country community.

By Marika FlattJuly 6, 2017 9:41 am,

It seems that Fredericksburg is always adding more attractions. If you’re planning a weekend getaway to the Hill Country town, here’s a good itinerary to get you going.

Start the morning with a “harvest hop” and visit one of several popular roadside markets, orchards and farms. Among the best stops is Engel Farms. Third-generation farmer John Engel embodies old German traditions that have been passed down through generations of the Engel family.

Pick up your own jams and preserves at Burgs’ Corner. This big red barn is a family-owned small business that offers Texas Hill Country peaches. The produce is picked fresh and you can also stop in for a sweet treat of peach ice cream!

And Das Peach Haus features delicious jams, jellies and sauces made by Fischer & Wieser Specialty Foods. Their new Culinary Adventure Cooking School offers classes to budding chefs. Learn about styles such as Tuscan, German or New Orleans flavors.

After you’ve finished farm-hopping, visit local culinary artisans who craft Hill Country treats.

One of these is Pedernales Brewing Company which started five years ago. Visit their tasting room where they serve up 10 taps of classic and German-style beers, featuring the Lobo Texas Lager and Robert Earl Keen’s Honey Pils and Front Porch Amber Ale.

Opa’s features traditional German-style smoked meats, bacon and sausage from third-generation butchers. You can pop in to their Highway 87 retail store and order sandwiches from their deli counter and take them with you for a picnic.

For dessert, head over to Chocolat where you’ll want one of everything – truffles, creams, silk fudges, nut clusters, barks and caramels.

But of course, we can’t talk about Fredericksburg without mentioning wine. The area was one of Wine Enthusiast’s “Ten Best Wine Travel Destinations in 2014” and Lonely Planet’s “Best in the U.S” of 2017.

1851 Vineyards is a new kid on the Fredericksburg winery block, opening in November 2016. Enjoy their 2016 Trebbiano, an unfiltered white. If you’re more into reds, try their Texas High Plains Rouge, which the winemaker calls “fun like a jolly rancher.”

Pedernales Cellars overlooks the Pedernales River valley. It is dedicated to the creation of world-class wines using ecologically sound practices, with a focus on grape varieties that can be grown with exceptional quality in the Texas Hill Country.

Have dinner at Cabernet Grill Texas Wine Country Restaurant where you’ll find unique culinary combos like rosemary and sea salt focaccia, served with Kalamata olives and olive oil, or the bacon wrapped jalapenos stuffed with beer sausage, and redneck cheddar served with jezebel dip.

Other Fredericksburg favorites include the National Museum of the Pacific War and of course, just enjoying the offerings on Main Street. You can explore art galleries and more than 150 specialty shops ranging from clothing to antiques and other craft goods.