In a town with just over a thousand residents, dining options will never be plentiful. But if there’s a place that serves up delicious eats and home baked treats, one can be the perfect number.

For the residents of Redwater, Texas, Lisa Thedford’s Redwater Diner fills the bill. With three dining rooms, an eclectic menu featuring everything from seafood to sandwiches and a changing array of thick, rich cakes and fried pies, there is something to please nearly every palate.

I ordered the special of the day, beef tips served over rice. The meal came with tea, a roll and two sides. I chose the okra, which was still crisp rather than a soggy mass, and corn fritters. Everything was particularly delicious, but the corn fritters were little bundles of lightly battered sweetness. My only complaint is that there weren’t enough of them!

Beef tips with rice
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“Friday is our busiest day,” says Crista Snyder, who has worked at the diner for two years. “Everyone comes for fish Fridays.” That’s when the restaurant serves up loads of fried catfish, which is one of their most popular dishes.

If you visit, be sure to save room for dessert! Crista served me the Almost Heaven Cake which is a chocolate layer cake drizzled with condensed milk, topped with a layer of fresh whipped cream and completed with crumbled candy bars sprinkled on top. It is rich and decadent, but oh so satisfying.

The diner’s specials and dessert menus change daily, based on the owner’s whims. “It’s fun to switch things up and always keeps things fresh,” Crista says. “Lisa’s used this method since we opened eight years ago.”

But the method apparently works, because even during the slow period when I was there, regular patrons came in to enjoy some of the Redwater Diner’s delicious home-style fare.

Almost Heaven Cake at Redwater Diner
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The diner itself has real country charm, with a wide front porch in front where customers can gather under the awning and visit. Inside, shelves filled with antiques line the walls, a white board announces the daily special and showcases a list of desserts, and an antique stove is nestled in one corner. These little touches give the diner a cozy, homey feel that makes you wonder if Granny is cooking in the kitchen.

Even if she’s not, I’d swear that Granny passed down some of her best-loved recipes because the food is delicious and comforting, and the recipes seem time tested and family approved.

This little country diner definitely gets my “Good Eats” award. Thanks for keeping hungry folks well fed.

For more information, call (903) 671-7789.

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