Tucked into the far reaches of West Texas, Marfa has long been defined by its distance from everything else—and that isolation has only amplified its allure. Once a quiet ranching community, it has become a global destination where contemporary art installations rise from the desert-scape, indie films and music find a stage, and stargazers linger under vast night skies, hoping for a glimpse of the storied Marfa Lights. The town’s proximity to Big Bend National Park makes it a gateway to outdoor adventure, while a roster of festivals—from Flying Island and Viva Big Bend to the Agave Festival and Marfa Film Festival— draws visitors year-round. Marfa has also cultivated a distinct culinary scene where chefs draw inspiration from the terrain and foodways of the Chihuahuan Desert while incorporating international techniques and influences. Decades after it first became solidified as a creative hub, Marfa continues to evolve, balancing grit and sophistication in equal measure.
Best Places to Eat, Drink, and Explore
BEST PLACE TO BREAK BREAD WITH LOCALS
Margaret’s in Marfa
With no reservations and few tables, you’ll likely find yourself at the large horseshoe-shaped bar at Margaret’s— but that’s the best place to make friends. Find Italian staples like
baked eggplant parmigiana with other homestyle offerings like the beloved cheddar tuna melt. Wash it all down with natural wine, and don’t skip a slice of their signature key lime pie.
BEST SANDWICHES WEST (AND EAST) OF THE PECOS
The last thing you’d expect to find in the Far West Texas desert are the incredible Italian sandwiches Michael Serva crafts at Bordo—built with imported Italian meats and hand-pulled mozzarella on sesame- crusted Puccia-style sourdough bread. Serva mills heirloom wheat into flour for both the bread and exceptional seasonal pasta dishes.
DESTINATION FOR HIGH-DESERT FINE DINING
Cochineal
Cochineal is the vision of two-time James Beard semifinalist Alexandra Gates, whose ever-evolving menu highlights proteins sourced from local ranches, like Texas Akaushi beef and wild nilgai antelope, alongside produce grown on-site (an impressive feat in Marfa’s extreme climate).
BEST SPOT FOR MORNING BREW AND NEWS
The Sentinel
This large white adobe building in downtown Marfa is more than a café—it also serves as an office for the weekly newspaper of the same name. Start your day with a breakfast plate and golden milk latte and browse the carefully curated books, housewares, and gifts—every purchase helping to support The Big Bend Sentinel.
BEST PLACE TO TASTE THE FAR WEST TERROIR
Alta Marfa
The sleek and minimalist Alta Marfa wine bar, with its whitewashed walls and wooden tables, acts as a tasting room for the winery and serves snacks like tinned fish and charcuterie boards along with rotating seasonal large plates. The intimate downtown space also hosts visiting winemakers and pop-up food events.
WHERE THE DESERT COMES ALIVE AT NIGHT
Planet Marfa
Grab a beer or a ranch water and wander through Planet Marfa’s playful, unexpected spaces—from a vintage school bus to a roomy teepee to a star- gazing platform. Ping-pong and pool keep the energy lively, with live music or DJ dance parties on most weekends. Free peanuts are always on hand, and if hunger strikes, the bar serves bites like pizza, hot dogs, and panini.
Where to Shop
For nearly two decades, Marfa Book Co. has been more than a bookstore— it’s also a publisher and cultural hub. Browse its thoughtfully curated shelves, then return for one of its lively talks, readings, or performances that keep this desert town connected to the wider world of ideas.
At Cactus Liquors, bottles share space with blooms. Alongside natural wine, craft beer, and curated spirits galore— with a focus on agave distillates like mezcal, sotol, and tequila—you’ll find succulents, local wares, and custom floral creations. Saturdays bring tastings, while weekends spill into a farm stand and flea market, making this shop as eclectic as the town itself.
Raba Marfa is a downtown boutique where desert minimalism meets global style. Browse housewares and gifts from pottery to palo santo, along with fragrances, jewelry, and clothing for men and women. Vintage finds and uncommon accessories round out this thoughtfully assembled collection of treasures.
Claim to Fame
No institution has shaped Marfa’s identity quite like The Chinati Foundation. Minimalist artist Donald Judd discovered Marfa in the 1970s and was so taken with its vast desert landscape that he relocated there in 1977. Not long after, he began transforming the decommissioned Fort D. A. Russell into The Chinati Foundation art museum, which opened to the public in 1986. Chinati offers permanent space for large-scale installations by Judd and his contemporaries—works that rely as much on light and landscape as on physical materials. Today, the foundation continues to carry forward Judd’s vision, where art, architecture, and nature exist in constant dialogue.
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