Source: Exterior of the new stadium before the start of a college football game at Kyle Field on Sept. 12, 2015. (Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle)
College Station — George Strait will be taking the stage for one night only in the great state of Texas on Saturday. Where did the “King of Country Music” choose to take the stage? Kyle Field in College Station.
For those who are unfamiliar with College Station, the home of Texas A&M University, or haven’t been in awhile and unsure what to do before and after the show, we at 93Q took a trip out to Aggieland to show you what it has to offer.
What’s for breakfast?
Our first stop in College Station was Stella Southern Café, a popular brunch spot just off of Highway 6 as you get into town. It came highly recommended by Visit College Station, who helped a lot with where to go and giving us access to many of our stops.
The staff at Stella couldn’t have been any nicer to us and were kind enough to take the time to talk with us about their establishment and College Station, even with a line out the door. Stella claims that their staff is trained in “Southern hospitality,” and it’s clear those aren’t just words on the website; it’s a guarantee.
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The café boasts a lively dining area with a tastefully-southern interior design. It offers table, booth and bar seating inside, as well as outdoor seating if the warm weather and a breeze is your cup of tea. Favorites of those that frequent Stella are the their biscuit French toast options and Eggcetera. Aside from food, they have a variety of espresso, coffee and other drink options — even mimosas!
Stella is open every day from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Other breakfast options include:
- Burger Mojo
- Carport Coffee
- Clean Juice
- Daylight Donuts (Sweet Eugenes)
Unique opportunities
While George Strait’s show is the biggest event of the week in Aggieland, there’s some other exciting options to entertain yourself in town if your stay extends beyond the concert.
If you’re in town a couple days before the show, be sure to check out the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum! College Station has the rare opportunity to be one of 15 current cities in the United States to house a presidential library, something every U.S. president has done since Herbert Hoover.
Completed in 1997, the library and museum is set to celebrate the 100th birthday of the President George H.W. Bush on Thursday. To commemorate the event, the library and museum will be opening its brand new edition; the 29,000 square foot Marine One/4141 Locomotive Pavilion, along with a new café. The late 41st President of the United States would’ve been 100 on Wednesday.
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The event will be free to attend, and feature a concert by Robert Earl Keen and Lyle Lovett. All events are free, but registration is required.
The celebration event aside, the library and museum has a lot to offer visitors, featuring a chronological walkthrough and interactive exhibit of the former president’s and First Lady Barbara Bush‘s lives and service to our country. The museum was super informative and full of many items and exhibits from the Bushs’ lives donated to its collection. There’s also plenty of photo opportunities, including a recreation of the Oval Office during Bush’s presidency. Flash photography is not allowed.
On Friday at Century Square‘s Front Porch Stage, there will be live jazz music from Blue Shift. On Saturday there will be free parking and a free shuttle from the square to Kyle Field.
On Saturday at The Gardens at Texas A&M University they will be hosting its annual Summer Celebration from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. The event offers free family-friendly activities and snow cones as you walk through The Gardens. Free parking is available in Lot 97 and Lot 100.
It’s dinner time!
If you’re looking for some finer dining options other than fast food and chain restaurant options but don’t know where to start, we got you covered!
One of our stops was at PORTERS Dining + Bar in Century Square, a higher-end restaurant, specializing in steak and wine, with a large bar area if you’re feeling a little fancy. A unique feature of the restaurant is its wood fire grill in its open kitchen across from the bar, where you can see the food being prepared. Also across from the bar is a stack of white oak and hickory firewood, which adds to the laid-back atmosphere of the establishment. PORTERS is dimly lit, giving the restaurant a relaxing vibe as you sit and chat with friends and family at your table, or friendly strangers sitting at the bar.
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The staff was extremely friendly and proud of the restaurant they run, with excellent service, going out of their way to serve their customers. We spoke with their win director, Hunter Ham, who gave us a quick tour of the restaurant and some insight into what makes PORTERS stand out. He showed us some of their wine collection that earned them a level-one Wine Spectator award, like a 1990 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac and a 2019 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon.
The bar area features a horseshoe layout with comfortable seating and a view of its wide variety of liquors and beers; there’s something for everyone. If dinner on Saturday night before the show isn’t feasible, then certainly stop in for a drink or two before the show before catching the free shuttle nearby from the square. The bar will be serving flights of Código tequila in honor of George Strait’s upcoming performance.
We also stopped over at the Northgate District for a bite to eat at Dixie Chicken, a restaurant and bar celebrating 50 years of operation on Friday. If hole-in-the-wall is your vibe, then this is definitely a place to stop at for some food and drinks.
Despite what the name tells you, Dixie Chicken takes a lot of pride in its burgers, like the Freddy Burger. It’s highly-recommended adding a side of Tijuana Fries with jalapeños. If you are in a chicken mood, the staff cited the Buffalo Ranch Chicken sandwich as a favorite amongst regulars. There’s plenty of seating available inside, making it a great place to sit and watch summer sporting events like the NBA Finals or Texas A&M baseball games. There’s also seating on their porch with a TV as well.
Part of the 50 years celebration includes a free concert along the Northgate Promenade with Max & Heath Stalling, Dub Miller, Keller Cox, Donice Morce and Hayden Baker. There’s also a pool room just off to the right of the main bar.
Other places we recommend for food and drinks include:
- Casa Mangiare
- Dry Bean
- Freaky Tiki
- Gate 12 Bar & Grill
- The Republic Steakhouse
Dressing for the occasion
If you’re looking to dress your southern best for George Strait, one such place that may have what you need is Lucchese Bootmaker located in Century Square, not too far from PORTERS. The brand has been making cowboy boots and western apparel for over 140 years.
The store features cowboy boots for both men and women of all varieties, with several different leathers to choose from. You can also find apparel like cowboy and trucker hats, shirts, jeans, dresses, jackets and more.
On Friday, Parker McCollum will be making an appearance at Lucchese ahead of his performance on Saturday. He’ll be doing a meet and greet and an acoustic set in celebration of his birthday.
If you’re looking for some Aggie apparel ahead of the show, check out the Aggieland Outfitters with three locations across town. Inside there’s a variety of Texas A&M and College Station clothing and other merchandise, ranging from coolers, boot bags, bed sets and wine. In the back of each store there’s a large selection of fun graphic tees that might be the perfect part of your Kyle Field fit ensemble.
Other apparel places recommend to us include:
- Boot Barn
- Dripping Spades Hattery
- King Ranch Saddle Shop
- Murdoch’s
- The Warehouse at C.C. Creations
Special thanks to Brian Piscacek of Visit College Station for giving us a guide to the best places to visit in College Station!
