Mel's Country Cafe

Mel's Country Cafe at 24814 Stanolind Road in Tomball is a family-owned country cafe with deep local roots. Charles "Collie" Weirich Sr. built the original building for his wife, Mary, in 1977 and called it Mary's Fried Chicken, using ingredients grown on and bought from local farms, and over the years nearly the whole Weirich family has joined the business. Mel's is known for hearty country cooking, including chicken-fried steak, catfish and oversized specialty burgers, and it was featured on the Travel Channel's Food Paradise in an "Extreme Burgers" episode. It's a well-loved spot with more than 770 reviews on Yelp, and weekend waits are common, so plan accordingly. Mel's is open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner and closed on Mondays, according to its website, and online ordering is available. It's worth the short drive from Old Town Tomball for an authentic taste of small-town Texas dining.