Restaurants in Bryan

Cafe Benedicte likens its menu to a magic mirror that reflects all points along the Mediterranean at once, from Andalusian Spain to Greece to North Africa. As such, diners can voyage from a starter of asparagus flan and sautéed crab claws ($9.95) to North African taboule with avocado ($6.95). Take your tongue on an edifying odyssey by touring entrees such as slow-roasted lamb shanks with couscous or saffron rice ($22.95) and a decadent four-ounce peppercorn-crusted fillet and five-ounce lobster thermidor in port wine ($32.95). Omnivores and vegivores alike can savor vegetable dolmates ($12.95), and sweet teeth can delicately nibble on the crêpe brûlée, which one-ups the classic crème brûlée by wrapping it in crêpe and flaming it with Grand Marnier ($7.95).

Located downtown on the corner of East Fifth and Waller Street, the market comes recommended by the Austin Chronicle and features fresh, local, organic produce, prepared foods, locally raised meats, and handmade goods from a long list of vendors. In addition to being eco-friendly, you'll support the community and expand your culinary skills beyond can openers and microwaves. Working with fresh, delicious produce from HOPE Farmers Market will motivate aspiring foodies to get creative in the kitchen.

According to one estimate, seafood that's been left in the sun for more than 79 days will taste markedly worse than fresh seafood. Feast on freshly prepared seafood with today's Groupon, offering $30 worth of authentic Cajun eats and drinks at Orleans Seafood Kitchen for $15. This authentic eatery is located in Katy, less than 30 minutes outside of Houston, and boasts a thriving bar scene, freshly made sauces, and weekly events.

The culinary crew at Galaxy Cafe rockets intrepid palates into orbit with a flavorful menu of American fare that spans the day’s time-honored meal triumvirate. Signature breakfast wraps ($6.49 each) prove that eggs are much more than objects to throw at standup comics, ensconcing three scrambled organic eggs alongside piping meats and veggies. Diners can wrap their mitts around the veggie burger deluxe ($8.99) and take bites of a whole-wheat roll topped with sliced avocado and sautéed mushrooms. An ever-evolving slate of daily dinner specials includes the grilled skirt steak with chimichurri sauce ($10.99), touting all-natural beef devoid of hazardous antibiotics, hormones, or performance-enhancing A1 sauce. Pacify pintsize epicures with Galaxy’s children’s menu, or nosh on wheat-free wraps, salads, and pasta from a gluten-free menu. As guests fill their tummies, their eyes can feast on Galaxy's bright interior, bedecked with orange walls, circular mirrors, and pendulant sconces.

Don’t judge a dish by its density—the yeasty slivers here boast charred crusts, imperfectly delicious surfaces (some parts chewy, others crisp and crackly), and more than 30 fresh toppings. Combining family recipes with austere advice (his father’s famed phrase was “If you can’t make it fresh, don’t serve it”), first-generation-Italian Anthony Russo spent years developing the special slices, authentic appetizers, and pasta dishes on the menu.

Ajay and his wife Kiran spent their childhood in New Delhi learning the ins and outs of Indian cooking and hospitality. Their experiences shine through at Taj Palace Indian Restaurant & Bar, where the aromas of tamarind, mango, mint, and curry tangle complexly in the air. In the kitchen, chefs heap charcoal on the glowing embers in tandoor ovens, skewer cuts of lamb steeped in herbs, and make sure each grain of basmati rice is pointing in the same direction. Wait staff dressed in crisp white shirts and bow ties carry away the piquantly spiced dishes, which earned the eatery a Best Austin, TX Indian Food award from Citysearchers in 2009. In the rose-hued dining room, soft sitar music meanders beneath framed paintings and golden arches. Colorful hand-painted lanterns dangle from the ceiling above tables laden with flavorful curries and rice dishes.