(From April 2009) The decor is pretty and girly. The food is just as the name suggests: heavenly. Corn chowder, thick and creamy, warmed us up on a cold day. We followed it with a trio of goodies that left us quite satisfied: chicken salad with dried cranberries and pecans, old-fashioned broccoli salad with raisins (a childhood favorite of ours), and cold pasta salad. A German chocolate cupcake four inches high and wrapped in dark brown butcher paper (we couldn’t resist the packaging) had the added bonus of being moist and not too sweet.

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(From February 2009) Can a cookie be better than you-know-what? You’ll have to decide for yourself. At this new retro spot west of the UT campus, patrons relax on mod sectional couches (or text or surf—there’s free Wi-Fi) while waiting for their made-to-order cookies. Choose from six kinds of dough (we prefer Dottie’s Oatmeal and Stacey’s Super Sweet) and more than 30 mix-ins (the dark chocolate melts in your mouth). Be indulgent and wash it down with a milk shake (the vanilla sent us to sugar ecstasy). No regrets. Promise.

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(From June 2009) The medium of choice for this fixture in the artists’ mecca of Edom is food. Well-known around these parts for its delicious pastries and designer burgers, EBG is branching out, sharing recipes on its Web site and offering cooking classes. On a recent lunch visit, the Reubenesque (a very stylish corned-beef-and-Swiss) spoke to us, as did the Shrimp Louis salad, presented with homemade bread. Once a month, EBG hosts a “gourmet night”; in February, for Mardi Gras, the menu offered alligator eggs. Hmm.

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(From October 2008) Evenings can draw a crowd to the urban-rustic courtyard of this little espresso bar on the east side. We loved the trio of hummus, tabouleh, and couscous; the vibrant yellow hummus was rich and garlicky. The toasty Mediterranean Mama panino arrived packed with turkey, olives, and tomato and oozing with feta. The dollop of dill mayonnaise added a welcome tang. The cinnamon-rich iced chai was smooth and refreshing. Beer & wine.

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(From December 2009) In the heart of Cleburne you’ll find a wonderful cafe that serves up a tasty lunchtime assortment of salads, sandwiches, wraps, and baked goods. We love the potato soup, which we like to accompany with a baby spinach salad garnished with cranberries, slices of kiwi and orange, and goat cheese. The chicken salad served on a buttery croissant also hits the spot, and there are hot specials served Tuesday through Friday. Oh, and the desserts—you must try Aunt Bunny’s Chocolate Cake.

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(From November 2008) Using only natural ingredients, this cheerful spot prepares everything in-house, from the bread to the freshly squeezed juices. We started off with an excellent appetizer of lentil hummus served with rosemary focaccia. For the main course, we enjoyed the grilled caprese sandwich with fresh mozzarella, herbed tomatoes, baked eggplant, and basil vinaigrette. The place has a carefree, beachy attitude.

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(From July 2008) When a local paper incorrectly dubbed her new business a lunch cafe, pastry chef Catherine Ruehle cleverly added ham-and-cheese scones to the variety of goodies that fill the pastry case. Stop in and order a custom cake or just grab a cup of coffee and sample the cheesecakes, cupcakes, pumpkin spice cake, or chocolate chip scones. They’re indeed sublime. An added plus: The bakery uses biodegradable containers and recycled paper products.

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(From June 2009) Tile floors and wooden tables evoke a sunny home kitchen, but the fully loaded bakery cases are the star attraction. A nice selection of sandwiches ranges from a Reuben to a simple grilled cheese, but the Santa Barbara sandwich stands out—open-faced on rye with turkey, bacon, avocado, and a tangy dressing. The “Carmel” Turtle Fudge and Totally White Chocolate cakes are incredibly moist and generously frosted. If you require more, there are golden-tipped meringue pies, a buttery chess pie, and Mississippi Mud bars.

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(From July 2008) We usually choose a scoop of one of the 26 made-on-the-premises flavors, but this time the nineteenth-century ambience inspired us to order a chocolate soda with vanilla ice cream; the intensity of the dark chocolate paired with the sweet, creamy vanilla was a marvel. Other classic fountain faves: malts, sundaes, phosphates, and a supersized banana split.

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(From September 2009) Duck into the rustic building set back from Main Street for a breakfast of heavenly goodies created by the Pastry Queen herself, cookbook author Rebecca Rather. If you arrive early enough you can indulge in the unbelievably flaky, buttery cinnamon rolls or the moist and tart lemon-yogurt muffins. Delicious omelets are also on tap. Come lunchtime you can choose the daily special (Tuesday’s chicken pot pie is a fave) or opt for the justly famous chicken salad sandwich on fresh-baked focaccia. Beer & wine.

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