Style & Design
December 5, 2023
Retired El Paso “Elves” Are Keeping the Art of Wooden Toy Making Alive
The Woodworkers Club of El Paso has donated thousands of handmade toys to military families in need. You can shop its charming creations too.
El Paso
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Tacos
November 29, 2023
Young Restaurants Close All the Time—But This Recent Loss in El Paso Really Stings
Two-year-old El Charlatan in El Paso was a James Beard semifinalist and one of the best restaurants in the state, according to our taco editor. But that didn’t stop it from falling to the typical foibles of new restaurants.
Made in Texas
November 14, 2023
Nina Berenato’s Statement Pieces Really Do Say a Lot
The Austin jeweler's pieces appeal to powerful women, including Beyoncé, Megan Thee Stallion, and Angelina Jolie.
By Cat Cardenas![Cat Cardenas's Profile Photo]()
Tex-Mexplainer
November 13, 2023
Meet Aguachile, Ceviche’s Hotter Cousin
Don’t take aguachile’s lightness for weakness. The spicy dish packs a punch.
Medicine
October 30, 2023
A Taller Border Wall Brings a Surge of Costly Injuries to El Paso
The city's University Medical Center is among the trauma centers dealing with many more migrants severely hurt in falls from the thirty-foot fence.
Style & Design
October 2, 2023
Meet the Fashion Designer Creating Cowboy Boots With a Little Help From AI
Nevena Christi of El Paso’s Rocketbuster Boots uses artificial intelligence to streamline the creative process and craft out-of-this-world advertising.
Film & TV
August 17, 2023
‘Blue Beetle’ Dumped El Paso for Palmera City. Here’s Why I Think It Works.
Batman, Superman, and the Flash live in fictional cities. The first Latino superhero needed his own.
Tacos
August 15, 2023
The Nearly Forgotten History of the Viral Smash-Burger Taco
You’ve likely seen videos of the Big Mac–taco hybrid on social media, but the dish isn’t a newfangled fad—it has roots going back to the early 1900s.
Tacos
July 3, 2023
Six Mexican Hot Dogs to Try This Summer
Frankfurter season is here and what better way to indulge than with Mexican regional variations on the dish, which are often wrapped in bacon and topped with carne asada.
BBQ Joint Reviews
June 20, 2023
This Barbecue Joint Has a Unique Mission to Rehabilitate the Homeless Population
Hallelujah! BBQ, a part of Rescue Mission of El Paso, helps staff develop vocational skills to propel them to new lives while serving good barbecue along the way.
Tex-Mexplainer
June 13, 2023
Defining ‘Guisado’ Is Just as Messy as the Dish Itself
While the term is most commonly translated as ”stew,” it's not wholly accurate. Guisados are more of a feeling of warmth and family.
Politics & Policy
June 12, 2023
Asylum Seekers Anticipated the End of COVID-Related Restrictions on Entry to the U.S. But Strict New Rules Leave Many With a Difficult Choice.
Weeks after the Biden Administration ended the Trump-Imposed Title 42 regulations, the border near El Paso remains unexpectedly quiet.
BBQ Joint Reviews
June 9, 2023
This Pitmaster Wants to Make El Paso a Barbecue Destination
Joe Martinez has finally found a hobby that pays off with his truck, Smokin’ Joe’s Pit BBQ, which features chile relleno sausage and chili with beans.
Tacos
June 1, 2023
Inspired by His Luchador Father, This Taquero Serves Dishes That Pack a Punch
At El Tiger Taqueria, in El Paso, Jorge Ortiz offers his take on border food, which includes suadero flautas topped with bonito flakes and seaweed.
News & Politics
May 25, 2023
TxDOT Wants to Widen I-10 in El Paso. Many Residents Say “No Thanks.”
The proposed construction project is intended to alleviate future traffic problems, but at what cost?
Style & Design
May 10, 2023
El Paso Bootmakers Are Applying Their Skills to Turkish-Style Slippers
For Sabah’s first U.S. factory, founder Mickey Ashmore, a Dallas native, turned to his home state.
Books
April 18, 2023
An El Paso–Bred Children’s Author Illustrates Border Life for the Next Generation
Raúl the Third, the creator of the World of ¡Vamos! series, depicts a colorful childhood spent between El Paso and Juárez.
Film & TV
April 4, 2023
‘Blue Beetle’ Belongs in El Paso, No Matter What DC Brass Thinks
A new trailer reveals that the Mexican American superhero will live in a fictional city, breaking with canon. Comic book fans are not happy.
Border & Immigration
March 28, 2023
A Fire in Juárez Killed Dozens of Migrants, Some Fleeing Danger en Route to Texas
It’s not yet clear what caused the fire at a migrant center near El Paso that claimed 39 lives and injured 29 men.
Food & Drink
March 20, 2023
Soggy and Divisive, Chico’s Tacos Are Perfect to Me
Sometimes food is less about the taste (or the ingredients . . . or the presentation) and more about being home.
Tacos
March 15, 2023
Kangaroo in Your Taco? “Why Not?” Says This Adventurous El Paso Restaurant
Taco Shop in El Paso has featured kangaroo, turtle, and alligator on its menu. While some are turned off by the game, many more customers line up to try them.
Tacos
February 14, 2023
This El Pasoan Is Making Sure Nixtamalized Tortillas Aren’t an Occasional Luxury
Through La Puerta del Sol, Mateo Herrera sells tortillas made with heirloom corn from nearby De Colores Farms, so folks can connect with ancestral food at home.
Tacos
January 18, 2023
Egg Prices Are High, but Your Breakfast Taco Craving Doesn’t Have to Suffer
Some Texas taquerias have increased prices due to the egg shortage, so we’ve compiled a list of great eggless breakfast tacos in case you’re starting to feel the pinch.
Border & Immigration
January 9, 2023
In El Paso, Joe Biden Embraces Trump’s Border Policies
The president’s brief trip to the Texas border city Sunday inflamed critics of his immigration policies on both the left and right.
Politics & Policy
December 20, 2022
The Migration Crisis in El Paso Could Soon Grow Worse—Much Worse
The looming disaster has thrown both Governor Abbott’s and President Biden’s failed border policies into sharp relief.
Arts & Entertainment
December 16, 2022
Who Said It: Legendary Houston Comedian Bill Hicks or New El Paso District Attorney Bill Hicks?
The DA in El Paso County shares a name with an iconic Texas comedian. How well can you tell them apart?
By Dan Solomon![Dan Solomon's Profile Photo]()
Travel & Outdoors
December 16, 2022
Reclaiming the Outdoors for My Abuelos
Edward Abbey’s acolytes and their ilk lament the overcrowding of natural spaces. But the land was never theirs to begin with.
Health
December 15, 2022
Texas’s Doctor Shortage Is Bilingual
There aren’t nearly enough physicians in the state, especially for the more than 7.5 million Texans who primarily speak Spanish.
Politics & Policy
November 30, 2022
Texas Held an Election. Most Voters Didn’t Come.
Every two years the Democrats claim they will win by turning out new voters. Every two years they fail.
By Ben Rowen![Ben Rowen's Profile Photo]()
Travel & Outdoors
November 21, 2022
After a 52-Year Fight, El Paso’s Castner Range Is Now a National Monument
It's a big win for a city that often feels neglected by Austin and Washington, D.C.
Politics & Policy
October 26, 2022
Sorry, Democrats, Texas Is Not Secretly a Blue State
Millions of eligible Texans don't vote. That doesn't mean they're liberals-in-waiting.
By Ben Rowen![Ben Rowen's Profile Photo]()
The Texanist
October 18, 2022
The Texanist: Do We Really Want Texas to Be “Wine Country”?
A Lubbock woman isn’t sure the state’s wildly successful vineyards fit with our Wild West image.
The Stand Up Desk
October 13, 2022
A Writer’s Close Call While Reporting on the Ciudad Juárez Femicides
A man approached Cecilia Ballí and asked, “Are you looking for work?” It shook her—and helped her grasp the danger in early-aughts Juárez.
By Michael Hall![Michael Hall's Profile Photo]()
Tacos
October 11, 2022
The Top 25 New(ish) Taquerias in Texas
Our first midterm report indicates that all over the state, tradition abides while creativity flourishes.
Tacos
October 10, 2022
Meet the Masa Masters of Texas
A small community of chefs and taqueros are bringing nixtamalized, heirloom corn tortillas—the foundation of Mexican cuisine—to the masses.
Music
September 26, 2022
A Decade Later, the Mars Volta Leaves the Drama Behind
After years of breakups and makeups, the rock band is back with a poppier sound.
By Dan Solomon![Dan Solomon's Profile Photo]()
Border & Immigration
August 11, 2022
Why Are Border Smugglers Trafficking Bologna?
The tons of contraband lunch meat seized at the U.S.-Mexico border tell us something about the market value of nostalgia.
Tacos
August 10, 2022
Perseverance Pays Off for One of Austin’s Greatest Taco Trucks
After going through the new-business-owner blues, Luis Mendoza is seeing long lines at Un Mundo de Sabor, which serves tacos, enchiladas, and tres leches.
Tex-Mexplainer
August 4, 2022
Trompo Tacos Are So Much More Than Tacos al Pastor
Although the Mexico City style is dominant, tacos made with trompo meat vary regionally, offering many ways to enjoy the spit-roasted specialty.
BBQ Joint Reviews
July 29, 2022
After Nearly Closing, This El Paso Barbecue Joint Opens Two Restaurants in One Week
At one location, you'll find Desert Oak Barbecue's classic menu. At the other, it's breakfast, coffee, burritos, and burgers using trimmings.
Made in Texas
July 15, 2022
The Border Inspires This Jewelrymaker’s Designs
Haydee Alonso’s diverse influences include Mexican cookies, strong women, and the Rio Grande.
Books
July 14, 2022
Sergio Troncoso Is Making Sure That Texas Literature Represents All of Texas
In his latest novel and as president of the Texas Institute of Letters, the Ysleta-raised writer is pushing us to rethink the Lone Star literary canon.
Art
June 2, 2022
Things to Do, Read, Watch, and Visit in Texas This Summer
Our staffers share the art and entertainment they're most looking forward to this summer, from an opera about Frida Kahlo to a true-crime book about a famous Austin gangster.
Critters
April 13, 2022
Go Wild at These Seven Stellar Texas Animal Sanctuaries
Listen to wolves howl, rub a hog's belly, or learn to bottle-feed a baby skunk.
The Texanist
April 12, 2022
The Texanist: Why Is El Paso Known as El Chuco?
A San Antonio man wonders how Sun City got its other nickname and learns about the nicknames of many other Texas cities.
Film & TV
March 21, 2022
‘What We Leave Behind’ Was the Surprise Masterpiece of SXSW
El Paso filmmaker Iliana Sosa’s feature documentary debut follows her Mexican grandfather, reflecting on life, legacy, and connection.
By Cat Cardenas![Cat Cardenas's Profile Photo]()
Food & Drink
February 14, 2022
The Best New Texas Restaurants in 2022
Restaurants are still struggling, yet new places keep stepping up to the plate. Here are our favorite dishes from the most impressive rookie establishments.
Meanwhile, in Texas
February 12, 2022
Meanwhile, in Texas: It’s Raining Fish
Plus, a woman finds unidentified ashes in a Goodwill urn, and a Houston driver leaves a barbecue grill unattended in his truck bed.
Dining Guide
January 17, 2022
Dining Guide: Highlights From Our February 2022 Issue
We review dozens of restaurants each month. Here’s a peek at what’s new.
Sports
December 7, 2021
The Lone Star State College Football Report Card
Grading the season performances and outcomes for all twelve FBS programs in Texas. You already know who's getting an F.