Taylor Cafe, Taylor

You really shouldn't call this place a cafe. Or a restaurant. Or a diner. It's a dive. A joint. A hole in the wall.
And that's what makes a trip to the Taylor Cafe so much fun. That and a plate topped with some great barbecue.

The Taylor Cafe would be easy to miss, located beneath an overpass by the railyard. But thanks to the red exterior, the hand lettered "Taylor Cafe" sign, and the row of cars around the joint, you can't miss this barbecue hot spot. And, if it's lunchtime, just look for the police cars. Seems the Taylor Police Department hangs out here, at a table around past the pool table and the juke box.

Inside, the Taylor Cafe is dark and filled with the sound of ceiling fans and conversation. There's no air conditioning here, just a screen door that pops shut as another local enters to place his usual lunch order. You can have your lunch at the counter or at one of the mismatched tables, but wherever you sit, have a look around. This is the hole in the wall look that others try to imitate but never get quite right. The ceiling is plywood, the walls are unpainted chipboard, the decorations are neon beer signs and mounted deer trophies.

Pickin's are slim here. The menu is simple and posted on the wall by the counter. You can have a brisket or sausage plate or a mixed plate with some of both. The brisket is lean and full of smoky flavor, good enough to make Taylor proud. The sausage is coarsely ground and full of peppery taste. Plates come with a dollop of tangy potato salad and pintos plus a basket of white bread and some soda crackers. There's no barbecue sauce served here, just unlabeled bottles on the tables filled with a red peppery liquid that will perk up any taste bud.

You can also opt for the sliced beef or chopped beef sandwich. (Go for the sliced beef; the chopped beef is too fatty for most tastes.) Pork ribs and turkey sausage are also for sale by the pound.

Wash it all down with a cold beer or iced tea. The tea is served sweetened, and you get a whole pitcher at your table.

Location: 101 N. Main.

Telephone: (512) 352-8475

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