“I think it’s because it’s got that vibrant sparkle, kind of like Alka-Seltzer,” said Daisy Ryan, assistant beverage director at McGuire Moorman Hospitality, which she said serves “crazy” amounts of Topo Chico at several popular Austin restaurants, including Jeffrey’s, Josephine House and Elizabeth St. Cafe.

Beyond any curative powers, many fans of Topo Chico will tell you that it just tastes good. Justin Yu, the chef and owner of Oxheart in Houston, said it’s better than the sparkling water he grew accustomed to drinking while doing internships in Europe.

“There’s nothing better than a cold Topo Chico after a long, hard service,” said Mr. Yu, who was named 2016 Best Chef Southwest by the James Beard Foundation. “I think it has a cleaner taste, it’s definitely the fizziest and I really enjoy the slight salinity.”

The cookbook author and “Top Chef” judge Gail Simmons got hooked on Topo Chico while filming in Austin five years ago. “I would get in deep discussions with friends there about why it’s such an obsession — was it the size of the bubbles, the salinity, the slight citrusy note?” she said. “I consumed it as much as possible when I was in Texas, and then I came home to New York and was a little distraught because I couldn’t get it anymore.”

Musicians, too, seem drawn to Topo Chico. Jeff Tweedy of the band Wilco, Curtis Roush of The Bright Light Social Hour and Zella Day can be seen swigging it in the studio, on stage or at music festivals including SXSW, Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits.