Spring break travel season is upon us, which means it's time to start planning your road-trip routes. That includes flagging requisite rest-stop eats across rural Texas, most of which are worth being the destination itself.

Since we're a population of predominantly devout carnivores laying claim to about 268,820 square miles of land, there are countless restaurants to discover (or re-discover).

So we rounded up a list of the best small-town places to visit when you're making your way around the Lone Star State and have been updating it over the seasons to keep Houstonians up to date on under-the-radar places you can't drive past.

STAY AT: Book a bubble under the Texas stars at Basecamp Terlingua

Take a look at our barbecue-friendly road trip guide above. Many of the restaurants in this roundup don't offer much in the way of ambiance, but they deliver food so delicious and memorable, you'll go well out of your way just for a meal and some leftovers.

Of course, Texas is also known for its Gulf Coast seafood, so some good coastal outposts made the roundup as well.

The art of the road trip includes exploring the rural pit stops that make our state rustic but metropolitan, country but sophisticated and all-around chock-full of family-owned businesses as diverse as our population.

Did we miss a place? Leave your suggestions in the comments below.