What’s Missing San Angelo?

Most of you who have followed my work here at the Concho Observer, know that it typically has to do with the dining places we have in and around the Concho Valley. The tasty highlights, the presence of great places new and old alike. The places you must go try and cannot afford to miss. The places doing something new or novel that simply has to be experienced.

All of that is of course well warranted to help all of you become aware of the best places in the area to go and try for yourself. This is after all the primary reason I write and curate such content in the first place; to share first hand, honest reviews and insights to the amazing people and dishes in our city that you can go and savor for yourself whenever the craving hits. I pride myself in being honest, open, timely, and relevant to the greater San Angelo food and drink scene by showing you what we DO have. 

In this article I am going to flip that on its head. I am sticking my neck out a bit with this article but bare with me and hear me out. I am going to shed some light on the places we do NOT have in the city. At least not that I have been able to find in my searching or past 5 years of residence in San Angelo. I will allude to some places I have been made aware of through other locals but may not have actually been to yet myself (but plan to). I will also mention the spots that might have something close to the real thing.

The views stated here will be that of my own as I see these voids in the local dining scene of San Angelo/Tom Green County, and perhaps even the Concho Valley as a whole in some cases.

I encourage comments at the end of this article to engage with me and others on your agreement or disagreement with my personal opinions (which is all they are). I want to hear from all of you who have lived here longer than me and have seen other places come and go over the past decade. What works, what sticks, what falters and flounders? 

Let’s take a look at what our city is missing and what it needs to try and better round out our already solid and expanding foodie town.

Food Void #1: No Indian Food

Angelo has a dearth of any kind of Indian food period. I wish we did as I have been spoiled having many good Indian places to eat when living in San Diego and St. Louis. The powerful aroma of Indian cooking as the harbinger cuisine for using spices to pack flavor into its dishes. Notable dishes I crave from such cuisine are chicken tagine, chicken vindaloo, chicken tikka masala, paneer pakora, garlic naan bread, chaat, vegetable and potato samosas. 

I have been told by some close foodie friends that there is actually a small Indian joint inside a convenience store just north of Paint Rock. It’s 42 miles east of Angelo called Pubjahbi Dhaba/Indian Kitchen. My wife just happened to swing by recently while on the road for work. She grabbed a take out order of three samosas. I tried the beef version and it was very good. I still need to go myself and try more to know how good this place really is. I just wish it was closer to Angelo. 

Food Void #2: No Greek Food

This was the first void I noticed after moving to Angelo in fall 2020. As a big fan of gyros, baklava, dolmades, spanakopita, baba ganoush, and tabouleh, it was disheartening to know that such cuisine was absent in the area. The closest thing I have found in town to date, (which is 100% authentic Greek by a Greek) is that of which comes from the home kitchen and market sales of long time local resident, Wilma Dunias. You can catch that amazing audio interview I did with her in January 2024 here. 

Food Void #4: No Filipino or Hawaiian Food 

Many people I run into in Angelo not from a military background or not having ever been to Hawaii, or whom do not have any Filliponi family/friend ties, often have no idea what I am talking about what I mention foods like spam musubi, lumpia, moco loco, kalua pig, peri-peri chicken, or a chilled Dole Whip.. It’s partly sad, and yet partly understandable. We have 0 such culinary presence in the Concho Valley.. Again, as one who lived in San Diego, and who has been to Oahu twice(part of my former Navy civilian job onboard a US Navy ship) I have had my share of amazing traditional Hawaiian food. It’s a darn shame we do not have any such dishes available here. Zero One Brewing Company does offer an outstanding ahi tuna poke bowl. That is however the one single dish in the area that comes close to anything genuine Hawaiian fare. 

Food Void #5: No Deep Dish Chicago Pizza

This is my personal complaint as a foodie and food writer. My article, my narrative! I am truly angered that we lack this staple style of pizza here in Texas. Blame my Midwest roots for this but it is what it is. I have my preferences in food styles like anyone else and when it comes to pizza, Chicago style deep dish gets my top vote every time. Deep dish pizza is not the same as Chicago style, let me make this clear. If you have had it, you know. The most common pizza styles are summarized very well in this article. Trophy’s pizza does a darn good deep dish pizza in Angelo but even the owner himself stated to me that Chicago style he does not do. Only one spot (Rosati’s) in the DFW area that I know of, offers genuine deep dish style pies. I have yet to explore it.

My Afterthoughts:

The next question is why do these voids exist? Why in five years now have I not seen any of these types of places come about? Is it the city demographics, market stats, industry trends, generational trends, some of all the above? For whatever reason or reasons, these types of cuisine do not exist here and don’t seem to be coming in any time soon. This could stem from a genuine lack of interest or focus from business owners and chefs not wanting to or able to make these kinds of foods and menus. Often such places arise from a long, strong and rich family history of growing up within these cuisines that progresses into opening a business that serves that cultural food to locals.

This could also be from a complete lack of consumer demand. The locals simply may not have a genuine desire for these types of cuisines and therefor do not crave it or seek it out even if it was available. I personally feel this is the least likely reason for the omission of these 5 types of cuisine. I talk to far too many local people almost daily about these being absent from the cities dining diversity and yet strongly desired by many. If there is any truth to this reason at all, it is only because someone cannot crave or demand what they have never had or are not yet aware of. I am of the belief that after most anyone tries these cuisines once, they’d be hooked.

What is the answer to closing these voids? Is there one answer? I truly do not know. One solution I will offer that may help move the needle is this; any restauranter or entrepreneur seeking to break into the local dining space would be wise to consider adding one of the above establishments to the area since it would have no direct competition with another similar competitor. Opening up a mom & pop style place is one option sure, but there are also many franchise options that are available for each of these types of cuisines as well that I think would land well here in Angelo.

Lastly, the city, the Chamber of Commerce, and we the people, can look to attract and recruit such businesses to come here and set up shop. Give them reason to open a business in our town to fill the void and add to the restaurant market economy. This creates jobs for locals, attracts tourists to our city and county, and of course, offers our palates more tasty options they currently are really missing out on.