The Ultimate Guide to the Round Top Texas Antique Fair: Where to Stay, Eat, and What to Buy
One of my favorite sights each year -- knowing I'm almost to Round Top!
It’s no secret that we at Lark Interiors (along with pretty much every Dallas interior designer) are obsessed with the Round Top Texas Antique Show. For the past eleven years, I’ve eagerly made the four-hour trek from Dallas to Round Top – including the 2020 Fall Antique Show when masking up was a must.
I’ve already given the lowdown on where to shop in Round Top in this previous blog post, but there are still a few things I didn’t cover the first time around: where to stay, where to eat, and what to shop for at the Round Top Texas Antique Fair (plus some bonus pro trips you won’t want to miss!)
If you’re planning a trip to Round Top, let’s be real – it’s more than just shopping; it’s an adventure. Whether you’re on the hunt for unique antiques or just soaking up the charm of small-town Texas (bluebonnets galore!), having the right spots to stay and grab a bite makes all the difference.
With miles of antique fields and hidden gems tucked around every corner, knowing how to navigate this adventure is key. Trust me, I’ve learned a lot in over a decade of scouting treasures here. From which tents offer the best vintage finds to tips for negotiating, I’ve got you covered so you can make the most out of your Round Top experience.
Let’s dive in – because shopping Round Top like a pro (and like a Dallas interior designer) is easier than you think!
Where to Stay at the Round Top Antique Fair
The Junk Gypsy's Wander Inn
Finding a place to stay for the Round Top Antique Show is honestly the hardest part of attending Round Top. In a town where the population is 90, there aren’t tons of Marriotts or Hyatts just waiting for guests. We struck gold a few years ago when we met a lovely retired couple with a guest home. Kate made friends with them in line at the bar and by the time they got to the front, we had an invitation to come stay (thank you Kate for always making friends wherever you go!) We’ve stayed there ever since! But I know not everyone has our luck or “knows” someone in Round Top, so here are a few tips when you’re looking for accommodations:
Airbnb:
More and more are cropping up as the Round Top area continues to grow. Look in Fayetteville, Carmine and La Grange for a very close drive into the fields each day.
Local Hotels:
If you are the super organized type (or the super connected type), there are a few hotels in Round Top and the immediate area. Hotel Lulu, the Wander Inn, Round Top Inn, and the Frenchie are all amazing options — but incredibly hard to book for dates during the show. Remember the scramble to get Taylor Swift tickets? It’s kind of like that, but for a small hotel room. Call the hotels well in advance, find out when they release their Round Top dates and pray to the God of cell-service that your call will be connected in time and you just might get lucky.
Hotels in Columbus & Brenham Texas:
There are a number of 3-star type places in these towns, which are about 30-40 minutes away from the main venues in Round Top. Look at reviews regarding cleanliness. I’ve had some great experiences and some truly awful ones.
Hotels in Austin, Texas:
It’s at least an hour away, but the drive sure is pretty! If it’s 5-star accommodations you’re after, Austin is definitely your best bet.
Where to Eat at the Round Top Texas Antique Fair
We never skip pie at Royers Cafe!
When we first started attending Round Top, the restaurant options were extremely limited. I still vividly remember one year at Manditos – we were seated and then waited over two hours just to place our order. Back then, planning meals was a survival strategy. We’d bring along a foldable wagon packed with snacks and drinks because we knew good food was scarce and lines were long. Thankfully, the food scene in Round Top has evolved. Here’s a few of our favorite spots to grab grub in Round Top:
Lunch:
We’re not the type to pause for a full sit-down meal while we’re shopping Round Top – there’s simply too much to see and too little time! With so many treasures waiting to be found, we stick to quick bites that keep us moving. Over the years, we’ve found a few trusty lunch spots that always hit the mark when we need to refuel fast:
Methodist Men BBQ at Blue Hill
A great quick lunch spot. The pulled pork is great and the proceeds support a good, local cause. Tip: they only take cash!
Pizza at Dead People’s Stuff
It’s not fancy, but it hits the spot. The pizza is NY style and sold by the slice. Bonus: sometimes there is live music! Double Bonus: don’t tell, but Dead People’s Stuff is a great spot to get vintage frames for super cheap!
The Bar at Les Halles
The service can be SLOW, but the food is typically quite good – and not your standard greasy fare you’ll find at most venues. Plus there are lots of tables with good shade – which we all know can be key on a hot Texas day.
Marburger Cafe
A collection of food-truck style restaurants that are only open during the show. We love Simply D’lish for great salads and sandwiches –and amazing baked goods (lemon bars! Pecan shorties! Give us them all!) Bonus Tip: if you need wifi to catch up on work emails during lunch, Marburger’s got it!
The One Bar in the Back of Excess 1:
Okay - so that isn’t the official name. But I’m not sure it has an official name. In Excess, in between the two rows of vendors is a great little bar that serves cold beer, cold Diet Coke, and coffee. It even serves hot chocolate on cold days. Basically, it has the right drink for any Round Top Antique Fair occasion.
Dinner Spots:
Royers
This one is a no-brainer. Royers is a Round Top original, known for their down-home dinner, eclectic style and, most importantly, their amazing pie. The ambiance is incredible. The wait staff is populated with moonlighting locals (we’ve had the same high school math teacher wait on us the past two years in a row.) The entire town gets in on the Round Top rush at Royers. And if you want some good people watching, this is the place. This is where the local plumber rubs arms with Suzanne Kasler (literally – they fill every seat in that place during the Antique Show, so you may end up at a communal table if you have an odd number of people in your group.)
Everything is good here - but definitely not on the lighter side of things. The main event is definitely the pie. We particularly love their Texas Trash flavor.
Reservations are absolutely critical. They typically open for reservations 30-60 days in advance of the show and it’s a mad dash to to make them.
Hot tip: if you can’t get a reservation, they have a pie shop in town. Get your pie to go!
JW Steakhouse:
Located in Carmine, JW’s Steakhouse is another OG Round Top dining location. It’s a no frills steakhouse (the chairs remind me of my high school cafeteria chairs), with friendly service and great food. We always eat at JWs at least once a trip. The key is to arrive right around 5 pm and you’ll get right in.
Chicken-fried steak is the most popular order with our team – but I’ve had great burgers and baked potatoes over the years here too. And my uncle claims he had the best steak of his life here.
The Restaurant at Hotel Lulu
Right smack dab in the middle of town, this is one of Round Tops “fancier” restaurants. It’s got a great menu (Italian-ish). While people dress up a little more here than at Royers or JW, you can still wander in your dusty leggings and not feel too out of place.
Just kidding. Last time we were here, we felt like we were at a Big Dumb Hat convention (anyone else love that SNL skit?)
Ali and I are both suckers for Cacio e Pepe and I get that every time I come here. When they have it, their cheesecake is also excellent.
Again, reservations are an absolute must here. Call in advance. And, bonus, they are open for lunch! Though, to be honest, we are never willing to stop shopping long enough during the day for a full sit down meal.
Manditos
A classic Mexican joint that has been here forever! It’s in a great location, right across from the Fields, and has a huge outdoor porch that is always filled to the brim with patrons during the Antique Show.
Drinks
Ellis Motel
Called the “Best Little Dive Bar in Texas” — and it lives up to it. On a nice evening, there’s no place I’d rather be than the front yard of the Ellis Motel with friends and a fizzy drink.
What to Buy at the Round Top Texas Antique Fair
As a Dallas Interior designer, here’s what I keep my eyes peeled for when shopping at Round Top:
We are always on the look-out for unique accessories at Round Top, like the onyx bull used in this home office in Westlake, Texas
Art
This is generally the number one thing I am looking for at Round Top. I keep my eyes peeled for the stacks of art in the corner, hung on the walls, or buried in the back of vintage furniture. I've probably bought 50+ pieces of art at Round Top, ranging in price from a few dollars to $2500. Lots of the art went into clients home, while some pieces have found a home on my own walls. (For some of our other great art resources, check out this post!)
Casegoods
Casegoods is interior designer-speak for any furniture made of hard materials – wood, stone, metal etc. Round Top is a gold mine for unique and beautiful case goods. In a large home we just completed, we included multiple casegood finds, including a French store display dating from the 18th century.
Accessories
If you’re not ready to splurge on anything big, keep your eyes peeled for unique decorative items and accessories. Nothing can elevate your coffee table or shelf styling faster than incorporating vintage items. Incorporating vintage items makes a space feel collected rather than “decorated.” By all means, get vases and frames and other accessories from Homegoods and Target – interior designers do too. But our trick for taking it up a notch is incorporating really unique alongside your Target haul. The Round Top Texas Antique Fair is the perfect place to pick up something really special for your shelves. (We gave a few other tips to up your shelf-styling game in this post.)
Vintage Jewelry
Guys. I forgot to mention one of the best parts of Round Top. VINTAGE JEWELRY. Now I am not a huge jewelry person. But there is just something magical about getting to try on a 100-year-old, massive yellow diamond ring (worth $250k - gulp!) And they’ll let you try it all on. All of it! Last year, I bought a Victorian watch chain that I wear as both a necklace and a bracelet.
Upholstery
Though there’s less upholstery than casegoods, we always see a few unforgettable pieces. Eneby Home, a great vendor at the Compound, always has some killer upholstery. But I would say upholstery is more like an after-dinner mint than a main course at Round Top. Also - be wary of anything brand new. Always use Google Lens to see if you can get it cheaper online. There is another vendor at the Compound whose entire venue is a very common, not-to-be-named trade line that you can find all over online – and probably for a better price.
Lighting
Don’t forget to look up! This is another fun category to shop for at Round Top. One of my favorite vendors for lighting is in Excess. He’s crabby and he barely negotiates, but he has amazing Murano glass fixtures. I love them. All of them. And last time he had vintage marble tile too. But I digress
Clothing
I’m not a big vintage clothing person myself. Mainly because my allergies go absolutely nuts if I get anywhere near dusty fabric. But many of my friends are – and they have found some pretty incredible pieces over the years.
How Much do Things Cost at the Round Top Antique Show?
As a Dallas interior designer who has been shopping in Round Top Texas for over ten years, I definitely have seen the major changes to the Antique Fair. Do you want the good news or the bad news first?
Here’s the bad news:
Prices have definitely sky-rocketed at the Round Top Antique Show over the past five-to-six years. Between a certain Fixer-Upper star (I’m looking at you, Joanna Gaines) and social media, the Round Top secret is out. People fly from all over the country (and occasionally world) to shop in Texas. And vendors know this. Prices at shows like Marburger and Blue Hill have skyrocketed, and it can be a bit harder to find great values than it was in years past.
Here’s the good news:
If you know how and where to look at Round Top, you can still get a good deal. Here are a few tips from an interior designer on how to do just that.
Dress down to Negotiate: Please - don’t take your Burken bag shopping with you. It’s seems silly to have to say this, seeing as you will be walking through muddy fields, but for some reason people have turned shopping at Round Top into a fashion EVENT. It’s everyone’s opportunity to cosplay a cowgirl. Guys - do you really think a vendor living out of their RV is going to give you a good deal when you walk in wearing your hardly worn Luchesse boots, carrying a brand name bag, and wearing diamond earrings?
Bring Cash: While these days, most vendors will take cards, every vendor prefers cash. Cold, hard cash is best – but a check is the next best thing. Make sure you bring plenty of both if you want the best deals.
Go Later in the Show: If a good deal is your priority, go later in the show. The selection won’t be as good, but the closer you get to the end of the show, the more vendors are willing to wheel and deal. Believe me, they really don’t want to load that big dresser back into their truck. This negotiating technique works especially well if it’s going to be rainy the last few days of the show. Rain means less shoppers, which means better deals for those out there.
Don’t be afraid to go junking: I have found some amazing things in the far reaches of Warrington over the years. Yes, you do have to wade through a lot of NOT amazing things, but it’s worth it when you find that perfect piece for a steal. So go off the beaten path, explore the house full of junk. You never know what you’ll find.
To sum up: is the Round Top Texas Antique Fair expensive? Yes. Are there still good deals to be had? Absolutely.
What to Pack for the Round Top Antique Show
Here’s a quick packing list from an interior designer that has been shopping the show for years.
Antihistamine: Texas is allergy central. Combine that with dusty vintage items and you’re left with an allergy nightmare. Prepare accordingly!
Cash: Cash is your best bet for getting a good deal on something. There are more and more ATMs in Round Top, but I’d come prepared — especially for Marburger! There won’t be time to run and grab more cash.
Hand Sanitizer: You’ll be using a few port-a-potties during your visit. Come prepared.
Rain Boots: If there is any rain in the forecast, bring a pair of shoes you don’t mind getting muddy!
Moving Blankets: Have a bunch in your car to help wrap purchases. Some vendors will wrap things, but many won’t. I always regret it when I leave the moving blankets at home.
The Round Top Texas Antique Fair is a design lover’s dream—a place where history, craftsmanship, and creativity collide in the most beautiful way. Yes, prices have crept up, but if you know where to look, there are still plenty of hidden gems that will transform your space without breaking the bank. Whether you’re seeking vintage art with a story, distinctive casegoods, or just want to wander and soak up the charm, Round Top never disappoints.
As a Dallas-based interior designer, every trip to Round Top fills my creative well. It’s not just about the finds, but the stories, the connections, and the inspiration that come with each visit. From charming accommodations to local bites, there’s something special around every corner.
So, if you’re planning your first trip or returning for the hundredth time, I hope this guide helps you make the most of your adventure. At Lark Interiors, we’re all about curating spaces that tell your unique story, and Round Top is the perfect place to discover pieces that do just that. Happy hunting, and remember—every treasure has a tale worth sharing.
For more design tips and Round Top inspiration, be sure to follow along on Instagram!