Rancho Loma — Hotel in Coleman

If you know food, when Texas Monthly calls a place “Texas’ version of the French Laundry” and then goes on to name it one of the state’s “10 Small-Town Restaurants That Put the Big Cities to Shame,” you stop and take notice.

And if you’re one of those to take notice, draw a circle around Austin, San Antonio, Midland, Lubbock, Dallas, Wichita Falls and Waco and put Rancho Loma Restaurant + Rest at the center-shot bullseye that can be found three hours (or less) away. Do that— and do it now— because if you fall anywhere inside of it, you’ve absolutely no excuse not to avail yourself to some of the finest food and hospitality to be found in the Lone Star State.

Located just a few minutes south of Coleman, TX, you’ll kick yourself if you don’t make the trip.

Imagine the best food you’ve ever had— “simple" preparations of duck or quail or steak or venison, that belie the highest level of culinary technique— plated in high-artistic style, combining why-has-no-one-ever-thought-of-this flavor combinations, and you’ll only begin to approach what Rancho Loma has to offer.

And what they offer is to be found in the details, details, details.

From the moment you arrive, perhaps a little road-weary, you’re greeted by smiling hosts, a bevy of fowl and fauna and an expansive vista that will make you regret leaving your eyeglasses at home (so it’s a good thing they have binoculars to help you take in all 300 acres). Perched to one side, a five-room bed and breakfast (the beds being the “Rest” side of the equation) whose design and modern appointments reflect a Critical Regionalism architectural style that is firmly rooted in the modern tradition, but tied to the surrounding geography and placed properly in cultural context.

In short, you’ll want to stay overnight. And you should, and then some.

But bring enough wine or other cocktails for your stay, as Rancho Loma Restaurant + Rest is BYOB which isn’t a drawback in the least. It allows diners (and overnight guests) the luxury of pairing their meals and their stay to their own satisfaction. The menus are presented in advance of your visit (we stayed two nights and were wishing for more— we WILL return again) providing you with ample opportunity to find the wines that will pair “just so” with what’s in store for you at whatever price-point makes you happy.

And what’s in store for you is something so far beyond good as to be spectacular. As the owners say, take your time— the table is yours for the evening. You’ll have all the time you need for great food, great wine (of your choosing) and great conversation. It’s the stuff from which magic is made. And for the youngsters (or the young at heart), there’s a modern, landscaped pool, an archery range, friendly and approachable livestock (and two wonderful guide dogs you’ll want to take home with you) and plenty of land, land, land to explore under starry skies above.

Fair warning: if you believe Cracker Barrel is 4- or 5-star dining, this might not be the place for you, but for everyone else out there— and I know there’s a lot of you— you should make the effort. Rancho Loma is just close enough to warrant your trip and just far enough away to make you feel like you’re someplace new and different.

It truly is destination dining, and both the destination and the dining have been done to utter perfection.

I cannot recommend Rancho Loma Restaurant + Rest highly...

We loved our stay at Rancho Loma and plan to stay with them again (hopefully soon.) The rooms are stunning - we stayed in the king suite and it was very clean, quiet, and had everything we needed. There is a soaking tub in the room and a private outdoor shower attached the king suite. The bed was so comfy that we wouldn't have gotten out of it had it not been for the fact that we (me) were desperate to pet the resident animals. There is a gorgeous pool nestled between oak trees that overlooks woods, pasture, and their field. Hens roam about all day, and the residents of the pasture are two sweet donkeys, a horse, a sheep, and longhorn. You are allowed to walk anywhere on the property, including the vineyard, (wear the bug spray that they provide, and interact with the pasture animals wisely... they are very sweet and might let you pet them.) There is a fire pit and a large gas grill available for use by guests. PRO TIP: BYOB and bring food if you stay during the week like we did; be aware that their restaurant is not open apart from weekends, nor is there food easily available nearby. The nearest town is Coleman, a small town where shops are typically closed Mon-Wed. It's no biggie - just plan ahead! We brought a ribeye with us and used their grill, and of course we brought wine. It was perfect because once we got to Rancho Loma we fell so hard in love with it that we didn't want to leave until check-out time. You will too, I promise. Thank you for a lovely experience Rancho Loma - can't wait...

Unfortunately, my wife never got to experience this place and never will. She had to cancel her reservation about 4-5 days ahead of time. You see, my best friend from college, who is only 39, had cardiac arrest. As I type this, he is currently in the ICU, likely brain dead. This was completely unexpected. To allow me to go see him, my wife had to cancel her trip to watch our son. I am well aware of their cancellation policy (14 days), but I consider this an extraordinary circumstance. They threw us a bone and refunded one night. Unfortunately for them, we will never reschedule. They have lost a customer, and given our circle of friends here in Fredericksburg, they could have had a lot more potential customers. If they could have understood the situation, my wife gladly would have rescheduled. They would have had a customer for life, and potentially...