Wacoing

8 Best Cafés and Bakeries in Waco for Coffee, Pastries, and More 

Whether you’re searching for a cozy study spot, a quick lunch, or the perfect sweet treat, Waco has no shortage of charming cafés and bakeries to explore. From rustic coffee shops to artisan bakeries with unique, “viral” menu items, there’s something for every craving and every vibe.  Un je ne sais Quoi Address: 506 Austin

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Local Food Banks Work to Meet Holiday Needs

As the holidays roll around, families across Central Texas plan which delicious, home-cooked dishes to put on the Christmas dinner table. Just a month earlier, these same famlies likely feasted on steaming turkeys, potatoes, and casseroles for Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, lavish holiday meals are a far-fetched dream for some Texans — around 34,000 people, according to

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Holiday Resources in Waco, TX: Where to Receive Food and Assistance This Season

The holiday season is a time for celebration, generosity, and community, but it can also bring financial and emotional stress for many families in our community. Whether you’re looking for the food banks, volunteer opportunities, or gifts, Waco has a wide range of holiday resources available. Here’s your complete guide to holiday food resources in

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Explore 11 Baylor alumni-owned restaurants during Waco Restaurant Week.

Baylor Alumni-Owned Restaurants to Try During Waco Restaurant Week (and Beyond)

Whether you’re checking off your Waco Restaurant Week bucket list, returning to town for Baylor Homecoming, or just searching for the best restaurants in Waco, here’s your guide to Baylor alumni-owned restaurants you have to try. Your Guide to Baylor Alumni-Owned Restaurants in Waco You have your digital passport. You’re hungry. Now where to start?

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The Mighty Brazos

Perhaps nothing says “Texas” like the Brazos River, the 10th longest river in the U.S. and the longest river entirely within the state of Texas. Powerful and temperamental, it meanders 840 miles from Lubbock to the Gulf of Mexico. Home to blue herons, white egrets, hawks, and golden eagles, its flow and color change (clear,

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Whisky in Waco: Balcones Distillery

Texas whisky was not a thing before Balcones, as improbable as that may sound. It certainly still feels odd to Jared Himstedt. “It’s kind of a funny deal when you think of the stereotypes of the South and the Old West and cattle driving,” Himstedt said. “You just think there was a lot of whisky, right? So the fact that there wasn’t anybody doing whisky in Texas when we got started… How the heck? That’s crazy.” 

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6 New Hot Spots in Waco for Fall 2024

There’s no denying the growth and change in Waco, Texas over the past decade. With this rise in popularity, new Waco hot spots are constantly sprouting, bringing in plenty of new gems and expanding the city’s offerings for locals and tourists. Whether you’re just visiting or are a looking for your new favorite spot, here are some new hot spots in Waco you need to check out, including the many offerings at Hotel Herringbone, a new barbecue joint, and Common Grounds’ newest location. There’s so much to explore in Waco, Texas!

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A Commitment to Inclusion: Empowering Waco’s Minority- and Women-owned Small Businesses

“The beauty of living in a community where small businesses thrive,” said Oh My Juice owner Denitia Blount, “is that it sets a place apart. Whenever I go to a town or city, I want the local flair,” she said. “I want to feel like I’m somewhere different. When you go to a chain, you aren’t seeing what makes a place great. You aren’t tapping into the people. In Waco, people are drawn by what’s homegrown and the diversity of our small businesses.” Inroads have been made in recent years to support that diversity in Waco, even though the challenges for all small business owners everywhere are significant: Inflation. Supply chain issues. Renovation costs. Demands for a quick return by lenders. The Bureau of Labor reports a third of new businesses close within their first two years. It’s worse for minority and women business owners. Blount couldn’t secure a loan to start her business in 2013 unless her husband, who has a successful nationally-recognized business, co-signed. People of color face even more discrimination and other inequities. According to a recent Bloomberg Report, eight out of ten Black-owned businesses fail within the first 18 months.  

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10 Mexican Restaurants in Waco You Need To Try

One of the things we love the most about Waco is the perfect blend of American and Mexican cuisine, giving us authentic and delightful dishes with a touch of originality and unique flavors. Now, it’s time to explore the Mexican food scene that Waco has to offer us – get ready for an authentic experience, and let’s dive deep into the best 10 Mexican restaurants in Waco. Waco’s long, vibrant Latino history has created a cultural connection that is rich, vibrant, and worth exploring. This part of Central Texas belonged to Mexico after the Spanish empire took over, and then, in 1836, to the state of Texas, when it declared independence. So, it’s no surprise to find the flavors of Mexico taking over the Waco culinary scene. Whether you love tacos or fajitas, these places really know how to make delicious Mexican food. Join us as we explore the diverse and flavorful world of Mexican dishes in Waco, TX.

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The Many Murals of Waco

For years, Waco has been growing its reputation as a hub of arts and culture, and nowhere is this more apparent than on its public walls. Everywhere you turn in the City of Waco, Texas, a mural of inordinate quality is likely to greet you, offering insights into the town’s history or just being darn cute. Here are six eye-catching murals and 25 related others that make for a fun and funky treasure hunt.

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The 11 Best Bars in Waco

Welcome to Waco’s lively night scene! From historic family-owned bars to modern nightlife spots, it’s time to indulge in the sweet flavors, aromas, and essences of Waco bars. From whiskey to wine and cocktails to craft beer, these bars in Waco are always worth visiting. Read here to check out the 10 best bars in Waco, TX. Hot spots include Balcones Distillery, One Day Bar, Dichotomy Coffee & Spirits, The Backyard, and Valley Mills Vineyards.

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Total Eclipse of the Sun (Waco’s Version)

Baylor prepares for a once-in-a-lifetime event when Waco, TX will become a prime location to view a total solar eclipse. On April 8, 2024, observers in Waco will be in that “right time and right place.” The total solar eclipse is predicted to last more than four minutes and is truly a once-in-a-lifetime event. The last total solar eclipse visible in Waco was on July 29, 1878; the next one is not anticipated until after year 3000.

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The Great Waco Water Watch

The City of Waco’s contingency plans for keeping water flowing for residents is top of mind as Texas sizzles in the summer sun. Lake Waco’s water levels in July 2023 are actually lower than the previous year — one of the worst on record. At the same time, twice as much precipitation has helped keep the ground saturated, allowing for reserves to build and the region’s flora to remain better hydrated. What are Wacoans to do?

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A (Suspension) Bridge Over (Brazos) Water

The Brazos River’s temperamental mood swings made the cattle driving business unreliable, difficult, and frequently dangerous. In 1866, shortly following the Civil War’s conclusion, the Texas State Legislature chartered the Waco Bridge Company, granting the enterprise a $25,000 budget, not to mention essentially a local monopoly, to construct a new bridge spanning the wild Brazos. It cost the city one dollar. Well, technically.

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If You Grill It, They Will Come

Hungry Wacoans and Baylor students continue to build Jake Patterson’s Yaki dreams. Teriyaki as it is known today first originated during the 1700s in Japan, and refers to food that is grilled or broiled in a glaze traditionally composed of soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar. It wasn’t until 1976, however, that the first dedicated teriyaki restaurant in the United States opened — Toshi’s Teriyaki in Seattle, Washington. And now, there’s a growing Yaki empire in Waco.

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Reaping the rewards: Mission Waco’s Urban REAP Program

In Texas, there is a 30-year difference between the highest and lowest life expectancies, and with earthworms, composting, aquaponics, and gardening, Urban REAP, a renewable energy and agriculture project within Mission Waco, is working to address that concerning statistic. REAP provides an educational center for children and adults alike to learn more about the world around them.

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Full Circle: Christmas at the Silos freshman to senior year

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxLF2XAAeWQ[/embedyt] Video and photo by Olivia Bragg. I don’t like Christmas music. My friends tease me about it, but I only like three songs: “Go Tell It on the Mountain” by Penny and Sparrow, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey and “Baby It’s Cold Outside” by Michael Bublé and Idina

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Creativity & Hospitality: Waco welcomes January Letterpress

Everyone has a box of keepsakes. Sweet notes. Old pictures. Sentimental cards. Baylor graduates Jon Mark and Michelle Buckner aim to take the sentiment one step further withopening their stationary store and custom letterpress studio. Upon returning to Waco in 2018, the couple opened shop on a quaint little corner off Franklin Avenue. The bright

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From Pain to Pineapples: How Denitia Blount pioneered Oh My Juice

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_mnrHozz2g[/embedyt]   Sometimes God helps the stupid. Denitia Blount’s business is more than a local Waco juice store. It’s a ministry. Oh My Juice (OMJ) was birthed out of a car crash, pain and sickness. Following a back-fusion surgery, a minor accident threw Blount into pain every day for five years. “I never experienced

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