Your Expert Guide
Round Top: A tiny haven in the Texas countryside
There are so many great places to live in Houston that it helps to have an expert on your side. The Neighborhood Guide presented by Martha Turner Sotheby's International Realty gives you insider access from the agents who live and work there, providing in-the-know info about your possible new community.
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Not everything is bigger in Texas — and that’s just how Round Top likes it. Clocking in at a grand total population of 90 (no, that’s not a typo!), this place fully embraces the charms of being “big time small.”
Located in northern Fayette County, about 90 minutes west of Houston, the town is saturated with charm, friendliness, and relaxed country living.
You may have heard of Round Top because of the Junk Gypsy empire. “Their store is a must; they are the cutest, nicest sisters,” says real estate professional Linda Plant, about the design duo who shot to fame on HGTV.
Plant has lived on a beautiful Round Top farm since 2003, so she brings invaluable, firsthand experience to her clients.
“We had friends with a farm here and realized it was a lot closer than the Hill Country and just as pretty with green, rolling hills and beautiful live oak trees,” she says. “You can be as social as you want or enjoy the quiet and solitude of your country place.”
There’s plenty to do in Round Top, too, with fine dining, fantastic art, unique shops, and great places to explore.
The twice-yearly Original Round Top Antiques Fair is also a huge draw, bringing in people from across the country. Plus, La Grange is a mere 15 minutes away, with major retailers and a hospital. And Brenham is only a 25-minute drive.
When she’s not working, Plant is fully immersed in the Round Top community and serves on the board of Friends of Winedale, is co-chair of the Round Top Festival's fundraising gala, and is also involved in the Round Top Family Library and Fayetteville Community Theater.
Plant offered up a few more of her personal favorites about life in Round Top. Here's her guide:
Where to eat & drink
“I love Round Top’s small-town feel, but with a level of sophistication that comes with wonderful restaurants,” says Plant.
She loves Lulu's for rustic Italian fare, The Garden Co. for its amazing farm-to-table menu, and Duo Modern, which is the restaurant at Market Hill, a 119,000-square-foot emporium of the world’s best antiques, furniture, and art.
For Tex-Mex classics, it’s Mandito’s and for gourmet and sassy comfort food, Royers is the place to be. Word to the wise: Get the pie. They’ve got a full menu page devoted to their OMPs (oh my pies).
Some of Plant’s preferred places for a cocktail are Prost and the Ellis Motel (the Coconut Cowgirl is a vacation in a glass), and for craft beer, head to Round Top Brewing.
The adorable Round Top Coffee Shop is also a morning go-to for a cup of joe.
Where to play
Plant suggests walking around the grounds and gardens of the Round Top Festival Institute, which is a center for learning and performances.
For shopping, browse all the goodness at Henkel Square Market — or play bocce ball there. Take the kids to the Round Top Family Library, housed in a former church that was moved to the current site and restored.
Fayetteville Lake is only 20 minutes away and has great fishing.
What to see
“First off, I love to drive the back country roads because there are so many gorgeous areas surrounding Round Top,” says Plant.
The Winedale historical complex is also nearby, with an outstanding collection of Texas hand-crafted decorative arts, 19th-century furnishings, and more. It’s part of the Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas at Austin.
Not to be missed, the 1,100-seat concert hall at the Round Top Festival Institute is a beautiful hidden gem.
“It’s hard to believe this world-class place exists in a town the size of 90!” adds Plant. “Every summer, they bring students and conductors from around the world for a six-week program in addition to other performances throughout the year. It is simply amazing.”
Where to live
In Round Top, the farmhouse takes top billing, whether it’s a traditional German style, a modern design with clean lines and board-and-batten siding, or a stone Hill Country-style home.
“Typically, you can expect wide porches to catch the breeze, lots of windows, and simple and clean lines that reflect the rural landscape,” Plant says.
A good example is 3242 Hartfield Road, where Plant represented the seller of this incredible 16-acre property that features a spectacular main house with sweeping views of the pond and fields, as well as two charming guesthouses from converted corn silos.
A current listing of Plant's is 1227 Kneip Road, a custom, four-bedroom, Craftsman-style home on 18 acres of groomed, rolling terrain with two ponds and Rocky Creek as one of its boundaries.
Two primary suites, a gourmet kitchen, a detached garage with an artist's studio, and a pool crowned by a cascading waterfall complete the dreamy dwelling.
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Linda Plant works and plays in Round Top. For more information on buying and selling a home in the area, click here, email linda.plant@sothebys.realty, or call 713-240-5813.