Tucked away in practically the middle of nowhere is a tiny little town. You won’t find much in this town, yet people make the trek out there quite frequently.
To give you an idea of how small this place is, in the 2000 census, the population was 25. In 2005, the population was still…25.
Nothing in this little town changes much, except the name. Originally called Stapp, then later renamed to Barry’s Creek, this spot is now on its third name: Andice, TX.
Funny thing is, Andice is not the name the town wanted. They wanted Audice. But postal officials misread the name and Andice became official in 1899.
Why People Make the Trek to Andice, Texas
Andice General Store (Photo via bikenoob.com)
Our friend Tyler told us about this little town near Georgetown.
Tyler regularly bikes long distance, and one of his favorite destinations is the general store in Andice. It’s a 38 mile trip one way from Austin, and there isn’t much out there besides a couple of churches and the store.
You might be asking yourself what would cause Tyler to ride his bike out to this same distant location on multiple occasions.
The answer lies within the walls of the Andice General Store.
Andice General Store First Impression
Brittany and I didn’t ride bikes out there, but we did make time to take the drive.
When we arrived, the place was packed.
Andice General Store
It is probably fair to say that the patrons in the Andice General Store exceeded the town’s official population.
Andice Texas General Store knick-knacks
The old general store has a smattering of knick-knacks for sale along the walls. Some of them look like they’ve been there awhile, and I doubt that the sale of these items keeps the doors open.
In the center of the store are wooden picnic tables. Quite a few of them.
The tables are communal, shared by strangers, but no one seems to mind. Most patrons seated at these tables are too preoccupied with what is in front of them.
People aren’t there for conversation.
Andice General Store Claims to Have the World’s Best Burgers
As you make your way out to Andice, you’ll notice small signs along the side of the road that read, “World’s Best Burgers.”
Patrons here believe Andice General Store has the world’s best burgers
A huge claim for a little town. We decided to put Andice General Store to the test.
The Austinot’s series on the Best Burger Joint in Austin has been quite popular. Though Andice doesn’t qualify for the series as it isn’t in Austin proper, we decided to rate it with the same criteria that we use for the Search For The Best Burger Joint in Austin series.
This was done so that we could put Andice General Store’s claim into perspective.
Austinot Eric’s Burger Review Criteria
If you’ve read my other articles, you’ll know that I rate burger joints using a 1-10 scale, with 5 being Average.
Roughly speaking, a score of 1 translates to “worst ever,” while 10 translates to “God handcrafted this himself.” Remember, you are free to disagree with me. This is just my honest take.
Andice General Store Burger Joint Review
Bacon cheeseburger and fries at Andice General Store
- Burger Patties = 8. Flat, but very large, 1/2 pound patties.
- Bun = 8. The bun was warm, oiled and plain, without sesame seeds. The bun was also well-sized for the patty size.
- Cheese = 6. Real cheese, but not proportional to the size of the burger.
- Messiness = 8. Went through multiple paper towels and a few napkins while consuming this burger. Good thing they had rolls of paper towels at each table. I like a messy burger, so this is a good thing. Like I always say, “If it isn’t messy, it probably isn’t worth eating.”
- Garnish = 10. It felt like there was half a salad on my burger. Thick tomatoes, flavorful pickles, perfectly crisp bacon and more fresh lettuce than you could ask for. No skimping here, simply perfect.
- Taste = 8. The well-seasoned patties, combined with the fresh garnish, make this burger a delight to the palate.
- Fries = 7. Thick crinkle cut fries with a generous – but not too overwhelming – seasoning of salt, served hot and fresh with the burger.
- Atmosphere = 8. It’s an old general store in a very old town. What’s not to love? They have an outdoor patio and the paper towels are kept in old oil cans on the picnic style tables. They have some dated televisions, extra friendly employees and nice patrons.
- Cleanliness = 9. Though Andice General Store is self-bussing, the place was clean and the employees work to keep it that way. Great job, Andice!
- Other Factors = 8. The burgers are huge. Do not order a double double (unless maybe you just biked 38 miles from Austin?). Oh, and just in case you need a baby bottle or duct tape while you are at lunch, Andice General Store has this kind of stuff all along the walls. Some of it looks like it’s been there awhile, though. An outdoor patio is a nice alternative for cooler days and the staff is genuinely kind. 76 mile round trip from Austin means the burgers better be worth it. They are.
Bottom Line on Andice General Store’s World’s Best Burgers: 8.0 out of 10
Overall Score = 8.0. The overall score is the average of the 10 categories.
You’ll need these while Eating a burger at Andice General Store
If you’re looking for an afternoon drive before lunch, crank up the tunes and head on out to Andice General Store. Make sure you are hungry, and use caution when ordering a double double. You may bite off more than you can chew.
I can’t agree that the Andice General Store has the “World’s Best Burgers,” but I do think the burgers are worth the drive.
Give it a shot yourself and let me know if you think my review is on point or completely off the mark.
@EricHighland asks:
I’d love to hear what you have to say. Do you agree or disagree with my review of Andice General Store?
Road Trip!!!
I’m a huge fan of this series – and a huge fan of hamburgers. How many small town businesses have used “WORLD’S BEST” to motivate people to stop by and spend a few bucks? I’m sure many more than have made it into the record books. It’s nice to hear that the Andice General Store delivers.
Keep up the great work, Eric and Brittany!
Road Trip for sure! This place is definitely worth checking out. I’m really glad you are enjoying the series. Though this one is not technically part of the best burger joint in Austin series… as it isn’t in Austin. But if it were.. it would rank #2 so far. Behind The Tavern which is sitting at #1 and ahead of Casino El Camino which is sitting at #2 for those of you following the series. Thanks for the comment @twitter-15714696:disqus
I think I’m going to be taking a trip to try this soon. I love a good burger, but I’ve been finding it very difficult to not just go to Hopdoddy’s Burger Bar.
@facebook-8314866:disqus it’s worth the drive. Take a friend. Hopdoddy’s is still on my list of places to review for the series. We’ll see how they stack up.
did you review hopdoddy yet? 😉
@facebook-8314866:disqus not yet… still on the list. I’ve got two already in the queue though. One for Wholly Cow and one for Dirty Martin’s.
I’ve heard Salty Sow is good too but I haven’t been yet… Not even sure if they do burgers…
Sure sounds like the CinnaMan, like Eric a burger connoisseur, needs to detour to Andice next time he heads out to Georgetown for a cheesecake delivery …
Take a brother with you. I’ll help deliver that cheesecake.
Try the Rattlesnake on 195.
Thanks for the tip @7093e3082d10cb8cc03589b361f23e97:disqus we’ll keep it in mind if we are out that way.
If you are ever in East texas, Mineola to be precise, Try The East Texas Burger Company. Great Burgers.
We’ll definitely keep that in mind. Thanks for the tip @87cc91983f76dc0d316b0e13fe109212:disqus
I’ve eaten this burger several times while AFTER a bike ride. Can’t imagine trying eat one between a round trip ride from Austin. We drive to Andice, ride from there about 9:00am, and enjoy the burger after we finish. A great incentive to get back quickly! Bummer point-although the store sells beer, they have no liquor license, so you can’t actually drink it there with your burger. (Unless you sneak one into your empty water bottle!) ;D
I can’t imagine biking there so you are one up on me my friend! Thanks for the comment!
Next time you head to Houston, stop at Hruska’s in Ellinger on Hwy. 71 for a burger. The kolaches are also worth the drive.
I live in SC and come out 1-2 times a year to see my son who lives in Andice. I think it would be hard to find a place with nicer people or a better, genuine, “homemade” burgers.
My wife and I have been dining there for years now. We stop there when riding our bicycles for water and snacks, and we often make the drive out there (while wearing regular clothing) for dinner.
We discovered this little hole in the wall while riding our bicycles.
We have spent a lot of money there.
I see that the “new” ownership, probably the previous owner’s kid, is prejudiced against road cyclists, so we will never dine there again.
They have an unfriendly sign on the door regarding “silly cycling shoes”, and the owner has been badgering people who “don’t spend enough money there” if they are in cycling gear.
Cycling shoes and cleats do less damage (they are plastic these days) to Andice’s plywood floor than cowboy boots.
At least we only wear our cycling shoes when we are actually cycling.
To treat us well when we drive our car up while wearing boots, jeans, and t-shirts, but to to chastise us when we arrive by bicycle is bigotry. Nothing more.
I am telling this to everyone I know, and I will tell this to everybody I meet from here out.
That is a lot of people since I am actively involved in both the retail Bicycle industry AND the retail motorcycle business.
I will never spend another cent on their overpriced goods, or their burgers again.
I’m telling both my bicycling, AND my motorcycling friends.
If you want a delicious gourmet hamburger, go to Hardtailz, Hat Creek, or Burger University in Georgetown.
I would now rate Andice Gneral Store at ZERO STARS.
Please get your bicycle buddies to boycott The Woodlands, TX too. The area is full of people wanting bicyclists to use the 200 miles of trails and not clog up their streets. They also think there is something wrong with us sleeping 8 to a room in their hotels. I brought my own protein bar and water so I didn’t get to try out their restaurants but I did sit along the waterway outside a restaurant with buddies and enjoy the free ambience. The restaurant guy tried to run my out and I told him I would report him for being unfriendly to bicyclists. He kicked my ass. I am not going back.
Nice fake post “bike guy”.
We all know who you are.
Burger University? Just take your cleats off and treat the Andice folks with a little common courtesy by not wearing cleats inside. by not sitting on the table tops, by not bringing dogs inside, by not littering your Goop packets.
Dales Essenhous in nearby Walburg blows andice out of the water.
But only until you wear on Dale’s patience and hospitality like you have worn out your welcome in Andice.
I just quit going to that hole in the wall, and I tell everyone I know why my wife and I won’t go there anymore. I have never sat on a tabletop, littered, scratched a floor with my plastic-soled cycling shoes, or otherwise made a mess in a restaurant or store. That place just sucks. I tell cyclists who ask me where to ride, to make the Sun City Market their rest stop instead. They are friendly there and they have better food and seating . If I crave a burger, Walburg is a very short drive, and their burgers are far superior to Andice’s mystery meat.
Your immaturity tells me you had one bad experience out of many good ones. So you fall under the category of all of the people that love a place and then review about how much they hate it after a single bad experience. You deserved to be kicked out. Your opinion is about 100 to 1 compared to all of the people that continue to come into the store and love it (including the majority being bicyclists).
Take your immaturity and bad attitude elsewhere and keep you business to yourself. No one wheres cowboy boots into the store. stereotype. And no one badgered you. You can’t go to a restaurant and use their bathrooms without purchasing something, that is common curtesy; something you obviously need to learn about. No one you meet from here out wants to hear about your complaints.
Same owner for 13 years, also.
I prefer Lois and Jerry’s in Barlett