On the first Friday of every month, local vendors, artists, and musicians set up shop around Brownsville’s historic Market Square, engaging in a centuries-long tradition. Built in 1850, just two years after the border city was founded, the recently renovated Spanish Colonial Revival building once served as an open-air market for Brownsville’s earliest residents. The surrounding downtown buildings—built in a style that marries New Orleans flourishes and Mexican architecture held together by Rio Grande mud—were once the city’s hub. But in the late 20th century, downtown began to fade.
Today, a crop of Brownsville natives is revitalizing the area. For nearly a decade, the city has been working to restore the town’s buildings, open new businesses, and bring awareness to an area that had long been forgotten. “We really have something special here,” says Miriam Suarez, formerly community development manager for the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation. “The community sees it and embraces it, and they want to have an elevated experience—it’s cool to witness.”
WASHINGTON STREET
Brownsville Heritage Museum
Built in 1850, the Stillman House, situated one block south of the square, is among the oldest surviving structures in Brownsville. It’s home to photographs, maps, costumes, and artifacts that tell the city’s history. brownsvillehistory.org
1. Terras Urban Mexican Kitchen
Owners Christian Nevarez and Juan Flores blended their Mexican and American heritage to create Terras. The restaurant, established in 2016, offers a taste of interior Mexican cuisine with dishes like shrimp molcajete and agave spirit-based cocktails. terrasurbankitchen.com
2. Búho
Brownsville went without a bookstore for more than a decade until Gilbert Hernandez sought to change that last year. Inside a 97-year-old Spanish Colonial-style building, Búho sells new and used books, from young adult novels to books about RGV history. facebook.com
3. Rutledge Hamburgers
This historic burger joint is so small, customers can touch both walls at once. Opened in 1924 in a former alleyway, the eatery’s miniature burgers—cooked on the original griddle—still attract visitors from both sides of the border. facebook.com
4. Sweet Co.
Local baker Lourdes Bolado opened this cozy yet stylish café inside a former Coca-Cola bottling facility earlier this year. Try an alfajor—an Argentinian cookie filled with dulce de leche—and a Mexican latte made with chocolate, caramel, and cinnamon. instagram .com
5. Hare & Holly
Named in honor of owner Ashlee Whittmore’s two favorite holidays, Easter and Christmas, this whimsical boutique stocks seasonal décor, stationery, and other knickknacks. instagram.com
Las Ramblas at Market Square
Infused with the spirit of Spain, this James Beard Award-nominated bar across Washington Street offers nearly 50 delicious cocktails. Brothers Michael J. and Fabian Limas launched Las Ramblas in 2019 and have since opened neighboring Boqueron Tapas + Wine and French eatery Le Rêve. lasramblaslounge.com
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