Food:

Abilene is situated solidly in steak country and Abilene cuisine tends toward the thick and meaty, even beyond steak; roast, barbecue, ribs, and hamburgers. This isn’t to say that other kinds of cuisine are completely left out. Mexican food of several varieties (from New Mexican to Sonoran) can be found easily, as can Italian restaurants, and there’s a Chinese restaurant or few. And of course, chain restaurants are here as well as everywhere.

Music:

Abilene is not one of Texas’s musical hubs and honky-tonk isn’t really its scene. Live music isn’t beggared by the lack, however, and some clubs are so eclectic as to personally cover almost every Texas genre there is. Otherwise, some clubs have excellent live country music, acoustic guitar is as likely to be featured as big bands, and there’s something playing somewhere almost every night.