Real Estate Photographer in Round Rock, TX

HUTTO, Texas — After trailing by two touchdowns before its offense ever snapped the ball, Hutto rallied to take a halftime lead, then held off Round Rock, 33-31, in a thrilling District 25-6A game at Memorial Stadium on Friday night.

The Dragons (3-4, 3-2) tried for a game-tying two-point conversion following a spectacular 39-yard touchdown pass from Dov Stickler to Daniel Barry with less than one minute remaining. Round Rock could not convert a pass attempt that Hunter Frenette broke up in the end zone.

How’s that for Hippo swagger?

“This was huge for our program,” first-year Hutto head coach Eli Reinhart said. “Huge for our confidence. Huge for believing in everything we have been saying. There’s proof in the pudding now a little bit. With high school kids, that’s what matters the most.”

Hutto quarterback Kaden Stefek and two-way starter Jaiden Fields came up huge for the Hippos (5-1, 4-0). The dynamic duo connected for the first three touchdowns of the game for Hutto after they trailed, 13-0, and didn’t touch the ball on offense until the 1:47 mark of the first quarter.

“It was very similar to last week when we had the ball three times in the first half,” Reinhart said. “It’s kind of weird not having the football, but our kids were ready to go on offense. It could be easy to have a slow start, then all of the sudden it’s two turnovers of possession, and the game is lost.

“Our kids did a great job of sticking with it on both sides of the ball,” Rinehart said. “It wasn’t great early on defense, but we have done a great job at halftime of making adjustments to win games.”

Fields, a junior receiver and defensive back, got Hutto on the board with a dazzling 64-yard touchdown reception from Stefek, then added a 44-yard touchdown catch on which he tipped the ball in the air to himself to secure the grab.

Following a Round Rock punt — the first of the game for either team — Fields caught a 19-yard touchdown pass to give the Hippos the lead for good.

“At this point last season, we were 3-3,” Fields said. “It feels great to be on top of the district. If we would have lost, it would have been a big shuffle for everybody. The win keeps us at the top and keeps us going.”

Round Rock moved into field goal range late in the first half before running out of time for an attempt to keep Hutto’s lead at 20-19 at the break. The Dragons missed a pair of two-point conversion attempts in the first half.

After a 1-yard touchdown run by Stefek, Round Rock cut the lead to one on a touchdown strike from Stickler to Barry. But Hutto blocked the PAT to hold onto its 26-25 lead with 11:39 left in the game.

“We stayed motivated,” Stefek said. “Going back out on the field, knowing we were going to score, always staying positive and always trusting our guys.”

On the ensuing possession, Hutto scored on a 9-yard touchdown run by Tulsa commit Keilan Chavies. The PAT gave the Hippos a 33-25 advantage. Fields intercepted a pass on Round Rock’s next possession.

Stefek finished 14-of-24 for 276 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Fields caught six passes for 164 yards and three touchdowns and had one punt return for 17 yards.

“Jaiden is one of the best players not only in this area but in the state on both sides of the ball,” Reinhart said. “He plays every single snap, and he is a game-changer. We did some stuff with him that was a little bit different and found the matchups we wanted. He took advantage.

“It takes a quarterback who is putting the ball in the right position to give us those opportunities. Kaden did a phenomenal job. He never got stirred up, shaken. We missed some things, but he always bounced right back on the next play. He ran the ball hard tonight. Huge win. We couldn’t do it without these two. They’re vital to our program and to our team.”

Hutto is now alone in first place atop the District 25-6A standings. The Hippos have games against Round Rock Stony Point, Austin Vandergrift, Cedar Park Vista Ridge and Round Rock McNeil remaining. Hutto will look to keep rolling on both sides of the ball over the next four weeks.

“It was huge, for sure,” Stefek said. “We trust in our coach to call the plays, no matter when we get the ball, how we get it, what down we have. We know we’re going to go out there, convert a first down and score. We trust in each other.”

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Austin's most booming suburb has plenty of great places to choose from.

A 25-minute drive north from , Round Rock began its life as a little town, transformed into a major suburb with the construction of I-35, and eventually boomed through the ‘90s when Dell set up headquarters there and pulled thousands of employees to the area. Today, Round Rock still retains its small-town roots. People say hello when you cross the street, and no restaurant is too fancy for shorts. While the city is still in many ways a residential area for Texans looking to escape the bustle (and higher rents) of Austin, the cheap living and tech-centric job market have attracted a ton of restaurateurs serving a variety of flavors at friendly prices.

From a Peruvian brasserie with a full pisco bar to a hometown celebrity chef’s bakery, here are the best places to dine.

THE SPOTS

Both the bourbon and the patio at this downtown Round Rock gastropub are hard to beat. Finley’s vast outdoor area, which faces the main tourist strip, fills to the brim on sunny weekends when football matches draw crowds to the restaurant's extensive craft-beer and whiskey selection. It’s solid drinking food—brisket hash, burgers cooked well-done, fried pickles, and the like—that pairs well with people-watching and friendly sports rivalries.

The Bayou Shack serves the best Cajun-style seafood boils within 20 miles of Austin. This unassuming strip-mall joint has draft beer, lots of screens blasting sports, and a nice covered outdoor patio, making it a prime game-day with classic Cajun sides and fried apps. You can build your own boil with crawfish and several kinds of crab, shrimp, and sausage, or go prix fixe with one of their Shack Sack combos that come with corn and potatoes. There are sauce options of varying spice levels, and most combos are more than enough for two hungry people. Be ready to get down and dirty—each boil comes with bibs and gloves.

Round Rock Donuts claims to sell more than 500 boxes of donuts on busy days—a highly believable number, as lines often stretch down the block at this little timber hut by a bustling road right off the highway. The made-to-order donuts are soft, fluffy, and just sweet enough to want another. Everything from their classic glazed donuts and cream-filled éclairs to the specialty cake donuts and warm, yeasty fruit kolaches are exactly what donuts should be. A single one of their aptly named Texas-sized donuts fills an entire box.

Sushi Yume is more than just the best sushi in Round Rock—it’s among the in the greater Austin area. The menu has all the greatest hits—noodles, rice bowls, specialty rolls—but the 12-piece chef’s choice is why you should be here. It’s fresh, generously cut, and prepared with the kind of care that makes this strip-mall spot feel like a destination. Sit at the bar and you might even score an extra piece or two. Since Sushi Yume doesn't take reservations, peak dinner waits can stretch past an hour. Whether you’re a local or making the trip north, it’s worth the wait.

Brasas Peruanas is a Peruvian rotisserie joint specializing in the iconic pollo a la brasas, which is chicken marinated and slow-roasted over charcoal. The menu of anticuchos, papas rellenas, seafood soup, ceviches, and lomo saltado is comfort food of the highest order. This plain-spoken, well-lit space from the team behind Austin’s has built a loyal following of local families who flock here to share full chickens and bountiful seafood towers, all with a side of fries and salad. Their desserts are heavenly, but if you’re in the mood to drink your carbs, order a maracuya sour for an intense hit of fresh passion fruit from the full pisco bar.

Subham Chettinad Grill lives up to its lengthy name. This is where you go for pizza-size dosas, a large array of curried and fried vegetables and proteins, soft idlys, and many other South Indian specialities. The smell of toasting masala jolts you right as you walk through the strip-mall doors. Happy families fold their paper-thin dosas into pockets of masalas and chutneys, tear them apart, and dip them into spicy sauces. Everything off the extensive menu is good, but if you go on a Saturday, don’t miss the special goat biryani, which is cooked South Indian-style in gravy. For weekdays, we recommend the flaky tandoori pomfret. Cleanse your palate with mango kulfi, which is a creamy condensed-milk pop.

If you live in Austin, you probably think it’s silly to make the drive to Round Rock just to eat a sandwich. Your friends and family might even describe you as “taking things too far” or “willing to drive for a meatball sub but not willing to come to my birthday party.” Ignore them, and never be afraid to travel for great food. We have yet to find a meatball sub in the greater Austin area that could take this one in a fight. With nearly 20 different sandwiches, you could spend a few weeks visiting without repeating an order.

Palermo Pasta House serves fresh, handmade pasta and thin-crust pizzas with lots of flavor and no pretension. The white stone building located in the middle of Round Rock's downtown strip is always buzzing with tourists and repeat customers downing reasonably priced plates of bucatini, taglierini, and fettuccine. Pick your pasta type and select from a variety of red and cream sauces, or go for a hearty baked dish—the lasagna is fantastic—paired with something off their impressive wine list. The best seats are near the second-story window where you can watch bar-hoppers mill about on the streets below before you join them.

This halal Tex-Mex-Pakistani spot located in the Gattis School Road food-truck park is a prime example of fusion done right. Think birria tacos made with shank slow-cooked Pakistani style, abundant juices soaking into crispy fried tortillas. Or chicken tikka quesadillas, where the smoky char of the grilled chicken blends perfectly into creamy, earthy tomato sauce. People tend to gather around the locally celebrated truck after Happy Hour beers or a light lunch.

On a dusty lot off U.S. 79, La Patrona is a Mexican trailer serving remarkably fresh seafood under covered outdoor seating. You pick your raw protein—fish, shrimp, or squid—and build a ceviche or aguachile with housemade sauces of varying spice levels (we recommend mango habanero). While waiting for your order, take a gander at the rest of the little businesses on the lot. Need work uniforms and western wear? There's a casita next door with boots hanging outside. Or buy fresh eggs and produce from the stand nearby. There’s also a taqueria if you want some barbacoa tacos for an impromptu Mexican surf and turf. It’s BYOB, so bring your own Modelo and they’ll dress it up with lime and hot sauce.

Paige’s is an adorable downtown Round Rock haven for sugar, spice, and everything nice. The bakery, which was featured on Food Network’s Cake Hunter, specializes in exquisitely crafted cakes of all kinds. There’s plenty of cafe-style seating in the brightly colored space that's painted in various patterns like a wrapping-paper sampler. Sip on an iced coffee from the counter and ooo and ahh over the incredible attention to detail in each of Paige’s pastries.

When you walk into Little Mama’s—one of the few Filipino spots in the Austin area—many Filipino customers will tell you that the food is made exactly how their mom used to do it. Filipino food tends to value function over form. If you think stir-fried ham and shrimp, dark-sauced pork stews, and unusually colored jelly desserts don't look appetizing, know that appearances can be deceiving. Order your chicken adobo, oxtail kare-kare, or ube cheesecake to go for a feast at home, or dine in the brightly colored, homey restaurant. Depending on the time (keep an eye on the hours, which can be irregular), the owner’s family and their cute babies often hang out in the corner.

This Austin mini-chain’s Round Rock outpost is the opposite of trendy in the best ways, serving an expansive menu of farm-to-table Texas comfort food like carne guisada skillets, apple bourbon pecan cobbler, and several chicken fried proteins in a twinkling, all-wood interior. Their enormous South Texas platters are more than enough for two people to share. Add the surprisingly fresh cocktails (we like the Texas Peach made with fresh peach puree, grapefruit liqueur, and peach bitters) for a perfect date night.

Roughly 20 miles north of the Texas capital, the Austin suburb of Round Rock has catapulted in size and influence, a seasoned tech hub that has cultivated its own live-work-play destinations that rival the capital city. Home to more than 140,000 people, Dell Technologies helped put Round Rock on the map more than 30 years ago when the Austin-founded company and its founder, Michael Dell, relocated its global headquarters to the suburban community.

But, there's more to Round Rock than its tech industry oasis and proximity to the capital. Here are some of the highlights worth adding to your next day trip to one of America's fastest-growing cities.

Splash your way through Kalahari Resorts & Conventions

It's been nearly five years since Kalahari Resorts & Conventions opened in Round Rock, a massive, 355-acre site that cost approximately $387 million to construct. The estimated 223,000-square-foot indoor waterpark is supplemented by an 11-story, 975-room hotel alongside multiple restaurants, retail stores, mini-golf and laser tag courses, a salon and a spa.

All-day waterpark passes cost roughly $50, with separate passes or combo options available for access to the Tom Foolerys Adventure Park.

Find it: 3001 Kalahari Blvd., Round Rock, TX 78665

Take me out to the (Round Rock Express) ball game

Beyond Dell, Round Rock is also home to its own Minor League Baseball team, the Round Rock Express, the Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. The team is based out of Dell Diamond, a stadium home to both sporting and entertainment events. While the Express' last home game is slated for Sunday, September 14, the action returns in spring 2026.

Find it: 3400 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock, TX 78665

Buzz your way through a beekeeping class

What's the buzz on Round Rock Honey? The locally-owned shop and farm produces wildflower honey, but also offers honey house tours, beekeeping classes and even a honey harvest class for some bee enthusiasts. Just looking to add a little something sweet to your pantry? Specialty flavors include vanilla bean, orange cinnamon, bourbon and miel picante, with sizes ranging from four-ounce jars to 12-pound tubs.

Find it: 1308 Chisholm Trail Road, Suite 107, Round Rock, TX 78681

Sink your teeth into some of the best doughnuts in the U.S.

Embrace your inner Homer Simpson and indulge in some of the country's most-beloved doughnuts, courtesy Round Rock Donuts. Opened in 1926, the shop is heralded for its curiously yellow (or orange, as the debate goes) dough color.

That color palette is thanks to the shop's use of fresh eggs added to its yeast-risen doughnut recipe. On its busiest days, the shop is known to bake more than 500 dozens of its original flavor.

Find it: 106 W. Liberty Ave., Round Rock, TX 78664 (original location); 1614 E. Whitestone Blvd., Cedar Park, TX 78613