Few things charm like a small town in Texas. There’s Southern hospitality, a sense of community, walkability, and storefronts where everyone remembers your name—that’s what drew Joy Wilson to Bellville. Now, it’s a place the social media mogul, best known as Joy the Baker, calls home. 

Located about an hour west of Houston, Bellville is small, but it’s packed with character and a plethora of activities and sights, including an iconic meat market, a thriving antique scene, and hands-on knife-making workshops. It’s the kind of place that emulates what Texas is about, which is how, after a year and a half of living in Houston, Wilson packed up her things and relocated to Bellville, where she’s now planning to share her small town with the rest of the world. Starting in October, she’ll debut a pop-up bakehouse located on her property, opening its doors to the community on the first Saturday of every month. Each pop-up will have a different theme, but one thing you can count on? A dreamy trio of cinnamon rolls, kolaches, and quiche.

Wilson hopes to drive more people to Bellville eventually, and not just with irresistible pastries. She wants them fall in love with the town just like she did, by directing them to some of the town’s gems. So, what does the ideal day in Bellville look like? Houstonia caught up with Wilson to find out.

Breakfast at the Gathery

Wilson suggests starting the morning with breakfast at this locally owned coffeehouse. Her go-to order is the aptly named Bowlville, a protein-packed combo of scrambled eggs, hand-pulled chicken, house-roasted sweet potatoes, lemon tahini arugula, herbs, and avocado.

“It’s everything that I want for breakfast, so when I can’t make it at home, I walk my butt right up here,” she says, noting that she often pairs her meal with a cup of coffee or matcha.

Considered a one-stop shop, the Gathery goes far beyond breakfast: It’s also the perfect place to score a quick gift. Housed in the same building as a wine and dessert bar, it serves lunch and dinner, and doubles as a boutique, selling items such as cowboy boots and condiments like Greek olives, wines by the bottle, salsa, and balsamic Dijon mustard.

Small town shopping

After satisfying your morning hunger, Wilson recommends a stop at Buck Fergeson Originals essential. It’s dubbed a clothing store, but inside you’ll find so much more—housewares, house decor, men’s bar soap, briefcases, candles, wax melts, and diffusers. Buck Fergeson also holds sentimental value for Wilson, who bought her wedding dress there just 45 minutes before saying “I do” at the Bellville Courthouse.

Those in need of a new outfit can also check out Southern Trends. Wilson says she never goes in with a plan, but she always leaves with something in hand, whether that be a new dress, jeans, shoes, or jewelry.

Round Top usually takes the cake for having the best antiques in Texas, but Wilson says Bellville’s antique store, Nothing Ordinary Antiques and Oddities, is a close second. It’s where you’ll find Wilson eyeing items to decorate her bakery, and if you look in her sunroom, you’ll find a wall filled with plates and other items from the store.

“It’s so deceptively big—you can get lost,” she says. “In fact, I have gotten lost in here. There are so many little nooks and crannies to explore.” 

Hands-on fun at Phenix Knives

There’s nothing like a little pointy action to spice up your afternoon. Phenix Knives (Wilson says to trust her on this one) offers one of Bellville’s most intriguing and unique pastimes. At this local store, visitors can make their own knives out of a horseshoe. The entire process takes approximately 20 to 25 minutes. The staff controls the hot steel and guides customers through the process, showing them where and how to strike the steel. Once it’s done, they’ll grind the blade and smooth it into a one-of-a-kind keepsake, though the blade isn’t built to stay razor-sharp.

Visitors can purchase a small blade for $40 and a large one for $60. The best part? Phenix is a family-friendly and welcoming place for crafty participants ages 6 and up.

Lunch at Bellville Meat Market

If knife making works up an appetite, follow it up with one of Wilson’s favorite pit stops when riding in on her motorcycle. She credits the meat market’s Southern hospitality and warm environment for making her fall in love with Bellville. During one of her early visits, she recalls turning to her now-husband and declaring, “I think I’m going to move here.” Before long, they were walking through the neighborhood, looking at “For Sale” signs.

The allure of Bellville Meat Market lies in the fact that it goes a bit above and beyond. Sure, it offers cuts of wild game, beef, pork, goat, and lamb, but it also sells cult-favorite items, including peppery beef jerky, tamales, and a variety of jams.

If you don’t want to do the cooking, stop in for its barbecue-loaded sandwiches, baked potatoes, and meat plates served daily with sides like macaroni and cheese and potato salad. Don’t leave without grabbing a drink served in one of its iconic red plastic cups that locals hoard by the dozen. Wilson says it’s the running joke in town to ask locals about how many of these they have stored in their homes. Consider this a true Bellville souvenir.

A culinary connoisseur’s dream at North Pole Kitchen Store

Head just outside the town’s central area to the North Pole Kitchen Store situated on Martin Farms. Despite its name, this kitchen, gift, and gourmet store is open year-round and offers a range of products that extend far beyond Christmas. Shoppers can find kitchen gear, sundae kits for sleepovers, and anything a chef, baker, or aspiring culinary artist might need. In the fall, the on-site farm sells Christmas trees and staff-made wreaths to help decorate for the holidays.  

Dinner at Twenty-Two North Holland

Wilson recommends dodging rush-hour traffic by dining at Twenty-Two North Holland. Helmed by chef-owner Cody Vasek, this restaurant is situated within a historic 1850s building. The menu features locally sourced ingredients and dishes, including pappardelle pasta, 24-hour slow-cooked pork shoulder, and a half-roasted chicken, accompanied by India Harvesters’ eggplant Parmesan, organic spinach, and a lemon-thyme pan sauce. Wilson recommends bringing your appetite and someone to share your meal with. Each plate is always Texas-size, she says.