RAMEN TATSU-YA
Read moreRamen Tatsu-Ya is a phenomenon in the city, with foodies lining up, especially on weekends, to get a seat at the table. The idea of a restaurant specializing in ramen was born from the meeting of two chefs, one a native of Tokyo, the other of Austin, both Japanese, who grew up in the Texas capital. And the result is there: what you find in the bowl has spent hours and hours cooking on low heat in the chef's pots. It's delicious, it's healthy, all for very honest prices.
BUFALINA
Read moreA Neapolitan-style pizzeria, a real one, but without the kitschy decor that often goes with it. No frescoes and cherubs but a clean and raw style. Since it is not possible to make reservations, try to come early and sit at a large communal table. The pizzas are absolutely delicious, the dough fine and the ingredients fresh. All at a very reasonable price. We recommend the pizzas, the calabrese being a favorite. Their wine list is not bad either, with recurring wine tasting events.
HILLSIDE FARMACY
Read moreThis former pharmacy has been transformed into a superb café-restaurant. One comes here for brunch or to share an oyster platter. Whatever your preference, everything is good and fresh and for lunch, the prices are very reasonable. The whole in a bohemian and relaxed atmosphere. We like it a lot and we highly recommend it. The Wednesday menu is burger and fries, cooked the old fashion way and really delicious. The happy hour takes place on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays between 3pm and 5pm, with bottles of wine at half price!
HOPDODDY BURGER BAR
Read moreWith its burgers from all over the world, Hopdoddy has understood everything. A nice and relaxed setting, with an American Graffiti sixties style, but in an Austin version, reasonable prices and, above all, a tempting menu: the El Diablo burger, with chili, the Buffalo Bill, with bison, the Ahi Tuna, with raw tuna... The list is long and tasty and the locals know it, who crowd here for lunch and dinner. The atmosphere is relaxed and warm. Don't hesitate to come early or you'll surely have to wait in line, sometimes for almost 45 minutes.
HULA HUT
Read moreThis very original restaurant concept will not fail to surprise. Located on the edge of Lake Austin, the Hula Hut is quite different. Already, at the entrance, a surfboard welcomes the customers. Inside, the menu is also a surprise. The chef combines Mexican and Polynesian cuisine... If you don't like sweet and sour, you'd better not try it. The terrace by the river is very pleasant at lunch time, and even more so for the Sunday brunch. Cheese-burgers, fajitas, tacos, enchiladas, burritos, all with great taste and color!
SAWYER AND CO
Read moreThis East Austin diner offers a New Orleans-inspired menu: okra, fried fish, oysters, po'boys, and more, are on the menu. All this in a very design vintage decor that appeals a lot to the locals, even more to the newcomers! Sit at the counter and don't be afraid: the portions are huge but everything is good, at a reasonable price. Between Wednesday and Friday, they offer a happy hour menu, to accompany your meal with great cocktails. The brunch menu is also very popular, served on weekends.
FRANKLIN BARBECUE
Read moreThis barbecue is an institution in Austin. People come from all over to taste a meat so tender that it seems to melt. It's because it cooks for hours... No closing time: as long as there is meat left, the barbecue stays open. This can be faster than expected, especially on weekends. So don't hang around, go to Franklin Barbecue! If you have to wait in line, which is often the case, there's a good reason. You can also enjoy some great craft beers there.
KERBEY LANE CAFE
Read moreThis café-restaurant is located in the pretty house on Kerbey Lane. It has been a popular spot since it opened in 1980, especially for its famous brunch. Since then, the Kerbey Lane Café has had a number of smaller establishments, including the one on Guadalupe Street, next to the University campus. The atmosphere is more student than family, but the food is still reassuring and warm. They offer a seasonal menu with fresh and local products. Otherwise, you can find great American classics, but cooked rather healthily, including great sandwiches and burgers.
GUERO'S TACO BAR
Read moreNestled in an early 19th century building, Guero's was originally a former store, The Central Seed and Feed Store. In 1995, the Lippincott family bought the building - the store had closed two years earlier - and transformed it into a taqueria. Since then, Guero's has become an institution. Its homemade corn cakes, or tacos, are popular with locals, who come here for brunch or lunch all day. We love the charming and retro decoration, the big fans in the ceiling and the big terrace on the street.
CHEZ NOUS
Read moreFrench cuisine revisited by Americans, in a good child atmosphere. After all, we're in a bistro, and at Home. French dishes are served at reasonable prices, especially at noon: béarnaise tender, fish roasted with anise… and even pancakes to spinach. By entering, snails or a block house will complete the palate with the evil of the country.
MAÏKO
Read moreThis Japanese restaurant mixes its culinary influences with western cuisine, with a variety of choices between traditional sushi and good Texas-style steaks... often a sign of a lack of culinary refinement, this address is still a good option for a tasty lunch or dinner, especially if you're looking for something other than cheeseburgers or tex-mex. The prices are even more affordable, with lunch combos such as the famous 'lunch sashimi' or the 'sashimi combo' with six pieces of fish chosen by the chef.
VESPAIO
Read moreVespaio's menu has been carefully crafted to represent the best of Italian cuisine, while choosing organic and local products. These little peninsular wonders are produced by farms in Texas. Wood-fired pizzas, pasta, lasagna, veal cutlet Milanese, all the typical dishes of Italy are served there. We like the tagliatelle con funghi, with truffle cream... a real delight! Some will say that it is surely one of the best Italian restaurants in Austin.
MOONSHINE
Read moreThe Moonshine is installed in an old grocery store, covered with ivy. The old house has been perfectly restored: balcony, stone walls, small patio, superb and very confidential bar upstairs. The staff is dynamic. For lunch, we recommend the beef steak and, for dinner, the Blackened Catfish with crawfish tails, and the Center Cut Pork Chop with Cranberry Apple Chutney, if you like sweet and sour. In the evening, the menu is a little more innovative, but the place is still an excellent place to eat.
JO'S COFFEE
Read moreAn institution in Austin. All the locals meet here for a coffee, a muffin, a cold beer or a breakfast taco that melts in your mouth... Jo's coffee is also the perfect place to listen to a concert on the weekend, at the time of the Sunday brunch, on small folding chairs of garden. A cool, unpretentious and warm place, just like Austin, and right in the middle of SoCo! In the summer, water is breezed in, which makes it a particularly popular terrace! Check out their website for upcoming events.