Our 25 Favorite Local Restaurants
Austin is one of the best cities in America for restaurants.
Here are some of our favorites!
On special occasions like brithdays or anniversaries, we sometimes go to Estancia Churrascaria Brazilian Steakhouse. There are endless skewers of grilled meats to choose from, and the waiters simply keep bringing you food until you explode. The salad bar and cassava cheese bread (pao de queijo) are excellent. Watch your carbs!
Moyra and I both enjoy spicy Indian food, and there are many Indian restaurants to choose from. Our favorite Indian / Pakistani restaurant is SHALIMAR - a dumpy dive in North Central Austin. The food is good quality, fresh, plentiful, cheap and tastes out of this world.
Our favorites include Biriani Chicken, Sag Paneer and Dal Fry.
Rudy's BBQ is a local Central Texas chain of restaurants that has open pit BBQ that is sold by the pound. You eat on paper napkins in a most uncivilzed manner - and it's cheap and declicious!
I've been to BBQ restaurants across the country, and each region has its own unique style. Texas BBQ is heavy on the chili spices, and is absolutely yummy. In my opinion, the best BBQ in the State of Texas can be found in the small town of Driftwood - nestled in Texas hill country about 20 miles south of Austin. The Salt Lick BBQ is historic - it was a mid 1800s stagecoach stop. Phenomenal food, and they even have a small outlet inside the Austin International Airport. If you ever find yourself in Austin, this is a MUST.
Austin has a small Chinatown which is located in the north of town. There are a bunch of Asian supermarkets and restaurants here, and one of our favorite eating establishments is FIRST CHINESE BBQ. Everything on the menu is delicious, but their specialty is Peking Duck - just as good as anything you can get in San Francisco!
Spanish food - specifically Tapas, is all the rage in Austin. Right beside the Austin City Limits Theater
is our favorite Tapas bar "Malaga". Great food and al fresco dining make this restaurant very popular.
Korea House is another strip-mall dive that we frequent. It has the absolutely best Korean Bulgogi BBQ in town, and also has one of the best SUSHI bars. Prices are great, and the food is superb. We frequent this restaurant often. Moyra has been going to it for 20 years, and we know the sushi chef by name. He always gives us special amuse bouche treats!
Chez Nous is a tiny romantic French bistro in the center of downtown Austin. Their daily specials are constantly changing, and the food is out of this world. Moyra lived in France for several years, and says that this restautant is authentic French bistro cooking at its best. We go there on Valentines Day or anniversaries.
Moyra lived in Washington DC for several years, and was introduced to Ethiopian food in her DC neighborhood. I'd never had it - and when a new Ethiopian restaurant opened up in a nearby Austin suburb, we were instantly there to try it out. It has since become one of our favorites. The meat and vegetable dishes are mouth watering, and we have become friends with the owner, Winnie, who not coincidentally is Ethiopian and lived for many years in DC.
When we come back late at night from attending a concert, sometimes we stop for midnight breakfast. One of the best late-night eateries is the Kerbey Lane Cafe. This local chain specializes in fantastic omlettes, pancakes, and local Tex-Mex favorites. And the funky wait-staff are "Austin Wierd" to the max.
Great food and fun!
Lake Travis is only a few miles away from where we live. The best view of this picturesque vista, is from the OASIS Restaurant. The view of the sun setting over the lake is fantastic. The food is decent - but not the best in town. People go to the Oasis more for snacky food and cocktails, and to watch the beautiful sunsets.
Central Texas is not that far from the Gulf of Mexico, and we have good access to fresh fish. One of our favorite seafood restaurants is Perlas - in funky, hippie populated South Austin. Dining is al freso, and the food is magical. It's a great place to eat before catching a concert, as many of the large auditoriums are nearby.
Caio Bella! When we are in the mood for Italian, Carmelo's Restaurant in downtown Austin never disappoints. This traditional southern Italian establishment has superb entres and a great wine cellar.
In the heart of Downtown Austin is wild and wooly 6th Street. One of the landmarks on this famous street is the Driskill Hotel - built in 1886. Moyra and I stayed at this old haunted hotel on our honeymoon, and we periodically enjoy eating at their world-famous dining room. Chefs at the Driskill are world-class, and regularly appear on TV food shows like "Iron Chef USA".
It has never failed to thrill us!
Austin is the capital of Texas and seat of State government. Where do all the politicians and government workers like to eat? Well, just down the street from the State Capitol Building, the Texas Chili parlor serves up hot and spicy delicious chili with all the fixins. Y'all are just liable to run into the Governor here...
If you are looking for some East Austin African-American style BBQ, cold beer, and world - class live music, then mozy on down to Subbs. The food's great, and a good time is guaranteed. Stubbs recipies are so good that they bottle and sell their BBQ sauces and rubs - and we often enjoy them at home too.
Sometimes you feel like listening to some live jazz, enjoying a smooth Belvedere Vodka Martini, and eating a large tender juicy steak. On those occasions, Sullivan's is just perfect!
Like many other big cities in America, Austin Food Trucks have been upscaling their dining experiences and are now true culinary delights! Austin has several locations where gourmet food trucks congregate, and we ocassionally try out a few exotic examples.
Austin is the headquarters of WHOLE FOODS, the famous organic supermarket chain. The enormous flagship WHOLE FOODS MARKET is located in downtown Austin, and it's a great place to shop for exotic groceries.
In addition to being a traditional supermarket, the store also has several inside eateries that serve shoppers delicious entres and delicacies. Yummy!
Austin loves its coffee, and we have quite a number of local roasters and neighborhood coffee houses. One of our favorites is Mozart's on Lake Austin. You can drive to it by automobile or dock your boat at their pier. Great coffee!
Chuy's is a famous local Tex-Mex chain with some of the best fajitas and margaritas in town. Very popular with the younger singles crowd, but great for everyone.
Z-Tejas is a fabulous Southwest / Tex-Mex "fusion" restaurant with great food and fantastic hill country views! A very popular place for upscale business lunches.
Moyra and I both LOVE Chinese Dim Sum (Tea lunch), and the best Dim Sum restaurant in Austin is the NEW FORTUNE CHINESE SEAFOOD RESTAURANT, in Austin Chinatown center. This restaurant is as good as any of the best Dim Sum places in San Francisco. Fantastic variety and quality. On Sunday afternoons they serve literally hundreds of types of little dumplings and tidbits that are to die for. We regularly have Dim Sum here with close friends.
Last but not least, we occasionally like to visit KOBE JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE - a local Teppan and Sushi restaurant that serves up flaming delights!
All this food talk is making me hungry!!!