Finally made my way to Austin, Texas. This is a city that has been on my list for as long as I can remember. Good music, lots of character, and - most importantly - excellent food. With a little southern flare, a little southwest flare, a little Mexican flare, this city is full of some mouthwatering food choices. We spent a lot of time gathering recommendations from friends, family members, trusted sources, and ate our faces off for a long weekend. Below are some of the foods that you can't miss
during your visit to Austin…
Must Eats
Tex-Mex, Mexican, & Fusion
Let’s talk about some fusions here. First: Tex-Mex. Friends from Texas have drilled it into my head: it’s not traditional southern food, it’s not traditional Mexican food, it is its own breed. If you’re exploring the area, make sure to grab some delicious dishes that are spicy, meaty, and full of flavor. We went to a few spots that took classic dishes to the next level.
One fusion spot that needs a specific shoutout, probably our favorite meal here, was Kerumi Tatsu-ya. This restaurant serves Japanese/Tex-Mex fusion, and if that sounds like an insane combo, then you are getting the gist of this restaurant. As Japanese food lovers, and creative cuisine lovers, this was a dream spot in Austin. Every dish was so unique and delicious, creative and fun, and trust me, SO worth it. We ate: Hot Pocketz (Gouda & Brisket), Spicy Pork Ribs, Miso Marinated Scallop, Yakitori Meatballs, Chili Cheese Takoyaki, Crispy Onigiri, Fried Catfish Steam Buns, Miso Banana Pudding, and some AMAZING mixed drinks. Heaven.
Where we ate: Kerumi Tatsu-ya, ATX Cocina, La Condesa
Barbecue
Listen. I have a lot of feelings about this. In Austin, BBQ is a CULTURE. Truly. As someone who spent years living in the American South, when I heard the average wait for some barbecue in Austin was a couple hours, I was hesitant. But on the other hand, if you’re in Austin, you just gotta do it. You will wait in line for a couple hours if the barbecue is any good. Especially if you make the decision to visit the famous Franklin’s Barbecue. We went to La Barbecue, another popular spot, and shared some brisket, pulled pork, and sausage. And we were very hungry for it when it was finally our turn.
Pro Tip: If you’re visiting with a group, multiple spots let you order in advance (a couple days) and pick it up. This is a great tactic to skip the line at a spot like Franklin’s!
Fried Chicken & Sweet Tea
Another southern must. You’re in Texas - time to get some fried chicken and sweet tea. I’m such a sucker for fried chicken, so when we passed a Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, we decided it was time for a pit stop. “Just a bite” we said. “We can share something small” we said. Nope. We ended up ordering Fried Pickles, a Plate of 2 White Chicken Breasts, Fries, Slaw, and Sweet Tea. Do I regret it? Not one bit. This is such a good pit stop if you need some fried southern comfort. Super crispy and super affordable.
Tacos
If you eat nothing but tacos during your time in Austin, you will have done a good job. Austin is famous for their food trucks. And while the food truck options are endless, Austin particularly thrives in the art of taco making. We took it upon ourselves to try as much as we could without exploding, by going on a little taco tour each morning. I highly suggest breakfast tacos. Some places we stopped were: TacoDeli, Guero’s, Torchy’s Tacos, Las Trancas Taco Stand, and Veracruz All Natural Food Truck.
Below is what we grabbed from each spot:
TacoDeli: Jamón el Suavecito, El Picosito, Pork Al Pastor, Huevos Ahogados
Guero’s Taco Bar: Al Pastor Taco, Chicken Al Carbon
Torchy’s Tacos: Brushfire Taco, Topo-Chico Drink, Democrat, Trailer Park
Las Trancas Taco Stand: Pork Carnitas, Campechano
Veracruz All Natural Food Truck: Migas Originales, Al Pastor, Chorizo & Cactus
Cafe’s
There are some adorable (and famous) cafes around Austin. During your mural tour of the city, these are perfect spots you can stop, relax, and recharge. There is the famous Jo’s -- pretty much a must if you’re in the city and want to take a picture with the “I love you so much” mural on its facade. I grabbed a spicy Tex-Mex Hot Chocolate with a much needed espresso shot. Another favorite of ours was right off of South Congress called Mañana. It has a sunny interior and I drank a delicious turmeric & ginger latte.
Not a fan of coffee?
There are some other must-try drinks in the area: Mexican Coca-Cola (basically your regular coke, but made with cane sugar instead and therefore way better), Horchata (a sweet, vanilla and cinnamon milk-based drink), and Topo-Chico (popular sparkling mineral water).
Night Life & My Love for Tito’s
Austin comes alive at night. It’s definitely a “stay out late, wake up late” kind of city. Make sure to explore the area and listen to a lot of live music while you’re there.
Some spot suggestions:
Roosevelt Room
Honestly, maybe my favorite cocktail bar I’ve ever been to. If you love some amazing drinks and maybe a charcuterie board, definitely make a reservation here ( trust me - reservations are necessary). We reserved time here two nights, because we weren’t sure if we’d make it there the first night flying in. We did, but came to the second reservation anyway. If you’re sitting at a table, the menu is never ending and quite creative (just check out their website). If you’re able to sit at the bar, even better. These bartenders are amazing. We would just tell them what we felt like, what we were craving or curious to taste, and they were excited to create something completely off menu that came to mind based on what they had concocted in the past. Truly, some of the best mixed drinks I’ve ever tasted. And we tried quite a few…
Péché
Péché is a highly recommended restaurant that is also a wonderful place to grab a drink. With a great long cocktail menu, it was a delicious place to stop before or after dinner. The interior is gorgeous, and they really lean into some classic Texas-specific drinks (for example, my Texas mule).
PS this whole street has some pretty great bars to have a drink or two!
Definitely explore.
Rainey Street
Many Austin locals will tell you Rainey Street has changed a lot through the years, and I believe them. It became famous for being a street full of traditional homes that were converted into fun, quirky bars. The backyards have games, stages, food trucks, and nighttime fun. House by house, you can drink your way down the street. Over the years, it has grown more and more popular and consequently more and more commercial. But still, it’s definitely a fun time for a night out.
Make this a stop at least one night -- I couldn’t recommend it more.
6th Street
6th Street, on the other hard, is not for the faint of heart. If you skip it, you will be fine, but it’s important to know it exists. If you’re a bachelorette party or a group looking to have a drunken, wild night, then this is your spot. They shut down the street so it’s pedestrians-only, and it is packed with people roaming from bar to bar. You’ll probably see a fight (we saw multiple), a lot of pizza stops, and some true downtown fun. Good luck and be safe.
Other Recommendations:
Like I said, we got an enormous amount of recommendations. Although we didn’t get to try them all, I thought I’d pass some along to you. Let me know how they are!
Already planning my next trip.
BBQ: Rudys, Franklin, Country Line (on the lake), Coopers BBQ
TEX-MEX: Maudie's Cafe
SOUTHERN: Olamaie
TACOS: Tacos Guerrero, Taco Shack, Turf & Surf
BURGERS: Pool Burger, Casino El Camino
MEXICAN: Al Alma, Fonda San Miguel
FAMOUS BARS: The White Horse, The Continental Club
to plan your whole taco filled trip!
Any suggestions? Let us know!
Written & Photographed by Emi Lungmus
Edited by Anna McCarthy