- Uchi - Tied for best in Austin - everything is great. Tyson Cole is a genius.My advice regarding rolls is to only get the Shag roll, which is amazing. Other than that you are better off sticking with the other items because they are far superior.
- Wink - My favorite - they use local ingredients, menu changes daily and the food is spectacular. Sweetbreads here cannot be beat.
- Uchiko - little Uchi - once again...Tyson Cole is amazing! Better atmosphere than Uchi. The Yokai Berry is incredible.
- South Congress Cafe - everything is fantastic. The crab enchiladas are incredible. The Seared Tuna salad and Tomato Stilton soup are the perfect lunch. This a great place for a special occasion date that will not break the bank.
- Galaxy Cafe - chipotle chicken wrap with avocado is excellent. Seared Tuna with veggies is excellent - get extra sauce. Their roasted tomato soup with ciabatta toast is awesome when you are sick. The Roasted Tomato and Prosciutto chicken is also excellent.
- Olivia - Local ingredients and delicious, seasonal food
- Titaya's Thai Cuisine - best Tom Kha in town.
- Rounder's Pizza - fresh ingredients of your choosing, best crust in town, HUGE pizzas, awesome staff, LOCAL, fun dine-in atmosphere. It can be expensive (one pizza can easily cost $30) but it is so worth it.
- Taverna - this is our girls brunch spot. $1 mimosas = pretty much all you need to know. Incidentally, their food is decent. I like the Carpaccio di Manzo and the Taverna focaccia. One word of caution - sometimes the food can be somewhat cool and also stay away from the pizzas if possible (they just are not as good as others).
- 24 Diner - CHICKEN AND WAFFLES are life-changing. Only menu item that I like at this place, but man do I love it. The fried chicken is perfectly cooked, not greasy, tender, juicy - excellent with the yummy syrup and the waffle is gigantic. One order will feed two people.
- Kenichi - Happy Hour here is pretty awesome. They have an extensive HH menu with all sorts of stuff on it. The Boar Gyoza are excellent, the dynamite Shrimp is absolutely incredible, and the hamachi collar is fantastic. Word of advice - ONLY come to Kenichi during happy hour - it is not worth the dinner prices. Second cautionary word - they only have as many hamachi collars as they have hamachi that day (2 collars per fish), so if you are craving this get there early - oh and get extra sauce.
- Vespaio - another favorite. Everything is good. Seriously. Best Italian in Austin.
- Vespaio EnoTeca - the smaller, more afforable offspring of Vespaio that is open for lunch. The Prosciutto Panini is fantastic as is the Lardo Pizza.
- Austin Java - For someone who cannot eat eggs and does not like bacon or sausage, Austin Java as the best breakfast tacos for me with many different fillings to choose from. Their menu is consistently good and you will generally be satisfied with what you have.
- Cuatro's - Tuna Tacos. MY favorite in Austin. Also, my favorite football (soccer) watching spot. I invented a drink that is watermelon aqua fresca and vodka. Amazing in the summer.
- Blue Dahlia - absolutely fantastic little eatery on the east side. Affordable, super cozy atmosphere and wonderful food.
- Malaga - Tapas. So good.
- Garrido's - excellent Mexican food. Great atmosphere. Great prices.
- La Condesa - awesome atmosphere. Really good chicken (yes I just said that).
- Lambert's BBQ - everything is good. Amazing building.
- Clay Pit - Indian food. Amazing Indian food. During the week they do all-you-can-eat buffet. Friday is the best day when they have Chicken Tikka Masala, Veggie Korma, and two different kinds of soup. I love this place...
- Kerbey Lane Cafe - I mean it is Kerbey Lane. I personally love the avocado black bean tacos on whole wheat. Kerbey Queso is ridiculous. *I only go to the original one.
- Magnolia Cafe - you cannot have Austin without Magnolia Cafe. I like the Flamingo Sandwich with Turkey.
- Suzi's Chinese Kitchen - the food here is so good. Really. Excellent.
- Ming's Cafe - I love Ming's for their atmosphere. I also love their Moo Goo Gai Pan. On Monday evening they have live Jazz and they have a lovely outdoor patio for the nice nights in the Spring.
- Phonecia - both a deli and a store. I love shopping here and the Gyros are amazing.
- Taco Deli - solid breakfast tacos.
- Din Ho Chinese BBQ - excellent, affordable Chinese food. Seriously, skip PF Changs and check this place out instead - you will not ever go back to Changs!
- Vivo - admittedly, their food is not the best and there is not much to choose from. BUT, the prickly pear margaritas, the scenery, the atmosphere and the rose you get with your visit make the nachos worth it!
- Pho Van - Pho. Need I say more?
- Sunflower - Vietnamese - yummy.
- Aster's Ethiopian Cuisine - the only African place in Austin. Lunch menu is cheap and HUGE!
- Cipollina - great pizzas, good salad, solid dinner plates. Local produce used and has a menu based on seasonal items.
- La Cocina de Consuelo - Excellent Mexican food.
- Gloria's - Mexican food. Yummy Mexican Food.
- El Caribe - a hole in the wall that serves excellent interior Mexican food.
- Food Heads - Great Sandwiches
- Ez's Cafe - Best Milkshakes ever!
- Sweetish Hill - bakery. Yummy cookies!
- Portabla - excellent sandwiches and deli goods
- Tacos and Tequila - they have very good tacos!
- J Black's - as a bar it is a little soft, but they have dang good food!
- Mandola's - market and Italian food. I love their pizzas. I just do - they taste like Italy. Their Mista salad is also fantastic.
- Athenian Grill - these guys have the best pita bread - quite possibly in the world. They grill it and it makes my belly happy. The best and worst day of my life was when they moved locations and are no a block away from my office.
- Wahoo's - Fish tacos. Green Sauce. Heaven.
- Maudie's - LOVE their tortilla soup
- Maru Sushi - Pink Roll (I add avocado, crunch powder and eel sauce to it) and Tiger Roll (with salmon subbed for the crab). Perfection
- North - Italian food. Osso Bucco I had here was insane. Also have legit pizzas. I was impressed.
- Paggi House - I have not been back since their re-opening, but this place always had great food. The atmosphere is amazing. Good place for brunch is you do not mind spending the money - it runs about $30 (bottomless mimosas and all-you-can-eat buffet with all sorts of stuff).
- CoCo's Cafe - Spicy Beef Noodle Soup and Green Onion Pie. Kenny will also tell you that the fried pork chop is amazing.
- Southside Flying Pizza - awesome pizza, awesome salads!
Favs are:
- The Peached Tortilla (Banh Mi)
- Sushi A-go-go
- Odd Duck
- Mighty Cone
- The Jalopy
- Flip Happy Crepes
- CHIlantro
- Turf n' Surf
- Torchy's (best queso ever but take your own chips)
To-Do List
I REALLY want to try the following:
- Barley Swine
- Haddington's
- Odd Duck Farm to Trailer
- Max's Wine Dive
- Parkside
- Justine's
- Uncorked
- Snack Bar
- Counter Cafe
- Peche (have been here for drinks but not food)
- The Screaming Goat
- Second Bar + Kitchen
- Congress
- Union Park Brunch
- Trace at the W
- Cafe Josie
