Cozy Japanese restaurant with some added Texan influence. Great place to order a bunch of dishes and share around the table. Sit inside or out, but make a reservation if visiting on the weekend - it has a habit of being busy.
Austin institution serving Tex-Mex since 1952 - enchiladas, burritos, and all the other classics. Has developed a solid reputation as a family-friendly venue. Dine on the outside patio to the sound of birds and the fountain.
Elegant Mexican restaurant in a hacienda-style space. The dinner menu offers the likes of duck enchiladas, Yucatan-style broiled fish, and three-cauliflower tacos. Many guests linger after their meal for drinks.
Light bites and refreshing drinks in the unique setting of a refurbished gas station. Ideal for a happy hour drink and burger. Kinda Tropical also has a large patio with outdoor seating for those good weather days.
Market-style barbecue joint where a long line snakes past coolers and side dishes to the main event: the cutting block. Brisket and giant beef ribs are sliced to order and sold by the pound, served on butcher paper with house-made sides.
East Austin trailer grilling authentic Philly cheesesteaks on proper Amoroso rolls. R&B playlists run loud as crowds carry loaded fries into the neighboring Grackle bar.
Jamaican trailer in North Austin serving scratch-made bowls at outdoor picnic tables. The go-to order mixes island rice and creamy mac and cheese under a heap of boneless jerk chicken.
High-energy Mexican grill on the Austin Proper’s fifth-floor pool deck. Wood-fire smoke fills the textured, indoor-outdoor room as groups tear into sizzling ribeye fajitas and frozen margaritas.
Massive, gold-tiled pizza oven anchors the dining room, firing hyper-thin Neapolitan pies. The real show is the tableside tagliatelle – finished in a flaming wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Bustling Tex-Mex hall loading tables with sizzling fajitas and handmade flour tortillas. Large groups crowd the booths for shared platters and strong lime margaritas.
Bright, colorful neighborhood spot for Mexican-inspired comfort food, with a patio that fills up early. The menu is built around guisos and enchiladas; the sweet-glazed shiny ribs are essential.
Neighborhood Italian-American spot serving house-made pastas in a dim, wood-paneled dining room. The policy is strictly walk-in, so expect a wait – most people grab wine at the plant shop next door.
Takeout pizzeria dedicated to proper East Coast pies – foldable New York slices and thick, airy Sicilian squares. The only seating is a handful of picnic tables out front.
Lively spot for the complex, aromatic cuisine of South India's Chettinad region. Its famously long menu includes over a dozen dosa varieties and grand thali platters with more than 20 small dishes.
Food truck focused on one thing: made-to-order Thai fried chicken. Each plate comes with rice, salad, and a crucial choice of sauce – from spicy Kai-Zabb to creamy yellow curry – served on the side.
Elegant Asian-fusion restaurant focused on high-quality sushi and sashimi, with fish flown in directly from Japan. A live DJ takes over the lounge on weekends, creating an energetic scene fueled by artisan cocktails.
Fresh, hand-battered chicken and waffles arrive hot alongside slow-braised oxtails. The kitchen cooks massive portions of Southern comfort food to order in a clean, modern space.
Food court stall dishing up Korean-style chicken that's oven-roasted before being flash-fried. This two-step process yields an extra-crisp, less-oily bird, tossed in sauces like deep soy-garlic or creamy chili mayo.
