Top 10 Restaurants in Austin

Due to the diversity and preserved ethnicity in the city, another thing that gets positively affected is the food culture. Austin serves a unique blend of Texan indigenous cuisine, along with its inherent elements and styles. Offerings like the Texas Barbecue or the Tex- Mex cuisine, which is a creation of the Tejano people of Texas are some of the best in Austin. Briskets, breakfast tacos, and queso are popular food items in the city when you want to grab a quick bite.

Apart from a variety of high- end outlets, Austin also offers an enthusiastic environment for street food. The city has around 1300 food trucks operating and serving lip-smacking preparations for the choice of customers. Austin also has developed a culture of craft beer, which is served at most places. Craft breweries produce small amounts of beer, which are much lesser in quantity than typical breweries. These breweries emphasize more on the quality of the beer, along with a perfectly balanced flavour. Their specialised brewing techniques achieve it. In the metropolitan area, there are more than 50 such microbreweries in operation, which shows how vital a part of the city beer is.

Most Austin restaurants have a penchant for Mexican blends. Dai Due Taqueria is one such place that is known for its tasty tacos and tortas, which they make using locally sourced meat and seafood from the Gulf. The position works on a counter-serve arrangement and has a decent ambience. The interiors are well lit, and ash undertones add to the aesthetics of the restaurant. This joint also serves Texas barbecue and is famous for it too. There is a full bar on-site that serves beer, tasty cocktails, and wine. Apart from the indoor dining area, you can also choose the outdoor park-like space to have your bite as you like it. If you want to have delicious tacos, this is one of the best restaurants in Austin. To make its renowned tortillas, the chefs here use a variety of locally grown dried corn, which they nixtamalize in the grills’ post oak ash. It adds more to the authentic and rustic flavour of the tortillas. Avocados, limes, fresh tomatoes, and some choicest of herbs are used for seasoning in the tacos.

On weekdays, the place opens from 11.00 am to 9.00 pm.

On Saturdays and Sundays, the place opens from 9.00 am to 10.00 pm.

Dai Due Taqueria, 111 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701, United States

Next in the list of the best restaurants in Austin is Contigo, which is an American restaurant serving farm-fresh Texan cuisine. The place also serves seasonal cocktails and beer. The location is very breathy and spacious, with most of the furnishing in veneered wood. The interiors have ample lighting, and there is an outdoor all-weather patio too. The ranch-style vibe of the place pulls a lot of customers and makes it a popular destination to grab good food under the skies of central Texas. The cold fresh drinks by the modern bar, along with good quality food, make this place a mandatory inclusion in the list of best restaurants in Austin. The menu is also diversified with a lot of unique dishes to choose from. It makes the overall experience of eating wholesome. The owners admit that the structure of the place was inspired by one of their family members in South Texas. That is what they have tried to put up here in this fantastic place. Among the popular dishes are burgers, steaks, sausages, and fried chicken.

From Monday to Thursday, the place is from 5.00 pm to 11.00 pm.

On Fridays and Saturdays, the timings get a bit extended up to 12 in the midnight.

On Sundays, the place opens from 10.00 am to 2.00 pm.

Contigo, 2027 Anchor Ln, Austin, TX 78723, United States

If you are in search of the best restaurants in Austin which serve Japanese cuisine, then Kemuri Tatsu- Ya is just the place for you. This casual but elegant eatery has a lively decoration and ambience, which maintains a feeling of the Asian culture. The restaurant is famous for its ramen, which is a special preparation of noodles from Japan. Apart from the dining area is a bit loud and buzzy, and the pace of work is visibly very fast. It is one of the best restaurants in Austin in the present time, which serves Asian Fusion. Space is a bit dimly lit to create a night market like atmosphere, and there’s also a patio at the backside. The restaurant has a dedicated menu for alcohol, which makes the experience more enjoyable. Some other famous delicacies of the place include barbecue boat, fish collar, sticky- rice, beef tongue tamale, chilly cheese takoyaki, barbecue tsukmen, and pecan pie.

The place opens from 5.00 pm to 11.00 pm on all days except Fridays and Saturdays.

On Fridays and Saturdays, the timings get a bit extended up to midnight.

Kemuri Tatsu- Ya, 2713 E 2nd St, Austin, TX 78702, United States

Tacodeli is a chain operating at multiple locations in Austin the place is one of the best restaurants in Austin which serves fantastic Mexican food. The place is known for its handcrafted tacos, which are made by using local and organic ingredients. The toppings of salsa sauce add to the crusty flavour of the tacos. The owners describe themselves as having an obsession with the quality of ingredients. The menu is having lots of varieties which merge both Mexican and American flavours.

On weekdays the outlets open from 7.00 am to 3.00 pm.

On Saturdays and Sundays, the outlets open from 8.00 am to 3.00 pm.

Currently, there are six locations of Tacodeli in Austin. They are mentioned below.

Tacodeli, 1500 Spyglass Dr, Austin, TX 78746, United States

Tacodeli, 4200 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78756, United States

Tacodeli, 7301 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78757, United States

Tacodeli, 701 S Capital of Texas Hwy e590, Austin, TX 78746, United States

Tacodeli, 301 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701, United States

Tacodeli, Austin Bergstrom International Airport, 3600 Presidential Blvd, Austin, TX 78719, United States (this outlet opens every day from 5.00 am to 8.00 pm)

It is our next pick in the list of best restaurants in Austin. This American eatery serves a blend of American and European cuisines in a funky setting. The restaurant is not very big in terms of area but is spacious and cosy. The vibe and experience get enhanced when consumed with the choicest selections of craft beer, which is available at the place. There are also happy hours at this place from 5.30 pm to 9.30 pm. The location can be said to be a small neighborhood restaurant and has fantastic food. Like some of the best restaurants in Austin, this restaurant also shuffles its menu on a timely basis. The popular dishes include the crispy beef tongue, fried chicken biscuits, braised goat, roasted quail, etc. customers say that the overall service is particularly fast, and the restaurant does not disappoint in that aspect. The place is known for its seasonal foods too.

The place opens from 5.30 pm to 9.30 pm from Tuesdays to Thursdays.

On Fridays and Saturdays, these timings get extended a bit up to 10.30 pm.

On Sundays, the place opens from 10.30 am to 2.30 pm.

The place remains closed on Mondays.

Foreign & Domestic, 306 E 53rd St, Austin, TX 78751, United States

Next in the list of popular best restaurants in Austin is The Salty Sow. The rather popular offerings of the restaurant include braised and poached foods, cocktails, and craft beers too. The setting of the restaurant is somewhat laidback and straightforward. There is also an option for outdoor seating, and the entire place is well lit and airy. The home has its happy hours from 4.30 pm to 6.30 pm when the customers can get lucrative discounts on wines and cocktails. Two separate dining areas are connected with the outdoor dining patio. Space-wise it is sleek and crafty, where long- elegant tables are used to manage the existing space in a better way. The low lighting of the place creates a more intimate kind of vibe and makes the place a perfect spot for such romantic moments or dates with your loved ones. The tranquil atmosphere has a charm as compared to other noisy situations, which is why the place can be said to be among the best restaurants in Austin. The duck breast and pork are accessible here.

The place opens from 4.30 am to 10.00 pm every day.

However, on Fridays and Saturdays, the timings get a bit extended up to 11.00 pm.

The Salty Sow, 1917 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78722, United States

This famed restaurant is among the best restaurants in Austin, which serves Japanese cuisine. Space is upscale, and the area is farmhouse type. The interiors are of the undertones of wooden colors, and the place is adequately lit. Over the years, the situation has grown as a popular sushi bar in the city. The specials of the restaurant include well- fleet oysters, lamb saddles, pork ribs, popcorn okashi, etc. Most of the dishes are from Japan, and the variety of sakes in the drinks is particularly awe-inspiring, making it one of the best restaurants in Austin.

The place opens from 5.00 pm to 10.00 pm every day.

However, on Fridays and Saturdays, the timings get extended up to 11.00 pm.

Uchiko, 4200 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78756, United States

While looking for your favourite among the best restaurants in Austin, you can not miss Franklin Barbecue. The restaurant has long queues every day as it is highly popular among locals and tourists who come here to grab a bite for lunch. The place serves briskets pulled pork and smoked dishes of meat. The tagline of the restaurant on their website says that they serve the best barbecue known in the universe. Now, this may be a bit of exaggeration in marketing, but there’s no debate on the point that the food here is delicious, and the overall experience feels delightful. It is why it is considered as one of the best restaurants in Austin serving barbecued food. The queues at the restaurant form at the early opening hours as they prepare a limited amount every day, and it might be possible that they are sold out before you arrive. The meat used is of top quality and is seasoned to the best balance reasonable.

The place opens every day from 11.00 am to 3.00 pm (or closes before three if it is sold out).

The place stays closed on Mondays.

Franklin Barbecue, 900 E 11th St, Austin, TX 78702, United States

Look for the best restaurants in Austin serving Italian cuisine, L’Oca d’Oro is the place. The restaurant serves shareable Italian dishes, cheese, house-made pasta, etc. The ambience is bright and airy, with dual-tone light shade walls adding to the aesthetic appeal. The name of the restaurant translates in English to “The Golden Goose.” The place uses milled grains for their handmade pasta, and also likes to prepare other things like wine, cheese, kinds of vinegar, bread, etc. in- house. The owners passionately design the pairing of specific wines with particular dishes for the best possible general experience. You can modify the combinations as well to suit your taste. The attention to detail and the delightful manner of conducting services makes this place a mandatory inclusion in the list of best restaurants in Austin.

On Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, the place opens from 5.00 pm to 9.00 pm.

On Thursdays and Fridays, the place opens from 5.00 pm to 10.00 pm.

On Saturdays, the place opens from 4.00 pm to 10.00 pm.

On Sundays, the place opens from 4.00 pm to 9.00 pm.

L’Oca d’Oro, 1900 Simond Ave, Austin, TX 78723, United States

Next in the list of the best restaurants in Austin, comes Emmer and Rye. This American restaurant is known for its dim sums, meat, heirloom grains, etc. The restaurant is not per se massive in the area but is arranged meticulously to provide spacious surroundings with monochrome lights adding to the classy ambience. The preparations and the menu here are seasonally inspired. The place also serves good quality wine. If you are looking for the best restaurants in Austin that serve American cuisine with an original style of Texas, then this place is perfect for that.

On regular days the place opens from 5.30 pm to 10.00 pm.

On Fridays and Saturdays, the timings get extended a bit up to 11.00 pm.

On Sundays, apart from the 5.30 pm to 10.00 pm slot, the place also opens from 11.00 am to 2.00 pm.

The place remains closed on Mondays.

Emmer and Rye, SkyHouse, 51 Rainey St #110, Austin, TX 78701, United States