Austin, TX + Add a trip

Halcyon Cafe

Nice comfortable cafe with sofas and free wifi. Good espressoshakes and grilled cheese. Opens late and not far from the convention center.

Iron World Barbeque

Near the convention center, and delicious -- though not the absolute best barbeque in town...

Iron works Great for meat-eaters. Potatoes and corncobs for vegetarians.

BBQ

While there's good BBQ in Austin, if you have an afternoon, you should go out to Black's and/or Smitty's in Lockhart, just about 30 minutes out of town

Brunch at the 1886 Cafe & Bakery

Located in the Driskill Hotel, a grand old 19th century hotel right on 6th Street, the cafe serves a very nice brunch on Sat./Sun. If the weather is good, the tables on the covered patio allow to keep enjoying the funky people passing by.

South First Street

Has some great little shops as well, plus more Mexican/Tex-Mex restaurants. Close to South Congress but less hectic, especially on weekends or during SXSW. Good backyard daytime shows during SXSW. Try Bouldin Creek Coffee House for hanging out, people watching, and good vegetarian fare (rly!)

Great meal at Eddie V's, 5th St

Great steakhouse atmosphere. Wonderful menu. Totally excellent food, service, ambience.

Great Margaritas at Guero's Taco Bar

Had a decent meal but had really spectacular Margaritas at Guero's. Try the "El Magnifico" Margarita.

Maria's Taco Xpress on South Congress.

BEST. BREAKFAST. EVER.

A cab ride away from downtown but so worth it. You will never in your life have a better breakfast taco than what you'll get @ Maria's. I usually get bacon, egg, and cheese, and chorizo, egg, and cheese, but the migas taco is also amazing. And don't forget the salsa! Oh, the salsa...

I'm almost crying just thinking about them.

High-Class Tex Mex - Fonda San Miguel

This is a great place to bring clients or a date for a fancy-pants tex-mex meal. The vibe is very comfortable and the food is very, very good. Margaritas are also excellent. I recommend the carne asada.

El Sol y La Luna

Fresh, affordable, and authentic Mexican food with a great little garden area. Near the bars and shopping on South Congress -- a car or cab ride from the convention center, but a great part of town. My favorite place to grab coffee and breakfast tacos in Austin. They have great mole and enchiladas, too.

Mother's Cafe for vegetarian food

Upon around 40th street (a ten or fifteen minute cab ride from the convention center), Mother's is spacious, relaxed and serves great vegetarian and vegan food. Worth the trip. Apparently their original venue burnt down in March 2007, but they rebuilt and reopened eight months later.

Ironworks knows BBQ

Right behind the convention center; great messy smoke-choked BBQ. Try the sliced beef and try the polish sausage.

Cuban pork sandwich at Habana Calle 6

Truly life-changingly good.

Shuffleboard at Buffalo Billiards

Table shuffleboard at Buffalo Billiards. I'm not sure how widespread this thing is, but it's a fantastic game. Atmosphere in this place got loud when it got late, but otherwise a lot of fun.

Torchys Tacos

It's a fairly unassuming taco stand on the side of the road, right next to a creek, but it's S O L I D.

Great Mexican and Tequilla

Check out the Iron Cactus for some great Mexican and a huge Tequilla bar.

Doña Emilia's

Great south american food, ate there twice during SXSW

Eddie V.'s

WOW! If you're willing to go big on dinner & you're downtown, this is the place! Everything was fabulous--steaks, sides, wine, service, atmosphere. It's not cheap, so if you're on a tight budget, this isn't the place. But you are getting exactly what you pay for, so it's very worth the expense. I'd go back here anyday.

Best cafe: Spider House

Awesome BBQ in Lockhart

There are at least 3 great BBQ places in Lockhart, TX just outside of Austin. Kreuz Market, Blacks, and Smitties. I recommend all of them but my favorite so far is Kreuz Market.

Ironworks BBQ

Ironworks BBQ is situated right next to the Convention Center and serves some serious Texan BBQ in a relaxed and authentic atmosphere. Fairly priced and definitely worth a visit.

+1 512-478-4855

Lockhart: Local's choice for BBQ

you can't go wrong w/ the more name options in Lockhart for BBQ (several great ones already posted here)...

But if you want to eat where the locals do, hit Chisholm Trail - and don't pass up the great offering of sides also.

it's on the east side of town, so you have to pass the other places first...it's on the right had side as you're going south on 183

Salt Lick BBQ

Great BBQ, good sauce, and excellent homemade banana pudding.

Mean eyed cat (bar)

Awesome roadhouse.

Kreuz BBQ in Lockhart the Best

While there are three good BBQ spots in Lockhart, Kreuz is in my books by far the best. Several open-air authentic wood-fired ovens make it interesting, and an air-conditioned dining room makes it comfortable. Of course, in the winter it's good to eat in the same cavernous room as the ovens! A long way from the old days, before the feud (get a local to tell you the story), when you'd buy your barbeque on an oiled paper, take it and sit at the long tables in the narrow, second-story dining room, and eat with a slice of bread, onion, and sauce. The BBQ is still bought and served by weight...if you're smart.

The obvious choices: Magnolia Cafe, Kerby Lane, The Omlettetry & Russell Baker's

These three (Magnolia actually has another, second cafe I haven't been to) spots are the most widely known among Austinites, and MOST POPULAR (you have to get up early on almost any day now to get a table right away). Russell Baker's is tiny and has small seating, but the pastries are hard to beat. Magnolia Cafe, The Omlettetry and Kerby Lane serve full breakfasts with gingerbread and pecan pancakes being their signature dishes...or is it the migas...or the huevos rancheros? It's all good.

I would say Magnolias cafes, both in South Congress and 6th, and Opals Divine in South Congress in a sunny day is great, not for the food, just average, but the great location.

For good food, go to Chez Nous (or something like that, my french is very limited ;)

Threadgills in North Austin – best chicken fried steak ever, and stellar vegetables. Maybe best veggies in TX? Great live music and history. Had 1st liquor license in town, launched Janis Joplin. Priceless.

Iron Works = best BBQ in Austin. Better, but a drive outside town: The Salt Lick (especially) and Kreuze's in Lockhart (not as tasty as Salt Lick but wild unique Texan atmosphere).

Trudys - The best mexican martinis and by law will only serve you 2 since they are that potent. Follow that up with some southwest chicken with the sides they provide. Some other favorites to other there are the jalapeno poppers.

Wink An incredible dining experience prepared by impressive chefs. This is a hidden gem. Their daily menus guarantee you will eat exquisite dishes made with the freshest ingredients, paired with an impressive wine list. I highly recommend.

Great for late night slice and beer. Not completely authentic Brooklyn style, but the best you're going to get in TX by a long shot.

This is my absolute favorite place to eat in all of Austin especially in the summer. It is always pretty crowded, I have been on a Sunday morning at about eleven o'clock and had no trouble getting in, but other than that i've had at least a forty five minute wait. The views of lake Austin are amazing especially while the sun is setting. Although you can not go wrong with anything off the menu I would go through great links just to get an order of the Mango Poblano Chile Quesadillas

Eddie V's, Cool River, Jaspers....all simply AMAZING.

Eddie V's, Cool River, Jaspers....all simply AMAZING.

Very very nice place. Lots of light. Great price during the happy hour for both food & drinks. Espresso drinks...bravo.

Fantastic, farm-to-table cooking. Expensive for Austin, but huge portions.

So many beers, so little time!

Great hamburgers!

TONS of beers on tap.

Go to the bar in the back and get the Flaming Dr. Pepper.

Cool little bar that serves an awesome Pecan Porter on tap.

The music outside is far too loud for my liking! The food was reasonably priced and quite delicious. The BBQ sauce is amazing!!

If you want a quiet meal, don't eat there on a night when a band is playing.

Located in the Driskill Hotel, a grand old 19th century hotel right on 6th Street, the cafe serves a very nice brunch on Sat./Sun.

My favorite place to grab coffee and breakfast tacos in Austin. They have great mole and enchiladas, too.

If the weather is good, the tables on the covered patio allow to keep enjoying the funky people passing by.

You will never in your life have a better breakfast taco than what you'll get @ Maria's. I usually get bacon, egg, and cheese, and chorizo, egg, and cheese, but the migas taco is also amazing.

If the weather is good, the tables on the covered patio allow to keep enjoying the funky people passing by.

Has some great little shops as well, plus more Mexican/Tex-Mex restaurants. Close to South Congress but less hectic, especially on weekends or during SXSW. Good backyard daytime shows during SXSW.