I eat a lot of good things. That’s the biggest benefit of being a foodie and food blogger. I’m constantly adding restaurants to my to-try list, taking notes, and making reservations. Trying new restaurants comes with disappointments and rewards. And here is my list of the highest rewards! It’s very hard to narrow all the eats down to 10, but these are the eats that stand out. Four on this list are repeat experiences while the others are establishments that are new to me or new to Austin.
I hope when you try these recommendations, you’ll have the memorable experience I had!
Brunch at The Bearded Baking Company
I’ve been singing my praises of The Bearded Baking Company all year because of the meal I had early in the year. A warm croissant sandwich with ham, egg, and cheese. A dish with creamy grits, bacon jam, pimento cheese, poached egg, and chicken-fried bacon. Fried potatoes smothered in grilled pimento cheese, bacon lardons, and green onions. A huge, gooey chocolate chip cookie. And a perfect maple carrot cupcake. Every part of the meal was mouth-watering and the hospitality was the cherry on top!
Cookie Choux from Whipped ATX
I traveled to Leander to get in line before it opened. My goal: get all the treats! It was worth it and I discovered one of my favorite treats – the cookie choux. The outside is a crispy, almost caramelized texture while the inside has whipped cream. This cream puff challenges my negative stance on them and it’s a satisfying sweet treat.
Tacos at De Nada Cantina
Austin has a lot of tacos. Like, A LOT. Most of them are good and a select few end up on lists covering the best things you put in your mouth. Their chefs know what they’re doing with slow-cooked meats and hand-crafted masa tortillas. The flavors are vibrant! My must-orders are the barbacoa taco, verduras taco (veggie), and the carnitas and cheese quesadilla.
Sushi Omakase at Uchi
The most consistent omakase in Austin goes to Uchi. Every sushi bite was perfect and the meal was cohesive. This blog post will tell you all about it!
Burnt Basque Cheesecake from Ogi the Yogi
I first ordered a slice of this delicious cheesecake and I was so impressed, I convinced a friend to go halfsies on a whole cheesecake. It’s creamy, dense, and you can’t eat only one bite. I didn’t know I liked cheesecake that much until I had this one.
Mafaldine Pasta at Birdie’s
This mafaldine at Birdie’s is magic! I love the texture of this ribbon pasta and the lightly creamy sauce and the mushrooms were perfect accompaniments. This bowl is what I think of when it comes to elevated comfort food, which describes Birdie’s very well.
This Dessert at Uchiko
The jasmine cream dessert at Uchiko is a must-order, must-try. There’s a whole blog post about it!
Mochi Waffle from Bom Bakeshop
You know something is good when you unexpectedly finish it in minutes sitting in the parking lot. Bom Bakeshop has been on fire with their pop-ups this year and their limited mochi waffle offering was a perfect balance of sweet and satisfying. You can get their mochi donuts regularly but maybe they’ll bring back their waffles?!
Sushi Omakase at Otoko
One of the most extravagant meals this year (because of price and presentation) was the chef’s tasting at Otoko. It’s the most attentive and precise service you’ll find in Austin. It’s an intimate show with incredible food. It’s worth the splurge to experience it at least once! See more details in this post.
Dinner at Lutie’s
As I conveyed in this post, dining at Lutie’s was a sleeper hit. From reading reviews, I learned to lower my expectations yet leaving the restaurant very satisfied reminded me that it’s good to give places your own try. The composition of the trout and rice dish seems so simple yet I frequently wish I had it in front of me to enjoy again. It doesn’t hurt that Lutie’s took my favorite pastry – kouign amann – and made it into a unique and craveable dessert. See more details in this blog post.
Have you tried any of these restaurants?
P.S. Want more restaurant recommendations? See my Flavors of the Month posts for Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4.
P.P.S. The last time I recapped the best things I ate in the year was in 2017. See that post here.
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