Let’s be honest – there’s always good eating in my life. This quarter (April, May, June) took me to 42 different Austin restaurants, and here are 12 spots you might put on your list!
Happy Hour at Bufalina
Did you know Bufalina has half-price pizzas daily during happy hour 4-5:30 pm? (That makes them $6-11 each!) Here are the three we got and loved:
- calabrese – tomato, mozzarella, salami, serrano, garlic, basil
- pepperoni and mushroom – tomato, mozzarella, basil, serrano ranch
- marinara – tomato, garlic, oregano
We also liked starting with the tonnarelli pasta (kale and pistachio pesto, lemon, pecorino romano) and ending with the chocolate mousse with chantilly, olive oil, and sea salt!
Dinner at Ember
Have you tried out Ember, the newest restaurant in the Seaholm District? This place is gorgeous and so moody. The space is beautiful. Food-wise, you’ll experience Latin food from a charcoal oven.
Here’s what we enjoyed:
- Caviar Bites (4 bites for $35)
- Carrot Hurrache
- Yucca Bites
- Wagyu Steak
- Cream with Berries
While I enjoyed everything we had, I would want to try different dishes next time. The restaurant validates parking in the Seaholm Garage for 2 hours. They also have a bar downstairs called Subterra Agave Bar.
Coffee at Simona’s
Thankful for coffee shops where the design is on the next level! This one is Simona’s, which is at the Colton House in South Austin. Two stories and an outdoor patio and plenty of eye-catching spots. I can’t decide if I like the downstairs or upstairs more. What I know for sure is I loved the Austin Overcast – earl grey tea, lavender, vanilla with oat milk. So much that it was gone before I knew it. Coming in the PM? They have cocktails, wine, and beer!
Dinner at AKB (Complimentary)
AKB Hotel Bar is now at the Archer Hotel in the Domain. Sunset Hour is Sunday – Thursday 3-6 pm with specials on food and drinks, like $6 drafts and $10 glasses of wine. This is a great dinner option at the Domain.
What we enjoyed:
- Wild Mushroom Pizza
- NY Strip Steak
- Bone Marrow
- PB&J Dessert
Chef’s Tasting at Ling Kitchen
We enjoyed the Chef’s Table at Ling Kitchen. This 20-seat experience features a 10-course tasting of Chinese cuisine. Learn more about the experience in this post.
Lunch at La Popular (Complimentary)
La Popular is a new restaurant from Mexico City in Southwest Austin. I really enjoyed this meal and wish they were closer to me. You’ll get chips and salsa when you’re seated, except it’s a fun salsa flight. They also have pretty cocktails and a full bar.
Here’s what we ordered:
- Agua fresca – especially pineapple mango
- Aguachile (prawns)
- Al Pastor Tacos, Costra Style (pork, griddled cheese)
- Ribeye Fajitas – Favorite!
- Tres Leches – So good!
Hot Pot Dinner at Soupleaf
A new hot pot spot opened up in Austin. Soupleaf in Central Austin features all-you-can-eat pricing with a large buffet of vegetables, noodles, meat, and more. Each seat has its own soup pot and you can choose from different soup flavors. This is a great spot to try hot pot and quite possibly my favorite in Austin. Here’s a look at their noodle section.
Craft Beer at Circle Brewing Co (Complimentary)
Destination breweries are everywhere in the Dripping Springs area, and now a few, like Circle Brewing Co, are expanding Northeast. They have a new tasting room and farm in Elgin, about 35 minutes / 25 miles from its North Austin location by the Domain. I’m looking forward to seeing this space evolve!
Dinner at House of Three Gorges
This Chinese restaurant in North Austin is the place for Sichuan food. Not all Sichuan food is spicy but it is well-known for the spice. Two of our favorite dishes are eggplant in garlic sauce and mala fish with soft tofu. You can tell these dishes have some heat from all the chili oil and peppercorns.
Indian Food at Dosa Shack (Complimentary)
What a great food truck at the truck park! If you love or want to try South Indian food, this is the place to do it. See all the details in this blog post.
Mediterranean Dinner at Ezov
Ezov is a restaurant in East Austin inspired by markets in Tel Aviv. Come here for a laidback vibe and delicious Mediterranean food.
What We Ordered:
- Make It Snappy Cocktail (gin) – INCREDIBLE!
- Crudo (albacore)
- Smashed Cucumber
- Falafel
- Sigarim (sweetbreads, chicken hearts)
- Frena (bread) – loved the lamb butter
- Kofta (lamb and beef)
- Baklava – tahini ice cream was a great accompaniment
This restaurant is by the Emmer and Rye Hospitality Group, which owns a number of stellar restaurants in Austin.
Korean BBQ at Honey Pig BBQ
This is currently my favorite Korean barbecue spot in Austin! It has similar features as other restaurants – large selection of marinated meats, soju, banchan – plus a large cooking area on each table and a serious vent above the table. This chain is in two other states and is also in Houston.
Paella Party
Did you see my paella party post? We threw it at our house and hired Chef Diego to cook us an incredible meal. Highly recommend catering for an easy party.
Vacation Picks
For our trip to Seattle and Alaska, I was looking forward to dumplings and seafood. In Seattle, we made it to Din Tai Fung for a spread of dumplings and enjoyed the best clam chowder. On our Alaskan cruise, we made sure to enjoy plenty of crab. Those were some good eats!
Read about the details in these posts:
I get the question of how much “free” food I get as a food blogger often. There are complimentary meals, which I try to mark clearly because there is inherent bias, and those meals are actually rare in comparison to how much I eat out. For example, of the 42 places I tried in April, May, and June, only four of those were complimentary. There are typically no requirements to post about them in a certain way, but social and blog mentions are appreciated. Just a little behind-the-scenes tidbit if you’re curious.
Want more recommendations? Follow my Instagram for more regular updates or check out these posts:
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