Flavors of the Month: Q3 2021

Austin restaurants and dishes are featured in my Flavors of the Month posts. Check out this post for recommendations on where to eat next!

I’m back with some recommendations to help you explore Austin restaurants. Here are some of the best restaurants I enjoyed in July, August, and September.

Dessert from Whipped ATX

Whipped ATX might be a trek for some – it’s in Leander – but definitely worth the drive. Just take the opportunity as I did – you should try one of everything while you’re there! If you’re not about that, the one thing you HAVE to get is the cookie choux. These cream puffs are the best I’ve ever had! Try at least two flavors of the fatcarons. I recommend the green tea flavor. I also loved the Oreo cupcake.

Cheesecake from Ogi the Yogi

This vanilla bean basque cheesecake from Ogi the Yogi is magic. She’s a home baker in Austin and I might have eaten a whole cheesecake within days. It’s that good!

Drinks at Codependent

This bar and coffee shop was designed to be a high-end showroom and it works because I want to live here. It’s comfortable yet intriguing, subtle yet eye-catching, dependable (har har har) yet unexpected. Great for impressing a date, ordering a delicious and fancy cocktail (Magic Water and Espresso Martini pictured here), and meeting cute dogs.

Coffee at Bandit (Complimentary)

With multiple locations and a handy ordering app, Bandit is a great option for caffeine and snacks. They treated me to a Strawberry Shortcake Matcha, which was very tasty!

Dessert at Zeds Ice Cream

Zeds Ice Cream is a new spot in East Austin and they blend real fruit in to make their tasty creations. Their housemade waffle cones are also so delicious! You can customize your cone however you like with banana, blueberry, dark cherry, mango, pineapple, and strawberry as their mix-in flavors. Pick a topping and you’re golden.

Dinner from Grimaldi’s at Kitchen United MIX (Complimentary)

Sometimes you just want an easy three-course: Mediterranean salad, traditional pizza (tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil) with pepperoni, and Oreo cheesecake. We ordered from Grimaldi’s at Kitchen United MIX and we loved this meal. Kitchen United Mix is a ghost kitchen with 10+ restaurants of different cuisines, so it’s easy to take out a variety of dishes, maybe even some interesting combos.

Dinner at Qi

If you’re looking for upscale Chinese food, Downtown Austin’s Qi is your place. Sister restaurant to Lin Asian Bar, which specializes in dim sum, Qi (pronounced chee) has lots of Chinese favorites. We enjoyed the har gow (shrimp dumplings), lobster dumplings, braised ox tail, and imperial tofu.

Dinner at Fil n Viet

Fil n Viet is a food truck that’s turning heads with its Filipino and Vietnamese offerings. I definitely recommend the wild mushroom tofu adobo banh mi and the refreshing sago’t gulaman (brown sugar, grass jelly, tapioca) beverage. I also liked two of their specials – pandan Vietnamese iced coffee and the Filipino halo halo roll. They have different special offerings every week, so keep a lookout for something that piques your interest.

Pastries from Rocheli Patisserie

This pastry case is a dream! And the shop is so cute with lots of seating and a floral wall. There’s also a line of bread pastry stands to choose from. I tried a strawberry macaron, almond croissant, and a honey lemon lavender cupcake – all delicious and things I would order again.

Drink from Revival Coffee

Owned by the same people as Mexican restaurant Gabriela’s, Revival Coffee on the East Side follows their company theme – pink! Plenty of photo-worthy spots and custom wallpaper! I ordered their fruity pebbles drink (matcha lavender).

Drinks by Ranch2O (Complimentary)

Ranch2O invited me out to try their new canned cocktail release – Gin Fizz! This is their 4th offering (the other 3 are Ranch Water, Vodka Soda with Cranberry, and Margarita), and I’m a fan of the taste AND the convenience.

Dessert at OMG Squee

OMG Squee has upgraded their cute space and is offering lots of cute treats! What I got: bao custard and ube swirl soft serve with cereal marshmallows in a red bean taiyaki and a snickerdoodle mochi donut.

Dessert at JP’s Pancakes

A more unique dessert in town – pancakes at JP’s Pancakes! I got the strawberry banana babe – white chocolate chip pancakes topped with strawberries, bananas, and whipped cream. Nom nom perfect little pancake treat.

Lunch at Bento Picnic

This lunch at Bento Picnic is a whole mood. Yummy noodle bento box with salmon, tamagoyaki (nori rolled omelette), mochi butter bun, miso chocolate chip cookie, and housemade ginger lemonade. Enjoyed on their spacious patio.

Dinner at L’Oca d’Oro

There’s a lot I can say about why I love L’Oca d’Oro, but their focus on farm-to-table (handmade pastas, locally grown produce and meats) is my favorite reason. Pictured here: cavatelli al pomodoro, spaghetti, and eggplant milanesa, the favorite of the table! Patio seating only. Be sure to make a reservation!