I’ve got your Austin restaurant recommendations! I visited 50 spots in the third quarter of this year, and while I can’t share about every place because that would take some time, I’ve pulled out some favorites.
Here are 14+ places I dined at in July, August, and September.
Tacos at Taqueria 10 de 10
Go through the alley to a bar called ReyRey. Then go through the door on the right and you’ll find a somewhat secret restaurant for tacos! They’re serving Tijuana-style al pastor, carne asada, and more on homemade tortillas.
Dinner at Birdie’s
This restaurant opened in 2021 and it’s been highly regarded since then. Take a look at this post to read all about it.
Sushi at Toshokan
I’ve been crossing sushi omakases off my list this year, and I’ll have a detailed post soon! Until then, check out Toshokan. They call it a speakeasy because the entrance is an unsuspecting bookcase door inside of another business.
Masa Twinkie at Mercado Sin Nombre
This alley-way coffee shop in East Austin offers a unique masa twinkie. This maíz/corn is from Oaxaca, Mexico. A specific process makes it into masa, corn flour dough like what’s used to make tortillas. I describe the flavor as cake-like cornbread and they make it extra unique by adding orange buttercream as the filling.
Cocktails at Trona
I was charmed by this new-ish cocktail bar on the East Side. Its design is inspired by Oxacan and Japanese style. It’s intimate, moody, and luxurious.
Cake at Maie Day
While the burger ($14 during happy hour, $22 regularly) was good, we came for the cake. This restaurant at the South Congress Hotel serves a very fancy chocolate cake slice for $19.
Chef’s Tasting at Nixta Taqueria
This casual restaurant is stepping up with a chef’s tasting experience. I wrote about their masa omakase experience in this post.
Craft Beer at Fast Friends Beer Company
It’s been a while since I’ve visited a new brewery, and this one in South Austin, off I-35 between William Cannon and Slaughter, is massive. Of course, it has plenty of hoppy options. It’s a great addition to South Austin.
Domain Desserts
I researched desserts in the Domain area for a while and finally published my post on the 11 best options. Take a look at this post.
Boba and Egg Waffle at Tsaocaa (Hosted)
Tsaocaa (sew-cha) has three locations in Austin. I loved the Mashed Taro Bubble Milk Tea (with 50% sugar, 50% ice, and Coconut Milk) and the Matcha Bubble Egg Waffle.
Mango Desserts at Hui Lau Shan
Mangoes are my favorite fruit, so I’m delighted that Hui Lau Shan, an international chain, now has a location in Austin. My favorite is the mango mochi but also check out the mango bowls with blended mango and mango chunks.
Golden Horn + Yellow Ranger
There’s a trend of upscale retro bars. They’re a little divey but decorated with vintage style. Golden Horn is one of these. It’s located on Airport Blvd under Barflys. Yellow Ranger has a counter inside the bar and offers Chinese American dishes like Taiwanese Fried Chicken and Orange Cauliflower.
Drinks at Busty’s
Continuing the upscale retro bar trend, Busty’s is less than 5 minutes away from Golden Horn. This modern dive bar has diner eats like onion petals, hamburgers, and mushroom melts. Interestingly, this place offers tropical drinks! Be sure to check out the restrooms.
Cake at Polkadots Bakery
After 16 years, Polkadots Bakery has moved locations, out of West Campus to another house off 51st Street and I-35. I still remember when they first opened and all the cupcakes I enjoyed in college! Of course, their delicious cakes still hit the spot. I love the strawberry and cream flavor (what we had for our wedding cake), and you’ll find several flavors every day.
If you didn’t know, Austin has many great places to try! Let me know if you try any of these.
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