This upcoming weekend is the first annual Blogger Interactive in Austin, TX, hosted by Jen Sharp and Becca Cord. If you are anything like us, you are looking to eat your way through a new city. We don’t claim to be know-it-alls when it comes to food in Austin, but Georgia and I have gotten around. We know a good meal when we eat one, so we thought we’d share our favorite places to eat and/or drink in Austin. We even added a few suggestions that have come highly recommended by friends/family that are next on our list to try. Click on the restaurant titles for more information.
- Lamberts. Georgia & I’s favorite place to go for “fancy” BBQ and happy hour (beautiful upstairs bar + live music). I often go for their brisket, which is both smokey and sweet, or their to-die-for brisket version of Frito-pie. Nothing says Texas like a good ol’ Frito-pie. Oh, and ask for a sanchez. The drink, you fools.
- Perla’s. This is where Georgia and I went on our first date, and it’s also our favorite place to sit outside and people watch. The food is beyond. Their seasonal menu is constantly revolving, but my favorite now is their lobster bisque and a shared bottle of cava. The oysters are always a good choice.
- Lucy’s Fried Chicken. Look for the flashing neon, animated, leggy woman, and you’ll find Lucy’s. Get the fried chicken, duh. And try the fried deviled eggs for starters to have a fried-everything-theme night. If you are feeling extra naughty, order their beer special, and close the night with a hot chocolate pie. Your stomach may do backflips (good at first… then bad), but your life-force will thank me.
- Enoteca. Right on South Congress, this is another place where we love to sit and people watch, and it’s our favorite place to get some Italian, bistro-inspired food. We typically get the calamari or fried zucchini to start and try a different carbolicious choice of pasta or pizza each time we go.
- Elizabeth Street Cafe. Georgia and I love this place, so much so that it became our numero uno go-to when we lived on South Congress. It’s a delicious combination of French and Vietnamese food. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING beats the Singapore Noodles. Just do it. If you go for breakfast, they have great coffee and french pastries.
- Jo’s Coffee (Outdoors/South Congress Location). This is my favorite place to go and write my blog while people watching (sensing a theme?). I always order two breakfast tacos and an Iced Turbo (the ONLY time I go for a sugary coffee drink).
- Hillside Farmacy. When visiting my sister and her husband on the Eastside (still not far from downtown), we love going to Hillside Farmacy. It was once an old pharmacy, and its charm is what I like most. Go for brunch! I usually get their bangers and eggs.
- Uchi. I can’t even begin to describe the deliciousness and inventiveness of this place. With great service and blow-your-mind sushi, you cannot go wrong here… unless you forgot to bring your big dolla bills. It’s expensive, folks, but if you are feeling extravagant (yet laid back), you have to do this…
- Polvos. This place is always happenin’, and if you want some good, dirty Tex-Mex while you are in Austin, this is the place to go.
- Matt’s El Rancho or Gueros (large groups). When going out to eat with large party, these are good choices as well for Mexican food. Matt’s El Rancho has been around for a long time in Austin and has tons of seating. Gueros has an outdoors section with a live band and bar when you are waiting on a table. Like Polvos, it’s also a pretty happenin’ place (oops, I did it again).
- Home Slice. Want to stay in for a meal or pick up a slice after a long night of drinking? Home Slice will not fail you. The BEST pizza I’ve ever had. Get the #6, ricotta and sausage.
- Justine’s. If what you want is a hip/French experience, go here, but go early because it’s a mad house. We go right when it opens at six. Order the escargot. Everything on the menu that I’ve tried is great, but do us a favor and order some ga’damn escargot (yes, I still sound Texan when I “speak” French).
- Hopdaddy. Okay, I have to admit, this is NOT my top choice for a burger, but it seems to be everyone else’s. This suggestion is merely a peer-pressure suggestion, and perhaps you’ll like it just as much as everyone else does. In my book, it’s a fun place, if you want to wait in line for an unreal amount of time for a burger that is not as good as other burgers I’ve experienced in Austin. If you are a burger connoisseur and could care less about atmosphere, go to Counter Cafe or Wholly Cow Burgers.
- Eastside Kings. Located in the backyard of Liberty Bar, they are THE best food trailer in Austin. Get the beet fries. Don’t like beets? Trust me. Do it anyways.
- Drinks at Hotel San Jose. I’m not your go-to person to recommend Austin bars, as I think most bars are douchy (I am an old woman trapped inside of a young woman)… particularly the ones on 6th street. However, if I am looking to go out for drinks, I’ll always recommend getting drinks at Hotel San Jose. The atmosphere is cool, casual, and it’s easy to have conversations. The drinks are good too, of course.
Still Need to Try:
- Franklin BBQ. I haven’t had the strength yet to stand in the long line that starts forming in the morning and wraps around the building, but I’ve heard nothing but great things about their BBQ.
- Qui. Paul Qui’s new restaurant.
- Clark’s. Oyster bar similar to Perla’s.
- Lick. Unique flavors of ice cream.
If you are coming to ATX this weekend for the conference, safe travels, and we can’t wait to meet you!
xo,
Georgia + Darln’
