37 Best Restaurants in Austin, Texas

With all the high-class sophistication you get from Chef/owner David Bull's Congress restaurant, his adjacent brasserie-style restaurant is his answer to presenting diners with a more relaxed style of food. Here you'll find a steady crowd of patrons in for business, pleasure, or both, feasting on a wide selection of small plates, entrees, salads, and brick oven pizzas. You'll find diverse brunch, lunch and dinner options, from blistered shishito peppers with miso aioli and a chart-topping burger to "black and bleu" pizza with pork belly confit, dates, red onion and bleu cheese. Beers are local, cocktails are hand crafted and the wine list is replete with food-friendly selections.

If any one restaurant defines the laid-back, somewhat goofy Austin aesthetic, it's probably Shady Grove. On any clear day, expect the stone patio here to be packed with folks fighting the heat with schooner-sized frozen margaritas. Visitors to Barton Springs Pool frequent this state park-inspired establishment for its casual, but funky vibe and huge servings of affordable, simple fare. Burgers and hot dogs are big movers here, as are the vegetarian "hippie sandwiches" (roasted eggplant and grilled vegetables) and impossibly large salads. Their live music series, Unplugged at the Grove, draws high-wattage talent to the outdoor stage throughout spring and summer.

The award-winning team behind local restaurants Odd Duck and Barley Swine opened their "everyday" restaurant in east Austin in 2018 to rave reviews from critics and locals alike. The bustling gathering spot consists of two buildings (the main front entry, with counter service for pastries, snacks, and drinks, plus the back bar) that are connected by an outdoor patio that serves as a beer and wine garden. The alfresco tables are popular with groups (and their four-legged friends) at any hour of the day thanks to Sour Duck's diverse morning-to-night menu offerings.

This contemporary take on Mexican fare makes for a fun dining experience right on East Sixth Street. Interiors are spacious and bright (if a bit impersonal and loud during peak hours), and the food, like goat-rib barbacoa and confit Wagyu brisket tacos, are extremely satisfying. Make plans for their popular brunch service on weekends or stop by during their daily happy hour.

This longtime Clarksville institution (formerly known as Sweetish Hill, established 1975) got a major facelift in 2019, and the bougie bakery came back in full force with updated interiors, more inside seating, and an expanded all-day café menu. The surrounding Sixth and Blanco development, a major mixed-use retail and restaurant endeavor set to open in late 2026, has forced this expanded version of the café to temporarily operate on a slightly scaled-down version ("Little Swedish") during the ongoing construction. But patrons can still expect an all-day menu of delicious homemade pastry, bread, and bagel selections, house-made coffee and breakfast buns, a deli case of hot and cold bites, and fresh salads and special entrées.

Locals take their out-of-town guests to this legendary "real Texas food" locale. The original location opened on North Lamar in 1933 as a gas station that soon evolved into a honky-tonk that drew local musicians, including a pre-fame Janis Joplin in the early '60s. Today, live music is still a huge priority, but Threadgill's is now a friendly restaurant with cleaned-up Texas charm, and the main attraction is the massive chicken-fried steak, followed by homemade cobbler and ice cream. Some other mains may fall flat, though veggie sides are satisfying. There's a breakfast buffet on Sunday from 10–1. The atmosphere is a bit hokey, but Threadgill's has earned it.

This stylish Southwestern fusion outpost is popular for its upscale yet unpretentious vibe and attractively presented Southwestern dishes at fair prices. Try the jerk-chicken Diablo pasta or Tex-Mex plates like the smoked-chicken poblano chile relleno. Portions are hearty, but the salads and small bites, like the grilled-shrimp and guacamole tostada bites, are equally enticing. Peak hours can be noisy, with a good chance of a wait before being seated. Weekend brunch has diverse options, like Barbacoa breakfast enchiladas and chorizo pork scrambles.