16 Best Restaurants in Austin, Texas

Start your day at this timeless, Victorian-style café in the historic Driskill Hotel. Admire the classic architecture and expertly appointed interiors as you wait to place your order at the counter, whether it's a Texas-shaped pecan waffle or a cup of their famed cheese soup. The expanded breakfast menu features contemporary additions like the Hippie Hollow Omelet and brunch cocktails like the "Breakfast in a Cup," made with Jameson, orange juice, butterscotch syrup, and spicy maple bacon.

What started as a streamlined coffee and craft beer purveyor with sparse hours has evolved into an all-day mainstay of east Austin. The industrial garage vibe blends in well with its I–35-adjacent neighbors and attracts a hip clientele from morning to night, who flock here for cold brews and stacked breakfast sandwiches and then like to stick around for their local lineup of draft brews, full bar, and light café fare including late-night guilty-pleasure snacks.

This downtown food hall—open daily, 11 am to 9 pm—is a wonderfully located one-stop shop for hungry, on-the-go travelers. There are five eateries, including Four Brothers Venezuelan Kitchen and the popular Austin Rotisserie, plus two full-service bars, a self-service water bottle refill station, and plenty of seating in this accommodating (and air-conditioned) space. Outside, the thoughtfully designed Ellis Oak Deck patio hosts free live music and yoga classes most weekends, and it is an unbeatable meeting point during SXSW.

This South Congress institution specializes in New York–style pizza with a down-home, neighborhood atmosphere. The happening hot spot attracts SoCo crowds any given day of the week, and an adjacent walk-up window with outdoor picnic table seating is conveniently located right next to their main dining room, which can fill up fast. Order by the pie or slice, and don't miss out on their mouthwatering hot sub sandwiches.

On any given sunny day, Austinites flock to Mozart's spacious lakeside patio to enjoy great coffee and indulgent baked goods. The expansive, multitiered deck overlooking Lake Austin can get crowded with weekend patrons, and weekdays are equally popular times for locals to post up and work remotely. There's an extensive bakery selection, plus an assortment of smoothies, sandwiches, signature sweet treats, and light breakfast fare. Live music on weekends is an added bonus, and their annual Christmas lights display is a seasonal sight to behold.

This local drive-through and fast-food chain turned burger empire is an Austin favorite for a reason. What started as a humble mom-and-pop operation on the corner of South Lamar and Barton Springs Road has evolved into a sprawling web of locations all over Austin and beyond, but the original location is still the ideal spot to experience the simple pleasures of a fresh patty of hormone-free Black Angus beef (or black-bean veggie), hand-cut fries, and hand-spun shakes that make eating bad feel good.

Hyde Park's iconic neighborhood bakery has been a local staple for over 40 years, serving scratch-made breakfast pastries, cupcakes, cookies, and various seasonal and custom creations. The friendly vibe of the bustling coffee shop attracts a loyal tribe of locals, usually seen hanging out on the outdoor patio tables throughout the day, as well as streams of UT students, families, and fans of the house-made chai.

The morning rush hour can be intense, but locals and tourists don't seem to mind, as a long queue means there's time to snap a picture in front of the famous i love you so much mural found on the side of this walk-up shack. Seating is limited, and it's outside-only, so, especially if it's Saturday, come early and bring a good read. Live music is featured most weeks, and by afternoon, you may witness patrons dancing in the parking lot (local beers and frosé are also available). They also host their own showcase during SXSW. This is Jo's original location, but there are now nine locations in Austin.

Relaxed and locally sourced, this no-frills café is a staple for lovers of high-quality Thai food in a casual neighborhood setting. Part grab-and-go market and coffee bar, part café, and part cooking-class destination, Thai Fresh is a popular breakfast, lunch, and dinner spot, with a diverse range of curries, stir-fries, and noodle and fried-rice dishes. Homemade breakfast tacos are also available throughout the day. Locals drop by for their iced chai lattes and sparkling Thai basil lime aguas frescas, or stick around to indulge in one of their organic vegan ice creams and kombucha cocktails with sake, sparkling rosé, or white wine. Brunch is served on weekends.

This downtown Veracruz location, tucked on the ground floor of The LINE, services the bustling hotel crowd with early morning to late night operating hours. There is also a walk-up window, just steps off the hike-and-bike trail, that's perfect for a grab-and-go taco and coffee before you start a day of sightseeing.

Named after the nearby charming indoor/outdoor coffee shop and café, Cosmic is also home to this open-aired food truck lot right off South Congress. It's ideal for indecisive or group travelers or anyone who wants to sample some of Austin's best food truck fare. There are breakfast tacos and all-day Mexican food from Pueblo Viejo, barbecue (till it sells out) from LeRoy & Lewis, and mouthwatering lollipop-style chicken wings from Tommy Want Wingy—all parked around a large lot of communal picnic table seating. Cosmic slings coffee, tea, boozy day drinks, and specialty cocktails. Live music and special events are hosted periodically.

It’s hard to think a drive-through could have such high-quality fare, but Fresa’s has built a name for its charcoal-grilled chicken al carbon, which is slow-roasted over post oak and served with homemade tortillas and sides like Mexican street corn and crispy brussels sprouts out of this trendy Clarksville take on fast food. Breakfast tacos, aguas frescas, and Stumptown coffee service the early morning crowd, but the family-style lunch and dinner menu is the real signature, with whole- or half-chicken orders (choose from achiote and citrus or Yucatán spice), accompanied by house-made salsas, corn tortillas, charro beans, and rice. Fresh salads, queso, and guacamole, plus a selection of beer, wine, and margarita kits are available for drive-through or walk-up orders.

Housed in an old East Austin tire shop, this counter-service outdoor café is a favorite of families and on-the-go locals. Local hospitality juggernauts Larry McGuire and Liz Lambert kept the Aztec iconography, walk-up service, and sparse layout of the preexisting spot, and the new back patio is ideal for lazy lunches, family outings, and weekend day-drinking. The rotisserie chicken and burgers are popular, and ice-cold draft beer keeps things cool on hot summer days.

This local institution serves a full complement of the simple breakfast/brunch foods that Austinites tend to crave at all hours. The typical selection of sandwiches, omelets, salads, and desserts is supplemented by seven enchilada options and signatures like the Love Migas (eggs scrambled with crisp tortilla chips and fresh salsa, spiked with garlic-serrano butter and served with black beans). Breakfast, including stellar Frisbee-sized pancakes—buttermilk, whole wheat, cornmeal, or luscious gingerbread—is available 24/7. Service is always friendly and the worn booths and tables host a diverse gamut of loyal patrons, from hungover UT students to old-Austin early birds.

This bodega, breakfast taco counter, deli grab-and-go, and local beer bar is an essential east-side destination for locals and tourists alike. It’s a trusty spot (open early till midnight) that’s perfect for a quick-pick, whether it’s a loaded breakfast bagel sandwich or a six-pack of Austin-brewed beer. Indoor and outdoor patio seating available.

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.