384 Best Restaurants in Texas, USA

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.

This biergarten on Main Street is always buzzing, and for good reason. Choose from a wide array of craft German beer while enjoying the live music that happens nearly nightly. The hearty fare is also delicious, whether you opt for a classic schnitzel or a juicy Reuben sandwich on toasty pumpernickel.

In the heart of downtown Fredericksburg, August E's features a sleek Zen-like atmosphere thanks to its contemporary Asian decor. Chef-owner Leu Savanh adds a subtle hint of his Thai background to such dishes as the New Zealand lamb with balsamic honey-glaze and a cloudlike fillet of Hawaiian escolar pan-seared and served with a tempura-fried lobster tail, baby bok choy, and mascarpone whipped potatoes. In addition to the constantly evolving seasonal menu, a sushi menu and a fairly extensive selection of sake are also on offer. 

With its authentic German architecture, the Ausländer draws quite a crowd for lunch and dinner. For more than 20 years, it has been one of the town's most popular beer gardens, and you're bound to find a few things to your liking—perhaps the Spicy Texas Schnitzel, a bold concoction featuring a hand-breaded pork loin cutlet smothered with house-made spicy sauce and topped with crème fraîche, or a wide array of German sausage including currywurst, a German street favorite that is hard to find.

This stylish pizzeria, another hit from chef/restaurateur Shawn Cirkiel, is one of Austin’s best bets for classic Neapolitan pizza and authentic Italian antipasti. Tables are hard to come by in this intimate (read: tiny) downtown space, but the service and menu are approachable and laid-back. Antipasto selections, like baked ricotta and eggplant caponata, rival the main attraction: thin-crust, wood-fired pizzas, from margherita to the popular fennel sausage.

Local critics consistently rank this West Sixth Street hot spot as one of the area's best restaurants, and the sprawling patio is almost always packed. It's a lovely downtown-adjacent atmosphere to enjoy upscale, indulgent takes on juicy burgers and pastrami (as a sandwich or a queso topping), and with great coffee and cocktails served all day to boot. There are even more burgers at the Quonset hut next door, where Hold Out Brewing slings food and beer all day. Both eateries have a hot weekend brunch ticket and host live music, outdoor vintage markets, and other special events periodically.

Ever since owners Chef Mark Bliss and his wife Lisa opened this spot in a former filling station in 2012, it continues to exceed all expectations. The cuisine is contemporary American, and that can mean custom charcuterie as well as delectable entrées (perhaps seared sea scallops, Lockhart quail, pan-seared beef tenderloin) ending with house-made sorbet, butter cake, or lavender goat cheese cheesecake. With a changing menu, loyal followers dine regularly to see what's new, just one reason that reservations are highly recommended. The intimate space suits the menu perfectly—warmly elegant and inviting. The outdoor dining has the same uncluttered feel, surrounded by greenery.

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.

Locals and visitors alike flock to Brick's for country cooking with a view. The restaurant itself has a humble interior, but it's the patio overlooking the Medina River that wins everyone's heart. It's a great spot to start with a mason-jar drink while you wait for a table to sample the simple but well-done menu, with comforting classics like a crispy Jager Schnitzel with mushroom sauce and braised cabbage, homemade meatballs, and smashed potatoes.

Dish up exceptional Argentinian fare like homemade empanadas with chimichurri sauce and an array of traditional grilled meats (from salchicha parrillera to churrasquito) in an intimate, inviting atmosphere. The lively East Sixth surroundings match the colorful flavors of this women-led kitchen that draws crowds every week. There is an excellent house wine list featuring South American varietals, and the Milonga Room, an in-house speakeasy focused on amaro-based cocktails, is located downstairs.

If you want a Texas-sized meal in the heart of the Hill Country, the Cabernet Grill has just what you're looking for. Chef-owner Ross Burtwell uses local ingredients to inspire a menu that reflects the bold flavors of the Lone Star State. Menu items range from the popular Texas Twinkies starter—bacon-wrapped jalapeños stuffed with beer sausage and served with a jezebel dip—to the grilled Gulf shrimp with hatch chile corn grits and oven roasted tomatoes. The grilled jalapeño-stuffed quail is a fan favorite, as are the myriad special dinners with wine pairings that Burtwell hosts throughout the year. It should also be noted there is a wide range of Texas wines on the menu, giving diners a chance to truly taste Texas terroir.

An Alamo Heights casual but upscale staple since 1977, Cappy's features exceptional menus of innovative dishes against a warm, two-level modern backdrop of brick architecture, tall windows, and pleasant outdoor seating. Well-prepared and presented dinner entrées include Faroe Island salmon, rib eye with smoked tomato confit, and seafood paella with saffron risotto. They have an extensive wine list and craft cocktail menu, and abundant varieties of scotch and bourbon. Weekend brunch is a treat, with classic Benedict and lobster grilled cheese. A rotating gallery of art showcases local artists.

A longtime favorite of local burger lovers, Casino El Camino is the best place on the notorious “Dirty Sixth" strip to chow down. Locals arrive in hungover droves for the weekend lunch rushes, when wait times for signatures like the Amarillo and Buffalo burgers can stretch upward of an hour. But this dive bar and juke joint is worth the wait as you'll find out once your thirst is quenched by their Bloody Marys, stacked with bacon, pickled okra, taquitos, even meatballs. Their hearty Angus-beef burgers deliver a classic, artery-clogging ecstasy, especially when paired with a greasy basket of verde chili fries.

One of local restaurateur Larry McGuire's white-hot eateries, Clark’s has occupied a top seat in the repertoire of Austin's best restaurants since its 2012 debut. The hip, and decidedly cozy, oyster bar tucked into a modest corner lot of West 6th has all the appeal of a sophisticated seafood restaurant, with the comfort of a neighborhood bistro. You'll find a pristine, daily rotation of raw oysters served with fresh horseradish, house cocktail sauce, and a tangy mignonette. The lobster roll is a signature home run, but the house burger is a surprising favorite, which spikes in popularity during the daily happy hour, when burgers and martinis are all half-off.

A tried-and-true destination for authentic Indian cuisine, Clay Pit has developed a devoted following in Austin since opening in 1998. Wash down some of their signature curried mussels with garlic and red wine sauce with one of their sweet lassi drinks. The historic (and haunted) Bertram Building (a favorite on downtown ghost tours) is romantic and stately and just a few blocks from the Capitol, so lunch crowds attract everyone from state and university workers to downtown tourists.

The predominantly outdoor layout of Texas ranch–inspired Contigo consistently draws a steady evening crowd—even when summer temps are well over 100 degrees. With a chef-driven stable of cocktails and a creative Southern-comfort-meets-contemporary-American menu, it's easy to understand why: ox tongue sliders, house-made pigs in a blanket, a gooey cheddar-filled grilled cheese sandwich on brioche, and the cast-iron sautéed okra with jalapeño and walnuts are among the top menu picks. The varied list of weekend brunch offerings includes buttermilk biscuits and gravy, beef tongue hash, and pecan coffee cake.

Dining alongside Cibolo Creek in this historic house with outdoor seating while listening to the rhythmic turn of a water mill is a treat. The upscale restaurant offers a nice array of steaks, fresh seafood, and pasta. Highlights include the pan-seared branzino with lemon and dill butter sauce and the soul-warming and hearty Wagyu meatballs. Now serving Sunday brunch.

This Manor Road hot spot hangs their hat on seasonal local cuisine, with an emphasis on farmers’ markets, Texas beer and wines, and even ingredients foraged by the chefs themselves. A butcher-shop display-case greets patrons upon entering, showcasing various charcuterie and house-made canned and pantry goods. The cozy dining room, accented with exposed brick walls and reclaimed wood fixtures, is down the hall. Their initial prix-fixe “supper club” menu quickly expanded to include nightly à la carte items and a breakfast and lunch service (only on the weekend). Chefs and servers are passionate about their carnivore-heavy cuisine, and it shows. Charcuterie plates are an obvious staple, and daily creations span wide-ranging territory, from venison ceviche to turkey tamales. Try the refreshing house libations, like wild persimmon sodas or sparkling peach jam cocktails.

This greasy spoon burger joint on the north edge of the UT campus has been satisfying the guilty pleasures of college students (and everyone else in town) since 1926. The original dirt floors and open-flame grills no longer exist, but the burgers and sides are still classically unpretentious with plenty of flavor (and grease). Sit at the counter to watch the short-order chefs at work, flipping hundreds of burgers (including signatures like the O.T. Special), patty melts, and chicken-fried steak sandwiches every day. The outdoor patio tables fill up fast during UT home games and other major sporting events, when games are broadcast on large HD TVs and the draft beers always taste best in their gigantic icy schooners.

For almost 90 years now, Earl Abel's has managed to stay as hip as ever thanks to their classic homestyle menu and loyal fans that have followed them to a new location in the Pearl. The top-notch comfort food is made fresh daily and includes everything you would hope to see on your family table: classic breakfasts, soups and salads, hearty sandwiches, Abel's famous meat loaf, house-roasted turkey breast with cornbread stuffing, chicken-fried steak, garlic fried rice, and much more, with homemade pie and cake for dessert. But the real star of the show is Earl's Famous Original Fried Chicken, available as an entrée or dinner box, or in a family meal package with two sides and two slices of pie. Earl's also serves classic cocktails, coffee cocktails, draft and bottled beers, wines, and mocktails.

The newest location of this beloved German-style bakery and beer garden features 15,000 square feet of outdoor space, plus a spacious interior, for beer and sausage lovers. The sprawling outdoor patio attracts lively lunch, happy hour, and late-night crowds with a full menu of artisan sandwiches, house-made sausages, and “big as your face” pretzels, as well as one of the best beer selections in the city. The wholesale bakeshop, which provides several local restaurants with specialty breads and pastries, opens bright and early every morning; don't miss the $6 “Easy Morning” deal (weekdays, 7–10 am) that includes a small coffee and any pastry.

This clever French-Vietnamese concept sitting on the corner of South First is a picture-perfect café and boulangerie known for its delectable menu of banh mi and pho as well as a fantastic array of classic French pastries made in-house, including a daily selection of macarons. Pork and shrimp crepes, drunken beef noodles, and the fried chicken banh mi are safe bets. In addition to sake, beer, and inventive cocktails, the drink list brims with French wines that pair beautifully with this cuisine. Brunch is offered on weekends.

The standard for Rainey District fine dining since 2015, eating at Emmer & Rye is an immersive experience that's best enjoyed when the expert servers take the reins. Prix-fixe dinner menus of their signature rustic American cuisine, with savory standouts like Texas Wagyu steaks and Berkshire pork are available, but this exclusive dining delight comes with the option to partake in creative dim sum offerings from a circulating fleet of carts that crisscross the lavish interiors.

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.

Dallas celebrity chef Dean Fearing has been winning over new fans with his namesake restaurant in the Ritz-Carlton with three graciously designed rooms: friendly, bustling Dean's Kitchen, the more formal Gallery, and an airy glassed pavilion. Fearing's creations hint at his Southwestern roots, but rely more on his adventurous spirit and relationships with regional and global producers. The maple-marinated buffalo tenderloin is pleasantly sweet, nestled near jalapeño grits and a butternut squash taquito. Every plate reveals a similar layering of flavors, colors, and textures, such as cod atop hijiki rice, stacked with tempura-fried herbs and surrounded by a complex miso-clam broth. For dessert, butterscotch pudding and whipped cream are served next to hot apple fritters and a scoop of praline ice cream.