Visiting Austin? Here are my top 10 food recommendations.
Last Updated: September 2021
My top restaurant recommendations when visiting Austin
Austin has great food and many people have their own top recommendations. This list is what I usually recommend to friends and family who are visiting for the first time. I try to highlight a few places that would give you a variety of options and a great food experience for a weekend or a whole week. I’m also happy to give specific recommendations so please reach out!
Terry Black’s BBQ
You can’t leave Austin without having some fatty brisket that melts in your mouth, a tub of sweet, cream corn, or some warm peach cobbler. Terry Black’s BBQ (on Barton Springs) is my go-to spot for BBQ and everything else I mentioned. For the quality of the food and the relatively short wait compared to the famous Franklin’s, I recommend adding this spot to the top of your list.
Don’t mistake ‘Terry Black’s BBQ’ on Barton Springs for ‘Black’s BBQ’ on Guadalupe street
Odd Duck
Odd Duck is definitely high on my list. They specialize in shareable small plates, so expect to order multiple plates to share. It’s the perfect date night spot or for sharing the experience with friends. The dishes here are so unique and the ingredients are all locally sourced. Their menu changes seasonally so I can’t recommend specific dishes, but I have loved each experience coming here. I would recommend having a reservation and trying their cocktails too!
Go for lunch or dinner (Menu)
Their sister restaurant ‘Sour Duck’ also has a great brunch menu and a cute patio
Fonda San Miguel
Fonda has been open since 1975 and serves authentic Mexican Food in a beautiful, historic building. The inside is gorgeous and the menu is quite extensive. I highly recommend the enchiladas, the stuffed poblano peppers, and all of the desserts, but you honestly can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. They also have great cocktails, an in-house parrot, and live music sometimes too.
They have a Sunday buffet brunch as well, but go for lunch or dinner for the full experience
This restaurant is perfect if you’re celebrating a special occasion or looking for a spot to accommodate a large group.
Moonshine Patio Bar and Grill
This American southern food restaurant is located inside one of the oldest commercial buildings in Austin, and is easily considered an Austin classic. Expect massive portions here. Instead of bread and butter, you’ll be greeted with a basket of popcorn at the table. If you’re brave enough, you should taste a flight of Moonshine while waiting for your food.
Salty Sow
An American gastropub with a great patio, great cocktails, and delicious food. The best thing about Salty Sow is their Happy Hour from 4-6PM every day where they have $5 eats, $5 wines, and $2 off cocktails.
My food recommendations:
Rosemary’s piglet cocktail
Crispy brussels sprout leaves
Honey rosemary dipped fried chicken
Pork carnitas taco
Slow cooked beef shoulder
Musashino Sushi
This is my favorite spot in town for sushi. The location’s pretty hidden and it’s also located on the second floor. They have a very extensive menu and all their ingredients are high quality and super fresh. They also have omakase options here, if you want to leave your experience to the sushi chefs. My usual order is the Sushi/Sashimi Combo, which includes 10 pieces of sushi and an assortment of sashimi.
Loro
If you’re looking for a spot with a great outdoor patio, good food and drinks, definitely check out Loro on South Lamar. It’s an Asian-inspired smokehouse where you can snack on shareable plates.
They also have a great happy hour weekdays from 2-5PM where food and drinks are disounted.
My go-to dishes at Loro include:
Chicken kaarage bites
Char siew pork
Mango sake slushie
Candied kettle corn with burnt ends
Kemuri Tatsuya
“Kemuri” means smoke in Japanese, which fits perfectly as the concept here is Texas BBQ meets Japanese Izakaya. You’ll be able to try things like beef cheek takoyaki (fried dough balls typically stuffed with octopus) and chicken kaarage (Japanese fried chicken bites) to smoked brisket and burnt ends. They also service a variety of raw bites, smoked meats, skewers, and even a cheese board. this is a great place to share a few small plates with friends while enjoying the options in their full bar.
Tacorrido
Tacorrido is the taco joint that we frequent the most. It’s a chain across Austin and in a few locations it’s drive-through only. Each taco is less than $3, and they serve breakfast tacos all day. What I always order here:
Barbacoa tacos
Revuelta tacos
Horchata
TLC
If you’re a seafood lover, you’ll definitely enjoy the fresh seafood and crab boils at TLC on South Lamar. You choose your catch (King crab legs, lobster, shrimp, mussels etc.), choose from 7 flavors and 7 sauces, then slurp on some oysters and and deviled eggs as your seafood boil is being prepared.