20 Best Restaurants in Austin, TX

Smoked brisket with bark.

Craving delicious food during your stay in Austin? Red Roof has rounded up the best restaurants in town, offering a variety of flavors and dining experiences. Whether you’re in the mood for casual bites or gourmet dishes, you’ll find the perfect spot near our budget-friendly hotels to satisfy your taste buds.


In this article, we take you on a journey through some of the best restaurants in Austin, Texas. From breakfast and brunch to dinner and cocktails, we have curated a thorough list of all the great spots you need to check out while visiting the city.


Keep reading to discover the best places to eat and drink in Austin!

French toast with syrup.

Ovenbird

Ovenbird is a bistro and coffee shop offering coffee, baked goods, and cocktails. Described by owner and executive chef Sarah Koslosky as a “Tex-Baltic fusion,” Ovenbird offers high-quality food and drinks crafted with love. Ovenbird is open Tuesday through Sunday and closed on Monday. Visit the Ovenbird website to view menus, current hours, and more.

Fried chicken biscuit sandwich.

Better Half Coffee & Cocktails

Better Half Coffee & Cocktails is located west of downtown Austin and has breakfast and brunch menus. For beverages, Better Half carries coffee, espresso, cocktails, wine, and beer. The Better Half breakfast menu features a wide range of classic dishes, including chicken biscuits and breakfast sandwiches. Better Half Coffee & Cocktails is open every day of the week — check out hours, menus, and more on the Better Half website.

Frosted cinnamon rolls close-up.

Jacoby’s

Jacoby’s is a dinner restaurant during the week and an iconic brunch location on the weekends. This cozy restaurant offers an extensive brunch menu including starters, sweets, main dishes, brunch cocktails, and so much more. Plus, Jacoby’s offers both hearty meat dishes, as well as vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options. Discover Jacoby’s brunch weekend hours online.

Breakfast hash with eggs.

The Peached Tortilla

The Peached Tortilla is an Asian fusion offering brunch every Saturday and Sunday. For brunch, the Peached Tortilla offers a unique range of items that will delight your taste buds. The Peached Tortilla also crafts a variety of cocktails to give your early afternoon a little kick. Visit the Peached Tortilla website to discover menus, hours, and more information.

Oatmeal muffins on plate.

Foreign & Domestic

Foreign & Domestic is a chef-owned and operated culinary experience offering a Sunday brunch menu. As a small bistro, Foreign & Domestic provides an intimate atmosphere and exceptional dining experience that you don’t want to miss out on while in Austin. Find out more and book your table on the Foreign & Domestic website.

Chilaquiles with fried egg.

Tamale House East

Tamale House East is owned by Austin natives and is a staple of the Austin community. Featuring traditional Mexican dishes with a modern twist, Tamale House East is currently open for breakfast and brunch Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Spice up your day with this iconic Austin breakfast spot. Visit the Tamale House East website to learn more.

Wood-fired pizza in oven.

The Backspace

The Backspace is an Austin-original pizza joint with locations in both the downtown neighborhood and off Anderson Lane. Nothing beats a big day of adventuring that a stone-baked pizza, a glass of wine, and — of course — a cannoli for dessert. Visit The Backspace website to view each location’s menus and hours.

Sliced Texas-style smoked brisket.

InterStellar BBQ

InterStellar BBQ is your one-stop shop for out-of-this-world BBQ. Located in northwest Austin, InterStellar BBQ focuses on crafting the best BBQ from quality ingredients cooked and smoked to perfection. This BBQ restaurant is open Wednesday through Sunday selling BBQ until it’s sold out for the day. Check out the InterStellar BBQ website to learn more.

Dumplings in creamy soup.

Himalaya Kosheli Nepali & Indian

Tucked into a hole-in-the-wall spot off Spicewood Springs Road is Himalaya Kosheli Nepali & Indian — one of the best Indian food restaurants for an affordable price in Austin. Himalaya Kosheli can whip up all of the classic Indian dishes at a variety of spice levels. Visit the Himalaya Kosheli website to learn more.

Tex-Mex plate with shrimp.

Con Todo

Con Todo is one of the many delicious food trucks found in Austin’s vibrant food truck scene. At Con Todo, you can enjoy an authentic taqueria experience with a menu packed full of some of the tastiest tacos you can find in Austin. Located nearby a local brewery, Con Todo is a great place to stop by during a day out on the town or after a few drinks. Check out the Con Todo website to discover the truck’s hours and menus.

Crispy buffalo chicken wings.

Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken

You can’t take a trip to the heart of Texas without eating a big ole plate of fried chicken at Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken. Open daily, Gus’s offers an enticing and affordable fried chicken menu, complete with a selection of southern-style sides and desserts. Visit the Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken website to view hours and menus.

Glazed classic ring donuts.

Gourdough’s Big Fat Donuts

Gourdough’s Big Fat Donuts is another one of Austin’s many awesome food trucks, with two different locations in the city. Here you can enjoy a variety of donuts, from the classic glazed or filled donuts to more unique creations that are designed to make Gourdough’s stand out as a premier donut spot in Austin. To find out more about this delightful donut maker, visit the Gourdough’s Big Fat Donuts website.

Toasted chicken parmesan sandwich.

Papi’s Food Truck

Papi’s Food Truck is the place to go for a mouth-watering hoagie, hand-crafted with care. With a classic menu of hoagies made from ingredients like turkey, roast beef, and other quality cold cuts, Papi’s Food Truck is the best place to visit for a quick but incredibly tasty sandwich. Check out the Papi’s Food Truck hours and menu online today.

Assorted muffins and pastries.

Nate’s Baked Goods & Coffee

You can never go wrong with a mid-day coffee and a sweet pastry to lift your mood. Nate’s Baked Goods and Coffee is a popular bakery and coffee shop in Austin, offering hand-crafted beverages and goods to visitors throughout the week. Along with an array of sweet treats, Nate’s Baked Goods & Coffee also offers a variety of different small bites to enjoy as well. Visit the Nate’s Baked Goods & Coffee website to learn the shop’s hours.

Classic hot dogs with mustard.

DittyDog

DittyDog is the place to be when craving a tasty hotdog. As yet another one of Austin’s many exceptional food trucks, DittyDog’s menu features unique hotdog combinations with eye-catching ingredients and a wide selection of loaded fries. Get a plain, traditional hotdog or get it “fully-loaded” with the works, it’s up to you and your tastes! Check out the DittyDog website to discover the full menu and hours.

Hand holding ice cream.

Connor’s Creamery

In any city you visit, it is crucial to find an ice cream shop you’ll love. Connor’s Creamery is a soft-serve ice cream food truck with locations in both Austin and Central Texas. Whether you want plain vanilla or one of Connor’s Creamery popular swirls, this ice cream shop is one of the best places to go for a sweet and creamy treat in Austin. Take a look at the Connor’s Creamery website to view the menu and food truck hours.

Bartender making iced cocktail.

Barfly’s

Barfly’s is considered Austin’s most iconic and epic dive bar. As a sports bar and grill, you can grab a bite to eat and a cheap drink at Barfly’s, all while enjoying the true dive bar experience. As a hub for locals and tourists alike, Barfly’s is a great introduction to Austin’s historical nightlife scene. Visit the Barfly’s website to find the bar’s hours and more.

Cocktail being double strained.

Mama Dearest

Mama Dearest is a bar and cocktail lounge with a dive bar aesthetic with a purposefully strange twist. With unique décor and cocktail names, Mama Dearest attracts a crowd of all ages from both the local Austin community and tourist groups. Open throughout the day, Mama Dearest brightens up the east side of Austin for a mid-day drink and late-night excursion. Visit the Mama Dearest Yelp page to learn more and discover current hours.

Bartender pouring creamy cocktail.

Midnight Cowboy

Midnight Cowboy is an exceptionally intimate bar that requires reservations and only accepts parties of eight people or less. Formerly a brothel, Midnight Cowboy is one of the oldest speakeasies in Austin and is a staple of Austin’s nightlife history. This bar currently has hours throughout the week, with reservations required for indoors and patio seating open to the public. Visit the Midnight Cowboy website to learn more.

Pouring whiskey over ice.

Garage

Austin has a variety of “secret” bars that require a bit of in-the-know intel to discover. One of the more well-known of these bars is Garage, a cocktail bar hidden inside a parking garage in the heat of Austin. Open Monday through Saturday until 2:00 a.m., this bar requires a reservation to visit. Check out the Garage website for more information.


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