Last month, I was in Austin, Texas and discovered just how amazing this city is. It helped that I had two temporary locals as my guides, who showed me the most beautiful, cool and delicious spots in town. Much needed, because Austin offers a crazy amount of good restaurants and you can find a food truck on pretty much every street corner. In this post, I’ll share my favorite spots!
1. Elizabeth Street Café
I already had the cookbook from this Vietnamese-eatery-meets-French-boulangerie and was therefore very curious about Elizabeth Street Café. I have to say: this very Instagram-worthy spot didn’t disappoint at all. You can eat the most delicious Vietnamese noodles, bahn mi and pho outside on the porch or in the lovely baby blue interior. The menu is extensive and offers both big meals (kaffir lime fried chicken) and lighter bites (summer rolls with poached shrimp and lime zest). The summery homemade lemonades and shrubs are also highly recommended. Oh, and I definitely need to get back one day to try those homemade cannelés and apparently amazing croissants.
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2. Becker Vineyards
OK, technically this isn’t Austin – it’s about a 1-hour drive – but trust me: it’s totally worth it. It’s like walking into a wine bottle label, with vast vineyards, photogenic old trees and large houses. You can participate in a tour or wine tasting, or you can just buy a bottle and sit down on the terrace. Add some bread and nuts and you’re all set. Perfect afternoon.
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3. Red Ash
Reservations are a must in this trendy Italian restaurant, because Red Ash is pretty much always packed to the brim. Very understandable, because the food – mostly from their wood-fired ovens – is good and the atmosphere is very lively. I recommended sharing some dishes with the table, to try as much of the menu as possible. Make sure to order the gnocchi with gorgonzola and prosciutto, the ravioli with veal and truffles and the garlic bread with Parmesan cheese.
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4. Jo’s Coffee
I love the fact that Austin has such a relaxed, no-nonsense vibe, even with all those trendy restaurant and must-go places. I was told that the city is often called the ‘blueberry in the tomato soup’ (the democratic blue dot in the red Texas state) and that open-minded atmosphere is very notable. At Jo’s Coffee for instance, where there’s a rainbow flag hanging at the wall. Food here is both affordable and good. I truly enjoyed my chicken & avocado salad, but the burgers and sandwiches are supposed to be amazing too. Also a great food-to-go spot.
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5. Blenders & Bowls
Being the bowl lover that I am, I simply couldn’t miss this spot. In a very trendy yoga centre where every single person looks as stylish as it can get, you will find this smoothie bar, with many bowls on the menu. They’ve got names like ‘Endless Summer’ and ‘Nutty by Nature’ and are clearly very popular. There’re all healthy, of course and stuffed with all the latest health trends (make sure to order a butter coffee, when you want to participate in all the trendiness), but most importantly very delicious. A bit pricey though, just like pretty much everything in this city.
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6. Houndstooth Coffee
The most trendy coffee spot in town is probably Houndstooth and it’s true: they take coffee very seriously here. My barista told me all about the different kind of mélanges and beans before he went to make a perfect cortado. Mission completed, because this was by far the best coffee I drank on this trip.
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7. Aloft Austin
I stayed in the new Aloft hotel, located downtown and therefore a perfect starting base to discover the city. The lobby feels a large stylish living room, the rooftop terrace (with games) is a great place to spend an evening and the lovely coffee bar downstairs is another great addition. Aloft offers lots of small extras, like free bikes (a great way to move around Austin) and cowboy boots to borrow when you want to feel like a real Austanite. The rooms are very good, but it’s the view – especially on the top floors – that’s the true star here. Definitely one of my favorite hotel room views ever.
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8. Four Brothers
Austin is food truck city. You find many trucks around town, but there are also a few food truck parks. For example in the super lively, string light covered Rainey Street. We chose the Venezuelan food from the Four Brothers truck. Their arepas – sandwiches from corn flour with guacamole, black beans, spicy chicken and lots of cheese – are comfort food like comfort food should be. Crazy good.
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Bonus tip: The Peached Tortilla
If you’re flying to or from Austin, make sure to pay The Peached Tortilla a visit. Asian comfort food a.k.a. airport food done right. They also have several locations in the city.
