Austinist Recommends: SXSW Chow Down

Beer, Beer, Everywhere

At bars across town, we highly recommend Austin's local breweries. Look for taps from Live Oak, Real Ale, and Independence, among others.
Recommended: Live Oak Big Bark, Real Ale Fireman's 4

Sixth Street Area

Casino El Camino
Huge burgers and hot dogs, full bar
Austin's best burger is served out of a small rectangular window in the back of a dark, laid-back bar. Three-quarter-pound slabs of meat (or eggplant) cooked over an open flame, served a variety of ways, for not much cash.
Recommended: All of the burgers, chili-cheese fries
Warning: Burgers are made fresh and take 20 minutes to cook (upwards of an hour when busy). For fun, dress up like a yuppie and complain about the wait, then watch as the cooks don't give a shit.
Open 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. every day
517 E. 6th

Stubb's
BBQ
For Stubb, born Christopher B. Stubblefield, barbecue was a philosophy: "You've got to smell it, and get your fingers burned, and shed a few tears over it, and everything else to get it right. That's the way I look at it." Socrates ain't got nothing.
Recommended: Try this — get two friends and head in hungry. Order two "Stubbs Major" plates. That's three meats and three sides per plate. You get to sample all of their meat offerings and a slew of great sides. Order the onion rings as a starter, and dunk 'em heartily in the spicy Stubb's BBQ sauce. Split three ways, this feast runs nine bucks apiece.
Tue. & Wed. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Thu. - Sat. 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.; closed Mon.
801 Red River

Chez Nous
French
Probably the most upscale restaurant on 6th Street. Small and intimate, Chez Nous is a favorite among Austinites. We only wish we could afford to eat there more than once a year.
Recommendations: Menu rotates (we think), but their French beer choices are excellent
Warning: Evenings can get crowded, so reservations are recommended (512-473-2413)
Tue-Fri 11:45 a.m.-2 p.m., 6 p.m.-10:30 p.m.; Sat-Sun 6 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
510 Neches

Best Wurst
Sausages
This is one of those cart-grill-meat hybrids. We may have been wasted every time we ate there, Best Wurst has never let us down.
Recommended: The brats
Open whenever it happens to be around
Usually located at the corner of 6th and San Jacinto

Warehouse District

Alamo Draft House
Films and food
This unique dinner-drinks-movies venue has locations around Austin, but the original is right smack in the middle of downtown. With daily specials such as $1 admission on Mondays and Free Cult Classic Midnight Movies on Wednesdays, there's plenty to choose from. But we love them best for The Sinus Show, which features Flashdance during SXSW. Brilliant.
Recommended: Oh, and the food is good, too. Basic burgers, pizzas, and salads that aren't cheap ($6-9), but won't break you either. The beer and wine selection is surprisingly varied. &mdashJ.H.
Check for show times
409 Colorado St.

Eddie V’s
Seafood and Steaks, emphasis on the seafood.
Great variety of fresh seafood and some quality steak options in a slightly cheesy, pseudo swank, somewhat Dallasesque atomosphere. Nice, comprehensive wine list.
We highly recommend Eddie V’s happy hour for unbelievable deals on amazing food. Thirty-five-cent oysters and most apps half-price plus drink discounts. Happy Hour specials are available in the bar area only and run 4:30 til 6 or 7 (we can’t remember which) Tue – Sat. with all night happy hour on Sun. and Mon. Be sure to ditch your Atkins diet because their fresh, hot sourdough bread is to die for. Outside of happy hour, prices are relatively steep, but not unreasonable for what you get.
Mon. - Sat 5 p.m. - 11 p.m.; Sun 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.
301 E. 5th Street

Kyoto
Sushi
One of our friends spent a semester studying in Japan and returned with something of a refined taste for freshly slaughtered fish. This is the only place in town he considers legit. Their happy three-quarters-hour, which runs Mon.-Fri. from 6-6:45, serves pretty much the entirety of their extensive menu at roughly half off. With good reason, people start lining up for it as much as an hour beforehand. The jazz club that happens to be downstairs, The Elephant Room, is also great.
Recommended: The "Longhorn" platter is a regional delicacy
Mon 6 .p.m - 10:30 p.m.; Tue - Thu 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m., 6 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.; Fri 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., 6 p.m. - 11 p.m.; Sat 6 .p.m - 11 p.m.
315 Congress Ave., Ste 200

Opal Divine's
Good bar food
Hot and cold sandwiches, burgers, and a small selection of entrees. The restaurant also features a large selection of single malt scotches as well as an impressive list of specialty drinks.
Recommended: We like the Rasberry Truffle Martini and the Sun Dried Divine Mary. For dining, we recommend any of the sandwiches and an order of the cracked pepper fries with dip. —A.C.
11 a.m. - 2 p.m. every day
700 W. 6th St.

Sullivan's
Steaks and seafood
Are you an industry executive in town to find the next overhyped thing? Welcome to Sullivan's, with giant steaks, good seafood, and a huge wine selection. As chains go, we prefer it to Ruth's Chris. Not for the faint of wallet, but we can't deny that how great it is.
Recommended: Steaks (of course), crab cakes, potatoes au gratin, mac & cheese

Up and Down Lamar

Austin Java Co.
Pasta, salad, deserts, breakfasts, and, oh yeah, coffee
An Austin favorite with super yummy breakfasts and a wide variety of salads, sandwiches, pasta, soups, and burgers for those of you who don’t roll out of bed til lunch. Or should we make that dinner? Austin Java is a casual, laid back, order-at-the-counter kinda place that’s good for nursing your hangover with friends or on your own. The Lamar location has 2 nice outdoor patios and frequently has live music goin’ on. Good java too.
Recommended: The granola pancakes. Each pancake is the size of a giant plate and should be sufficient to feed a family of four, although we have almost finished entire portions by ourselves (oink, oink). We like to ask that they add blueberries, so we can rationalize that it’s actually good for us. They also sell Goodflow orange juice, which is made in Austin and is, by far, the best OJ we’ve ever tried.
Mon. - Thu 7 a.m. - 11 p.m.; Fri. 7 - midnight; Sat. 8 - midnight; Sun. 8 - 11 p.m.
1206 Parkway and 1608 Barton Springs

FINO
Creative Mediterranean Cuisine
FINO is a relatively new player on the Austin restaurant scene, but it’s already wildly popular and for good reason. The atmosphere is trendy but relaxed and the outdoor patio is a great place to enjoy a meal or a cocktail. The menu at FINO features a nice assortment of “small plates” perfect for ordering up a bunch and sharing. Or, if you don’t share well and want something more substantial, go for one of the larger entrée plates. The Mediterranean salad is fantastic as is anything that includes their house-made sausage. FINO also has a nice bar with a great wine selection and some unique cocktails. Try the strawberry basil mojito for a change. And be sure to give a shout out to our favorite bartender, Bill.
Mon. – Thur. 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Fri. – 11-11; Sat. – 5-11; closed Sunday
2905 San Gabriel Street

Shoal Creek Saloon
Chicken fried steak, loads of seafood, full bar
Maybe the best chicken fried steak in town, but seafood is also a specialty of this relaxed bar,
restaurant, and live music venue, whose walls are covered with New Orleans-themed paraphenalia. Plenty of TVs, for sports watching, too.
Recommended: Chicken fried steak, fried shrimp, hushpuppies
Mon.-Wed. 11 a.m. - midnight, kitchen until 10; Thu.-Sat. 11 - midnight, kitchen until 10:30; Sun. noon-midnight, kitchen until 10
909 N. Lamar

The Tavern
Steaks, burgers, other Texas food, full bar, breakfast
This place wins on atmosphere as much as their food and drinks, which are very solid. The building has been around since 1916, starting as a general store, and rumored to have been a popular brothel in the 1920s. The restaurant, sans ladies of the night, was born with the end of prohibition. New owners recently remodeled the building, adding tons of TVs and an upstairs deck, but the charm remains.
Recommended: Chicken friend steak, buffalo chicken sandwich, broccoli-rice casserole
Mon.-Sun.: 7 a.m.-2 a.m.
12th and Lamar

Whole Foods Headquarters
Seemingly everything
Okay, we know what you’re thinking – you have a Whole Foods in your town, so why the hell would you come to Austin and go to the one here? Trust us on this one people, you must check it out. Simply put, Austin’s new 80,000 square foot Landmark Whole Foods kicks your hometown WF’s ass. The WF here isn’t even really a grocery store – it’s foodie heaven. Actually, it’s a downright tourist attraction and well worth a visit even if only just to gawk at the wonder of it all. In addition to every grocery option you could possibly ever imagine, WF also has a preposterous abundance of already prepared gastronomic delights from which to choose. There are salad bars, ethnic food bars, soup bars, prepared food cases with a huge assortment of drool-worthy delicacies, a sushi bar, homemade pizza counter, sandwich counter, chocolate fountain and old fashioned candy counter, freshly roasted nuts, homemade BBQ, fresh gelato bar, and anything else your tummy desires. If you prefer to sit and savor your meal, try any of the five restaurants within the store, all of which have excellent food, table or counter service, wines by the glass, and pretty reasonable prices for what you get. On a nice evening, we like to concoct our own meal from all the prepared food options and take it up to the rooftop patio to gorge while overlooking downtown Austin. Sorry folks, but your local WF will seem like an Exxon Tigermart by comparison. —A.L.
8 am – 10 pm, 7 days a week; in-store restaurants open til 8 pm
525 N. Lamar

Campus Area

The Clay Pit
Traditional Indian cuisine
The Clay Pit is easily one of our favorite restaurants in town. The food is delicious and the drink menu ain't bad, either. Great lunch buffet.
Mon-Friday Lunch 11-2pm; Saturday Lunch 12pm-3pm; Sun-Thurs Dinner 5-10pm; Fri-Sat 5pm-11pm
1601 Guadalupe

Dog and Duck Pub
This is closest thing to an authentic English-style pub we've found in Austin. Great selection of beer on tap, nice community vibe and outdoor seating for when the hotter-than-the-devil's-ass day turns into a perfect Texas night. The food is bar food -- take it or leave it (although one Austinist contributor loves the fish and chips). We'd reccommend it after you've had a couple pints. —J.M.
11 am - 2 pm
Corner of Guadalupe & 17th Street

Food Heads
Breakfast and lunch only – Pastries, coffee drinks, and fantabulous sandwiches, soups, salads
Foodheads is quintessentially Austin and one of our very favorite places to go for lunch. It's located in an old, brightly painted house with an old fashioned front porch, a pretty flower garden in the yard, and a funky eclectic vibe that makes us want to stick around well beyond our allotted lunch hour. They even have cooking magazines piled high on bookshelves for your perusal. Foodheads’ menu offers lots of scrumptious and creative options and daily specials for vegetarians and carnivores alike.
Recommended Interesting sandwiches served on a variety of fresh breads with unique ingredient combinations that really work. Once we had a grilled lamb sandwich there once that knocked our socks off. Well, not really, but only because we were wearing flip-flops without socks to begin with. But it was a damn good sandwich. Foodheads has some breakfast options available too. The tortilla soup is also incredible.
Mon. - Fri. 8 am - 4 pm; Sat. 8:30 - 4
616 W. 34th Street

Mangia
Chicago-style deep dish pizza
Pizza is great; salad is great, especially with their balsamic viniagrette; cheeseteaks are surprisingly great; and the Mangia fries with that mysterious dipping sauce are the perfect complement.
Various locations, although we frequent the one at Guadalupe and 37th.

Thai Kitchen
Soups, noodle dishes, curry
Huge menu, with specialities in seafood and tofu. Their tofu and vegetables in red curry is the perfect mix of flavor and spicy kick. Appetizers are excellent, too. Good lunch specials.
Recommended: Tofu and vegetables in red curry, Soup A (mushrooms and chicken in a rich broth), pepper shrimp, crispy spring rolls, soft tofu roll
Warning: The green curry may have a little too much kick
Mon-Thu 11 a.m.-12 a.m.; Fri 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.; Sat 12 p.m. - 2 a.m.; Sun 12 .p.m - 12 a.m.
3009 Guadalupe St.

Burger Tex
Burgers, bulgoki (Korean BBQ)
This dress-it-yourself burger place cooks 'em fresh and thick, and serves 'em on some of the best buns around. Fries are fresh and delicious, too.
Recommended: Bacon cheeseburger, veggie burger
Mon.-Sat.: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; closed Sun.
2912 Guadalupe St. and 5420 Airport Blvd.

Arredondo's Enchiladas/Aus-Tex Mex Cafe
Tex-Mex
This is real-deal, down-and-dirty Tex-Mex. Most of the menu is not bad, but Arredondo's makes the list really because of one dish: the Jorge's Special. Cheese enchiladas smothered in a spicy, meaty sauce, which is then covered in queso, and the topped with ranchero sauce. A dabble of lettuce and tomato on top, and we add a dollop of sour cream to the mix. Woo-ha!
Warning: The Jorge special really is far and away the best thing on the menu
Southbound access road of I-35 right before the turn off onto 26th St.

Milto's
Italian and Greek
Nice little place just north of campus with a big, varied menu. Good lunch specials. House salad dressing is tangy and unique, and among the best in town.
Recommended: Deep dish pizza, fetuccine alfredo, gyros, garden salad with house dressing
Mon - Thu 11 am - 11 pm; Fri - Sat 11 - midnight; Sun noon - 11;
2909 Guadalupe

Veggie Heaven
Nothing that once breathed
Veggie Heaven is pretty much the fake meat capitol of Austin. They have fake shrimp, fake beef, fake chicken, fake pork and other interesting approximations. Food prices start at super cheap and go up to around 10 bucks. The Korean-style dishes at the small restaurant are both vegetarian and vegan friendly, and service tends to be fast, if not particularly friendly. We recommend the basil tofu or any of the excellent bowls. —C.K.
Mon. - Fri. 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Sat. & Sun. noon - 9
1914 Guadalupe, Suite A

Ruby's BBQ
Funky little BBQ joint that doesn't shy away from the spice and offers excellent sides. The chili really packs a wallop.
Recommended: Any of the meats, fiery chili, home fries, Southwestern mashed potatoes, spicy beans
11 a.m. - midnight, every day
512 West 29th St.

Wheatsville Food Co-Op
Load up on high-quality chocolate bars and bulk trail mix, pick over the limited but excellent selection of beer and wine, or hit the deli case in the back for excellent sandwiches, tacos, soups, salads, and interesting vegetarian fare like the Co-Op's almost healthy Frito chili pie. —C.K.
9 a.m. - 11 p.m. daily; deli from 9 - 9
3101 Guadalupe

Texas Chili Parlor
Chili, many ways, plus other options
Hearty, spicy, brisket-based chili, served in the shadow of the capitol. Milder versions of their star attraction (for all you Yankees) and comfort food also available.
Recommended: Frito pie, chili-smothered cheese enchiladas, margaritas
Warning: Only get the XXX if you REALLY mean it.
Open 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. every day.
1409 Lavaca Street

Trudy's
TexMex, Southwestern fare, and breakfast
We could wax ecstatic about Trudy's migas for as long as you'd let us. The menu at this Austin favorite includes the standards: fajitas, enchiladas, burgers, and more, including some excellent fish tacos. But you can get the migas all day, so.... They also have a full bar that's open 'til 2 a.m. — and serves restaurant-quality bar fare 'til then on Fridays & Saturdays. —J.H.
Mon-Thu: restaurant: 7am-12am / bar: 2pm-2am; Fri: restaurant: 7am-2am / bar: 12pm-2am; Sat: restaurant: 8am-2am / bar: 12pm-2am; Sun: restaurant: 8am-12am / bar: 12pm-2am
409 West 30th Street

Mother's Cafe & Garden
Outstanding vegetarian fare
Fresh, delicious, all-vegetarian & vegan -- everything from daily homemade soups to stir fries & pasta dishes. Also excellent TexMex. Goodflow mimosas on special ($2.75) every Sat/Sun brunch (10a-3p). Wonderful atmosphere, especially in the garden. Inexpensive. Seating is FCFS (no reservations).
Best value on the menu is the Peasant's Meal: best black beans we've ever tasted over brown rice, plus a side salad. For something a little fancier, their lasagna can't be beat. Whatever you do, get a side of the cashew tamari dressing. It is of the gods. —J.H.
M-F 11:15 a.m. - 10 p.m.; Sat. - Sun. 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
4215 Duval St.

Just East of the Highway

Mi Madre's
Breakfast tacos, Tex-Mex
Austinites never agree about who makes the best breakfast tacos, but Madre's is this writer's top choice. They also happen to make the best crispy taco in town, and if you've never heard of carne guisada before, you owe it to yourself to try theirs. A full slate of Tex-Mex entrees also available.
Recommended: The bacon-egg-potato, migas, crispy, and carne guisada tacos; also their fresh sopapillas
Mon. - Sat. 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Sunday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
2201 Manor Rd.

Hoover's
Southern cooking, BBQ
Our favorite place for down-home Southern cooking. Hoovers has a little bit of everything: BBQ, po-boys, veggie plates, etc. You get a great deal for your money; we're never able to clean our plate. Be sure and save room for some cobbler. Warning to vegetarians: they put bacon in their green beans.
Open M-F 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sat/Sun 8 a.m.-10 p.m.
2002 Manor Road

El Chile
Tex-Mex, Interior Mexican
Still a slight secret even to locals, El Chile is a wonderful place to chat and drink margaritas (we recommend the Chilango Margarita). Their food is delicious and not at all greasy, yet also filling.
Recommended: The Enfrijoladas (chicken enchiladas in a black bean sauce) are one of our favorites, as well as the Enchiladas Verdes (chicken enchiladas in a sweet and spicy tomatillo sauce). They have several vegetarian options.
Open M-Sat 11am - 10pm; Sun 11am-9pm; Brunch Sat-Sun 11am-3pm; Happy Hour M-F 4-7pm.
1809 Manor Rd.

Fast Food

Whataburger
The South's answer to In-N-Out Burger.
24 hours a day
Various locations

Schlotzsky's
Sandwiches, Pizza
An Austin original. Signature sandwich is a distant cousin of the muffaletta. Best buns in fast food.
10 - 10 every day, at most locations
Various locations

Open 24 Hours a Day

Magnolia
All kinds of food and lots of it
Magnolia isn’t your typical open 24 hr place – they have a crazy huge menu with all kinds of options to fill your belly whenever it starts rumbling. Choose from classic or unique breakfast combos to high quality dinner specials including good fish and pastas. We love their cornmeal pancakes either with maple syrup for breakfast or with salsa as a side. Their pies rock the house too. Yummy and cheap.
Recommended: Mag Queso, anything breakfast related, Russian chicken sandwich
2304 Lake Austin Blvd. and 1920 S. Congress Ave.

Starseed's Cafe
A little of everything
Try their huge, cheap breakfast tacos.
Northbound access road of I-35 at 31st (Dean Keeton exit)

Kerbey Lane
Breakfast, Tex-Mex, Vegetarian
Kerbey Lane is a local favorite. Service can be iffy (depending on time and location), but your meal will likely make up for it.
Reccomended: Their buttermilk pancakes are a must. Even if you are ordering dinner, you should get a pancake on the side. They are really that tasty.
Various locations

Whataburger
Various locations

IHOP, if you must
Various locations

Overrated

Sad to say it, but there are a few places that are always talked about as among Austin's best, but we feel are not worth the hubbub. There's too much good food in town to leave you with the wrong impression.

Hut's Burgers - a family favorite, we think because of their atmosphere more than the burgers

Salt Lick - good barbecue, but it's just so damn far away. We met some folks from out of town who were going to make an hour and a half round trip just to try it, when they could have walked to Stubb's.

P.F. Chang's - just not worth the price or the wait times.