My Top 10 Places to Eat in Austin

Austin is such a foodie town with tons of incredible places to try to make your belly smile. The city has every type of food ranging from BBQ to unique Thai, to Tex-Mex to savory Italian. Don’t forget the sunny brunches and desserts to satisfy that sweet tooth. Here is a list of my top 10, so grab a friend or two and start moving down the list:

@cenoteaustin-Historic house located East of downtown Austin. This coffee shop has a fantastic menu of breakfast items, tacos, salads, and sandwiches. This is hands down my favorite spot in Austin to eat. Tons of outdoor seating and dogs are welcome! On Thursdays they have buy one, get one free burgers until 8:00 pm.

Veggie burger and Cuban sandwich at Cenote

@mourcafe-Farm to table cafe serving up a variety of American eats along with flavorful dishes from all over the globe. Catch their happy hour every day from 5:00-6:00 pm with $5.00 appetizers. My favorite appetizer is the Snapper ceviche which is a heck of a deal for $5.00.

Mour Cafe’s Ceviche, Risotto Balls and Black pepper infused Chicken wings.

@chilantro-Combining the names Cilantro and Kimchee into one, Chilantro was born served clean and bold dishes to satisfy you at any time of the day. Their Mexican-Korean dishes will change the way you think about and enjoy Korean cuisine. Their most popular dishes are the Kimchee Fries or the Korean BBQ wings.

@terryblacks_bbq-Texas is known for its BBQ, and this should be on the top of your list to eat. This casual, rustic restaurant right off of Barton Springs Road next to downtown, and Zilker Park serves pit-smoked meats, homemade sides such as creamed corn and baked potato salad with three BBQ sauces.

@jacobysatx-Another fun and rustic spot right off of Lake Austin serves southern classics such as Gulf Shrimp and Grits, BBQ Meatloaf, and Chicken Fried Steak. My personal favorite is the Pork Belly Risotto. Check out their happy hour all night Wednesday, 5:00-6:00 pm Thursday to Saturday with $10.00 Burger and Fries and $5.00 Starters.

@1618asianfusion-This Pan-Asian restaurant is known for having famous people stop by such as Elon Musk for mouth-watering dishes with Thai, Chinese, Singaporean, Southeast Asian, and Vietnamese flavors. I recommend the Duck Chicharrones, Grilled Octopus, Crispy Pad Thai and the Saigon Grilled Lamb Chop.

Grilled Octopus at 1618 Fusion.

@veracruztacos-These famous taco trucks are known for their natural ingredients, fresh tortillas and house-made salsas served daily at their three locations. Veracruz makes the best Migas taco you can ever lay your hands on.

@jackallenskitchen-Ask any local for some Brunch suggestions and I can guarantee Jack Allens will be on the top of their list. Chef Jack Gilmore's southern inspired farm-to-table restaurant serves famous dishes like Bacon wrapped Quail and Chorizo stuffed Pork Tenderloin Medallions.

@salttraderscc-Sister restaurant to Jack Allens Kitchen, Salt Traders is a seafood heavy restaurant with a coastal look that will make you feel like you’re at the beach eating the fresh fish you just caught. My favorite dishes are the Shrimp and Lobster Roll and the New Orleans BBQ Shrimp. There are two locations here in Austin, one by Zilker Park and the other in Round Rock. Their happy hour is all night long on Mondays starting at 3:30 pm, Tuesdays-Fridays from 3:30-6:30 pm featuring $1.00 Gulf Oysters and $5.00 off beginnings. Make sure to ask for their sinus-clearing, tear dropping Atomic Horseradish if you get their Oysters.

@valentinastexmexbbq - Last but not least is my other favorite BBQ food truck serving mesquite-smoked meats with a Mexican twist down in South Austin. Yes, there will likely will be a line to get these bites, but the wait will be worth it. The postmaster smokes their Brisket for 15 hours, leaving you with some delicious moist meat that will have your stomach begging for more. They have the best Barbacoa I have ever had(And that’s saying a lot because I am from San Antonio), but it’s only served on Sundays, so plan your schedule accordingly for the fall-apart drool-worthy tacos. Some of their famous bites are the Smoked Carnitas tacos, Full Rack of Spare Ribs, and the Cerveza Beef Fajitas. Valentinas BBQ is the real deal.