What To Do, Where To Eat & Drink in Austin, Texas
as most of you all know i recently moved to austin, and since i moved here i’ve hit the ground running. i have had so many friends visit, met so many new people and have truly been eating and drinking my way through the city. many people have reached out to me for my tips of what to do when you visit, so i’ll share with you my tip top choices.
p.s. i also tried to highlight on my instagram highlights photos of some of these amazing spots, so you can see the vibe- feel free to check that out!
Fun activities
float down the San Marcos river:
San Marcos is about 40 mins away from downtown Austin, so shuttle pickup is recommended
~ 3 hour float, BYOB and they give you a cooler to fill up with all your booze
remember to bring a speaker and enjoy the sunshine!
this company is amazing to book Don’s Fish Camp *great company I’ve used before
get a boat for the day on lake travis!
lake travis is 25-40 mins away depending on what part of the lake you head to
beautiful Lake Como vibes
BYOB, all boats have coolers
Some larger boats have grills you can bring your own lunch and cook
tons of different types of boats to choose from.
Lakeway Marina was an awesome company *used them before they are amazing
Head to Zilker Park then Barton Springs
Zilker park has volleyball courts and tons of open space to play pickup soccer or football.
Once you’re too hot, head over to Barton Springs Fresh Water pool to cool off $5 entry fee
finer dining restaurants
laundrette: this has been my favorite restaurant in Austin so far. I love that they have a seasonal menu and no matter what time of year i’ve gone- my mouth has dropped from it being so delicious. the buratta, the crab toast, branzino and brussel sprouts are my current saves. be sure to save room for the birthday cake ice cram sandwich.
suerte: this place knocked my socks off. it was tough to get a reservation here, but was worth the hype for sure. you MUST try the suadero tacos and the taquitos. pair them with a margarita and you’re ready for the night to begin!
Geraldine’s at Hotel Van Zandt: i’ve loved everything on the menu at geraldine’s for both lunch and dinner. the restaurant is located on the rooftop of the hotel van zandt & has such amazing ambiance. start off with a fancy cocktail, be sure to try the beef tartare, shrimp hushpuppies, crispy pork ribs, and the grilled quail. you won’t be disappointed.
pitchfork pretty: i love this spot for both dinner and brunch, but highly recommend for either. for dinner i love their cocktails, oysters, their famous cornbread and their perfectly fried chicken. for brunch, i must say their coffee is not so great (so get that before you go), but when i went with friends we ordered almost everything on the menu and we all loved it!
arlo grey & P6: arlo grey is such an amazing restaurant in austin with a uber famous chef from top chef. the burrata, steam buns and whatever special they have is usually my go to (with a bottle of wine). before you head to arlo, be sure you check out their super swanky & instagrammable rooftop bar p6, be sure you make a ressie at this spot, it fills up!
perla’s: like oysters? this is your spot! the cutest little restaurant on south congress. perfect for some light faire and delicious drinks. i went here on a lady date with my best friend and the vibe is very trendy and posh. we are big oyster gals and loved every item we ordered.
odd duck: if you’re in to trying new funky foods, then this is your spot. just about everything on the menu tasted like something i’d never had before.
intero: i just finally tried this place and oh my goodness, it was impeccable. it’s owned by a husband and wife, he’s the chef and she makes the most amazing chocolate truffles ever! every single thing on their menu blew my mind. we sampled and shared so many dishes that i can’t even tell you my favorite, they were all amazing.
grizzela’s: this is the cutest tex mex spot on the east side of austin. known for it’s instagrammable pink margaritas and beautiful decor, it’s the spot to be. it’s semi-casual, but definitely a spot you’ll want a reservation for.
bar peached: i was pleasantly surprised by the food, as the name confused me. it was way more delicious than i expected. kale tempura, pork buns, crab toast and delicious brussel sprouts come to mind when i think of this super cute spot. make a ressie, so if it’s too hot you can sit inside in the ac!
north italia: north is starting to pop up all over, but are yet to be in the bay area where i moved here from. it’s so amazing, i actually was there yesterday. the first time i went, i was with my best friends 80 year old dad, who is obsessed with north. he knows the manager and set us up with the best dishes. my favorites are their delicious salads, but he got us pizza, meatballs and their famous garlic bread. if you have a bigger group reservation or just want to pop in for a bite, this place is awesome.
casual restaurants:
matt’s el rancho: good Mexican food, easy for a big group! Be sure to try out the queso (bob armstrong dip)
bangers: this spot is so fun for sunday brunch. Live music, easy seating, huge space & HUGE beers/manmosa’s
loro: day drink in their big beer garden with bbq and a huge outdoor patio. Chill place for a big group & sunday funday.
via 313: holy moly, you have to stop here if you like pizza. this pizza is the best i’ve had in years. it’s casual so you can go for lunch or dinner to their restaurant or hit up one of their food trucks at bars on rainey or 6th.
flower child: this spot reminds me a bit of true food kitchen, great spot for a healthy lunch & green juice. order at the counter and chill in their huge dining room.
torchy’s: austin is known for their tacos and torchy’s has become a popular chain. be sure to snag some of their breakfast tacos, perfect cure for a sunday hangover.
franklins BBQ- true texas bbq! the line Is crazy, but it’s super famous & delish! you can also consider catering and picking up so you don’t have to wait in a big line.
bar scene
rainey: go out on rainey for sure. lustre pearl, container bar, lucille’s & unbarlievable are amazing. this street you can walk up and down in and out of bars. all the bars are converted houses and so so fun to hangout at. these are poppin all day and night. if you’re here on a Sunday: icenhaurs is LIT. Sunday funday in full force & a huge band.
west 6th St: Bufords, The Dogwood, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot & Green Light social are all such fun bars to check out. west 6th is more of the dancing spots, more poppin’ less chill bars with dj’s. all these spots are right next to each other which makes it easy to bop around.
east 6th: whistler’s, kitty cohen’s & the white horse are so fun. Whistler’s is a fun cocktail lounge with sort of cave vibes and an upstairs mezcal tasting room. Kitty Cohen’s gives me palm springs vibes and even has a little pool in the middle of the bar. the white horse is an austin staple. it’s a dive bar with line dancing and is 100 worth checking out.