7 Best Restaurants in Austin, TX

Offering a blend of cultural activities, fascinating history, and natural beauty, Austin is a popular place to live, work, and play. Its thriving tech industry employs residents in businesses such as IBM and Dell and exciting tech startups. You can’t beat the abundance of outdoor activities like biking, hiking, and enjoying water sports on Austin’s lakes.

Austin has also become one of the best foodie cities in the country. Known for its slogan, “Keep Austin Weird,” this Texas city welcomes people, businesses, and restaurants with unique vibes. Whether you’re in town for a visit, to look for a new home, or if you already live here and just want to discover your next favorite place to eat, this list is for you. Here are some of the best restaurants in Austin, TX.

A chef-owned and operated local restaurant, Foreign & Domestic features New American cuisine in a casual, friendly environment. The chefs partner with local farms to source the freshest and most sustainable ingredients possible, leading to the creation of delicious dishes like Parisian gnocchi with oyster mushrooms, leek risotto, vegan zucchini steak, pork collar served with sweet potatoes, grapefruit, and dill. Foreign & Domestic is also open for Sunday brunch and serves delicious popovers, cinnamon rolls, frittatas, steak & eggs, and vegan hash.

House-made pasta and perfectly cooked vegetables are what you can expect when you dine at the Italian restaurant L’Oca d’Oro. Headed by co-owner and chef Fiore Tedesco, this fine dining restaurant is committed to promoting sustainability and family and community values. Open for dinner at 5 pm every day of the week except Monday, L’Oca d’Oro serves up Ravioli alla Norma with tomato butter, ricotta salata, and roasted eggplant, Chicken Milanese alla Diavolo, and a delicious smoked eggplant dip.

They also have a spectacular wine list and traditional desserts like tiramisu and cannoli. You can also join the restaurant's wine share or pasta club for monthly fresh pasta, provisions, and access to their favorite wines.

You can’t get more regional than Dai Due. Not only are all their ingredients from the region, but they also serve only beer and wine from the great state of Texas. The goal is to support local farms and ranchers, improve the quality of their food, and serve the freshest dishes possible. Speaking of those dishes, who could resist wild boar confit served with beef fat french fries, beet ketchup, and chile mayo or a crawfish hand pie stuffed with crawfish tails, cheddar, green peas, and peppers and served with a delicious parsley sauce?

If you’re looking for brunch, you’ll also find this at Dai Due Friday through Sunday from 10 am until 4 pm. Enjoy brunch pastries, a Central Texas Breakfast, biscuits and gravy, and a mimosa or strawberry-tarragon white wine punch.

You won’t experience any finer Southern dining than at Olamai. Not only does this restaurant have high-class service and an elegant indoor and outdoor dining atmosphere, but it also has some of the best food from James Beard Award semi-finalist Amanda Turner. Their seasonal dinner menu changes based on the time of year, but you can expect to find dishes like blackened dayboat fish served with blue crab sauce and Carolina Gold potatoes, Jefferson red rice with gulf shrimp, and Texas-raised wagyu beef served with cheddar green chile grits or whipped potatoes. To enhance your dining experience, choose a bottle of wine to share with your dinner companions from the restaurant’s extensive list.

A casual wine bar named the best neighborhood wine bar in 2021 by Eater Magazine, Birdie’s is a local favorite for several reasons. First, patrons enjoy the first come, first serve counter service for its lack of fussiness and laid-back vibe. Dog lovers also enjoy Birdie’s fully enclosed and heated patio, where their furry friends are welcome. Diners also love the ever-changing menu that’s based on seasonal ingredients. They know they’ll always get simple dishes made right and that they can usually experience something new to eat every time they come.

The great service and fantastic atmosphere are just part of why Better Half Coffee & Cocktails is continually named one of the best restaurants in Austin, TX. This all-day cafe not only serves what they’re named for (Rosemary Matcha Latte or Wild Turkey-based Golden Lasso, anyone?), but they also have breakfast favorites like granola bowls, chicken biscuits, and yellow corn buttermilk pancakes as well as more lunchtime-appropriate dishes like tri-tip and shiitake reubens, Taiwanese spicy chicken sandwiches, and cauliflower tots served with beet ketchup. The best news? Better Half is open for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and late-night snacks seven days a week. You can also pop in for happy hour Tues-Fri from 3-6 pm to get $6 cheeseburgers or drink specials.

If you love flavorful pan-Asian food, you must visit Koriente, a hidden gem in downtown Austin. From their Koriente curry to their Japchei (a bowl of warm sweet potato noodles with veggies and your choice of protein), Koriente serves authentic, affordable food for all those who want something a little unique. You can customize each dish based on the protein you want, the level of spiciness, whether you want carbs or no carbs, and which add-ons you’d like.

Whether you already live here or will just be in town for the weekend, knowing the best restaurants in Austin, TX, will help you plan your eating itinerary and ensure you always take advantage of great places to dine. Decided you want to make Austin your home? Reach out to experienced local agent Christi Davidson for expert guidance and to see what’s on the market.