Austin, TX

Wife is going to Austin this week and needs dinner and lunch suggestions. She’s staying near the convention center but will have a car. Need your help!

When I lived in Houston we made very frequent day trips to Austin, one of our most visited restaurants was Perla’s. Very fresh seafood, nice outdoor dining and a solid wine list. We’ve been for lunch and dinner but I think our best times were outside for lunch.

Lots of good BBQ, not sure how the wait is at Franklin’s during the week but I’d not advise her to miss BBQ. I’d avoid Salt Lick, but pretty much any spot in central Austin should be legit. Lots of blogs on this week’s best, I’m sure.

For finer dining, Paggi House is good Italian. And I just read it closed, nevermind…

If she just wants some wine, Red Room Lounge is awesome. No food that I remember, but a great wine-only bar with a deep bottle list and an esoteric BTG list. It’s run by some sommeliers-in-training. Someone here tipped me off to the place. A little hard to find, but rewarding once you descend the stairs. This place is across the street from the convention center.

It’s become a bit of a chain in Texas, but I’m a fan of Torchy’s Tacos. Some inventive, filling tacos with very good street corn, guacamole and chile con queso.

Depending where you’re from, the thing I miss most about Texas (and I guess the south and parts of the southwest) is Whataburger. Yeah, fast food, but it’s my ultimate cheeseburger spot.

Austin always had a come-and-go restaurant scene, lots of short lived ventures, some hopefully someone with recent experience chimes in.

Right by the convention center is Ironworks BBQ - she can easily slip over for lunch and sit on the back deck … fun, cheap and tasty. We also always grab a cab to Maudie’s Two for texmex and to G’raj Mahal for Indian… I know there’s a great restaurant scene developing there - and would love to hit Qui sometime - but these three just have a good feel of Austin to me.

A guy I grew up with just opened up Dai Due last year. I have yet to dine there but have read really good reviews. La BBQ and Mickelwaith’s Craft Meats are great spots for lunch if the line at Franklin is too long (which it always is).

Mike,

Here are some suggestions off the top of my head:

Near the Convention Center:

Chez Nous (french bistro, excellent for lunch or dinner, about 3 blocks from the convention center)

Parkside (kind of fancy comfort food type joint, dinner only, about 3 blocks from the convention center)

Second Bar & Kitchen (casual outpost of David Bull’s restaurant empire, a few blocks from the CC, lunch or dinner)

Congress (super fancy outpost of David Bull’s restaurant empire, a few blocks from the CC, dinner only, excellent expense account advised)

El Naranjo (interior mexican, a few blocks from the CC)

Not peculiarly near the convention center:

Bufalina (pizza, very very good neapolitan pizza, dinner, short drive)

Arro (french, dinner only, short drive)

La V (great wine list, dinner only, short drive, excellent expense account advised)

Olamaie (fancy southern comfort food, dinner only, short drive)

Lenoir (casual atmosphere but fancy food, dinner, probably need a reservation, near CC, but longer drive)

Olivia (dinner only, longer drive)

Asti (italian, lunch or dinner, longer drive)

Wink (dinner only, short drive across downtown, likely to need a reservation unless you go to the wine bar, which allows you to order from the full menu as well as the wine bar menu)

Juan in a Million (best breakfast taco ever (the Don Juan – eat one and you will probably not need to eat again for a couple days) short drive to the east side)

Matt’s El Rancho (classic tex-mex, longer drive, dinner or lunch)

Maudie’s (lake austin location, classic tex-mex, requires a drive across downtown to the westside, dinner or lunch)

Fonda San Miguel (interior mexican, dinner only, longer drive)

Barlata (spanish tapas, dinner only, requires a drive)


Vince Young’s steak house is right next to the CC, if you want steak, it’s good.

If you want bbq, I suggest either accepting that you’ll be in line at Franklin’s forever, or, instead, going to La Barbecue (it can get lines too) or to Micklethwaite, both of which are a short drive over to the east side. I do not recommend Iron Works (even though it is extremely convenient) because it has always been an under-performer, even when there were no great BBQ joints in Austin.

There are a number of restaurants/bars in the “Rainey Street” district (including El Naranjo, above), which is a short walk southeast from the CC. Other than El Naranjo, I haven’t eaten at any of the restaurants. Many have good reviews, so it might be a good area to go to for drinks/dinner. Also, the area just around the CC has a bunch of chain type restaurants which generally are ok, if you want that sort of thing – think PF Chang, Fogo de Chao, Fleming’s steakhouse, etc. Max’s Wine Dive is in this area as well and is pretty good for comfort food (fried chicken, burgers, etc.). A Gus’ Fried Chicken just opened in this area and is supposed to be good, but I haven’t tried it.

Really enjoyed Qui in East Austin.

Is there a great time this winter to go to Austin besides SXSW? Looking for best food and a great place to lie-low a few days.

Owned by a berserker Steven Dilley

Glenn,

I think that Austin in the “fall/winter” is great. We finally get a break from the heat of summer about this time each year, and the weather is usually pretty good through at least the end of the year. If you’re just looking for a good time to hang out and go to restaurants and/or clubs for shows, pretty much anytime would be good.

The only potential exceptions would be October 23-25 when F1 is here. I believe that gets the hotels booked up pretty heavily, and any effort to try some of our good bbq will likely be more difficult.

Also, the Fun, Fun, Fun fest (similar to ACL but a little more independent/alternative) is here Nov. 6-8. I’m not sure, that that weekend may also suffer on the hotel cost/bbq-line front as well.

Otherwise, anytime is a good time.

Greg, I know a couple of wine lovers in Austin you should meet. I am headed there tomorrow and will meet up with them. If you want to PM me your email address, I will share it with them. Neither spend any time on this board.

Making a trip mid-July. Are there any additions to the tried and true?
Also, making a road trip back to CA through NM and AZ, if you have suggestions on places to stop.
TIA!

Had dinner at Wu Chow on Monday, April 25. Excellent food. The eggplant dish was amazing. A little different take on Beijing (Peking) Duck but it was very good. Had to order 48 hours in advance.

They have an interesting but limited wine list. They also allow BYOB - $25 per bottle if not on their list. $35 per bottle if it is.