Anyone have suggestions for interesting restaurant wine lists around Austin? Or a great dinner spot that allows BYOB?
Asti. Great little Northern Italian restaurant in Hyde Park. Corkage is $20. My wife’s favorite restaurant. Solid food always.
Chez Nous. Superb French classics from a family owned restaurant off of 6th street. I believe corkage is $20 as well.
Best wine lists would be Jeffrey’s, Bufalina, any of the high end steakhouses. Italics, June’s All Day, Lenoir, Texas French Bread, Bullfight, Wink.
Timely thread, I’ll be there next week for a few days, thanks!
BYOB…Salt Lick. Great BBQ (skip the potato salad though)
Chez Nous is perhaps my favorite restaurant of all time. Very simple country fare, and always perfectly prepared. A very casual Austin experience too- when I was in college I remember many a long lunch in gym clothes after a good swim sharing DRC, Roumier and Ramonet with friends. The wine markets have changed, but they have not- and it is very much worth a visit.
Fabi and Rosi as well for dinner- wonderful place with a German emphasis. The last time Dr. Katarina Prum came to Austin, we had a big dinner for her there- and I had a few WB BYOs when I was living in Austin.
Korea House is another option- Northwest part of town near Mopac and 183. You need to call in advance and ask- just let them know you want to bring wine and you will pay them, and all will be well. It is not usually a place people go with BYO, but the food is very much worth it. Expect very little mastery of English and a very basic approach- but the food is quite good.
Wink has a good reputation with some, but can be spotty overall. I have had enough bad misses there ($40 6 ounce steak ordered medium rare that came out well done, vichyssoise with congealed duck fat floating on top) that I will never go back. Still- some I trust have had good nights there and it might be worth a shot.
In terms of wine lists- not much there. Austin is not the college town it used to be, but it is still a very expensive place to live relative to average incomes and so restaurants do not tend to focus on the high end. Those that do tend to be very douchy tourist places with things like $300 Silver Oak.
But I would trust the Bufalina wine list- and in fact that place is worth a visit if you have any love for pizza in you. I know the owner well, have known him a long time, and he put years of heart, soul and knowledge into that restaurant. It is one of the few Austin restaurants that merits the hype.
Have not been to Jeffrey’s since the re-opening, but I know the guy who took on the wine program. Should be solid and this is a good place to go if you are looking for a more upscale experience.
…not to mention that it is half off all bottles on the Jeffrey’s wine list on Sundays. Friends have consumed Coche, Krug and others off of that list at great prices.
+1 on Bufalina, esp for HH. 50% of bottles under $100. I would recommend the Cesar Chavez location over Burnet as an out of towner. In case you crave BBQ during lunch, LA Barbecue and Micklethwait (personal favorite) allow you to bring wine, beer, etc without corkage.
Other good BYOB spots:
Fabi & Rosi
Barlata