Where to eat in Austin: 9 must-try restaurants

Everything really is bigger in Texas, and that includes the flavors. Sure, the state’s capital is famous for smoky brisket and ribs that practically melt off the bone, but the great restaurants in Austin go far beyond barbecue. This is a city where tacos are practically a love language and fine dining sits comfortably alongside food truck gems.

If you’re looking to eat out in Austin, you’ll find the city wears its culinary diversity with pride. One night you might be feasting on Tex-Mex classics, the next you’re sipping natural wine alongside a farm-to-table spread, and by morning, you’ll be in line for breakfast tacos (because yes, that’s absolutely a thing here). Austin’s food scene is as eclectic and energetic as the live music pouring out of its bars.

That’s why we’ve rounded up some of the best restaurants in Austin – from legendary smokehouses to bold, unique locations shaking up the dining scene. Whether you’re a barbecue purist, a taco obsessive, or just someone who loves a good plate of something unexpected, you’re in the right place. Bring your appetite – you’ll need it.

Franklin Barbecue

• Address: 900 E. 11th St., Austin, 78702, USA
• Cuisine: Barbecue

Franklin Barbecue is the undisputed heavyweight champ of Austin’s smoked meat scene, with a line that proves it every single day. People camp out for hours just to get their hands on that famous brisket, oak-smoked to perfection with a peppery bark and melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.

Sure, you’ll also find pork ribs, turkey, pulled pork, and sausage, but the brisket is the legend that made Franklin a pilgrimage site for barbecue lovers worldwide. Bring a friend, grab a local beer, and consider the wait part of the experience – once you take that first bite, you’ll understand why no one minds.

Ramen Del Barrio

• Address: 1700 W. Parmer Ln., Austin, 78727, USA
• Cuisine: Fusion Japanese/Mexican

Ramen meets Mexico at this Hana World Market favorite, where spice, soul and a bit of swagger all end up in the same bowl. The mole tsukemen is a standout, with noodles and chicken ready for dipping into a rich, glossy mole broth that packs plenty of heat. On warmer days, the aguachile mazemen, a cold ramen topped with shrimp and bright veggies, feels like pure refreshment.

But the dish everyone talks about is the carnitas tonkotsu, where springy noodles swim in creamy pork broth piled high with taco toppings. It’s ramen with a side of fiesta, and somehow it just works.

Hestia

• Address: 607 W. 3rd St., Austin, 78701, USA
• Cuisine: American

Step inside Hestia and you’re immediately greeted by the scent of wood smoke drifting from the show-stopping 20-foot hearth. This downtown stunner is all about live-fire cooking, turning local Texas produce and proteins into dishes that are smoky, elegant and unforgettable.

Expect everything from silky halibut crowned with trout roe to blistered tomatoes over creamy grits, but the standout might be the seared scallop, finished tableside with a decadent beef tallow sauce. With oysters, Wagyu tartare, and even desserts like kakigori with fermented apple on the menu, Hestia proves fire really does make everything taste better.

Comedor

• Address: 501 Colorado St., Austin, 78701, USA
• Cuisine: Mexican

Don’t let the low-key exterior fool you – step inside Comedor and you’re in for a Mexico City–inspired feast that’s anything but ordinary. This sleek downtown spot is all about bold flavors and playful reinventions, from buttery bone marrow tacos to 40-day dry-aged ribeye dressed up with rare chilhuacle negro. Even the crudo and barbacoa here feel like edible works of art.

The space itself is effortlessly cool – think leather, concrete, and wood with a gorgeous courtyard that’s perfect when the Texas sun plays nice. It’s buzzy, stylish and always packed. Just make sure you save room for dessert: whether it’s a chocolate tamal with house-made ice cream or a tajín pavlova with tangerine sorbet, it’ll knock your boots off.

Odd Duck

Image credit: Richard Casteel

• Address: 1201 S. Lamar Blvd., Austin, 78704, USA
• Cuisine: American

Odd Duck may have started life as a humble food truck, but these days it’s one of Austin’s hottest tickets for inventive Southern cooking with a global twist. The kitchen plays with whatever’s freshest in and around the city, turning local ingredients into dishes like quail al pastor with shishito mayo or a wagyu burger that’s pure indulgence.

It’s casual and welcoming, but the creativity is sky-high – think pork belly sandwiches on house-milled bread, goat chili frito pie in a skillet, or shrimp sausage pasta you’ll still be dreaming about later. Also, the sourdough ice cream with peaches and pecan streusel is the kind of sweet ending you won’t want to skip.

Kemuri Tatsu-ya

• Address: 2713 E. 2nd St., Austin, 78702, USA
• Cuisine: Fusion Japanese/Barbecue

Part smokehouse, part izakaya, all Austin. Kemuri Tatsu-ya is where Texas barbecue and Japanese drinking culture collide, and the result is both playful and delicious. The space itself mixes Tokyo cool with Lone Star flair – cowboy boots and whiskey bottles meet teapots and lanterns.

On the menu, expect mash-ups like brisket rubbed with sesame and pecan, salmon collar with a miso barbecue glaze, and cornbread taiyaki that’s as quirky as it is tasty. Most plates are built for sharing, so bring friends, order a spread of skewers, and finish it off with a Japanese whisky flight. This is Austin fusion at its boldest.

Lenoir

• Address: 1807 S. 1st St., Austin, 78704, USA
• Cuisine: Contemporary

This intimate whitewashed bungalow may be small in size, but it delivers some of the biggest flavors in town. Lenoir’s ever-changing farm-to-table menu leans on seasonal, local ingredients, weaving them into creative plates like crab fingers in leche de tigre green curry or poached snapper with pickled blueberries and dashi.

The $60 prix fixe is one of Austin’s best values, with dishes that rotate weekly and desserts as dreamy as Texas honey pie or corn churros with coffee sugar. With just a sprinkling of tables and a cozy, romantic vibe, it’s the perfect spot for a date night or a night out with someone who really loves their food.

Este

Image credit: Dimitri Staszewski

• Address: 2113 Manor Rd., Austin, 78722, USA
• Cuisine: Fusion Seafood/Mexican

Housed in a converted bungalow, Este shines a spotlight on modern Mexican seafood with flair. The vibe is laid-back but polished, perfect for lingering over a ceviche amarillo brightened with piña turmeric broth or pineapple slices dressed up with piloncillo salsa, cacao nibs and chile salt.

The menu leans into the grill, with daily fish wrapped in banana leaf alongside hoja santa salsa verde, and raw plates that hit with precision – think shrimp in burnt tomatillo broth or albacore with chile oil and carrot-pepper salpicon. Add a seafood tower if you’re feeling indulgent, and pair it all with mezcal, tequila, or a coastal-inspired glass of wine.

La Barbecue

• Address: 2401 E. Cesar Chavez St., Austin, 78702, USA
• Cuisine: Barbecue

Some say La Barbecue is where you go when Franklin runs out, but honestly? That’s doing it dirty. This East Cesar Chavez institution stands tall on its own, slinging Central Texas-style barbecue that’s smoky, salty, and just about perfect. The brisket is the star – melt-in-your-mouth, pepper-crusted glory – but the house-made sausages, ribs and sides deserve their own fan clubs.

Expect Dolly Parton on the playlist, a line that snakes out the door, and trays piled high with meat that make the wait worthwhile. Order your brisket tucked into a sandwich with pickles, onions and a heap of chipotle slaw, then claim a spot on the patio and dig in. Pro tip: don’t skip the mac and cheese – it’s comfort food royalty.

You know what pairs well with the best restaurants in Austin, Texas? The best accommodation – and we’ve got some fantastic Austin hotels for you to choose from.