What to Eat in Austin, Texas? 10 Best Local Food To Try in Austin
Austinites are known for their love of music, games, art, comedy, sports, and hanging out with friends. The atmosphere was lively since locals like to enjoy their life. And great activities weren’t perfect without special foods.
Austinites are very tolerant of everything you do as long as it doesn’t interfere with other people and is illegal. Even so, there is one unique rule you must know. It is strictly forbidden to drink three sips of beer at a time while standing.
The culture in this city is very diverse because many ethnic groups from around the world are inhabiting Austin. Besides Austin’s native, there are also European, African, Mexican, and even Asian immigrants. All of these cultures mix and enrich Austin’s uniqueness, including local food in Austin, which is also growing.
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Here we provide a list of 10 best local food in Austin that you can try while visiting this music city:
Table of Contents
1. Barbecue
Barbecue is very familiar throughout Texas, including Austin. You can enjoy ribs pork or beef ribs and brisket barbecue in almost every restaurant in town.
One of the places that provide the best barbecue in Austin is Franklin BBQ. This place has a traditional flavor that is popular not only within locals but also tourists. This restaurant has received numerous awards and several reviews by culinary magazines.
Franklin BBQ is at 900 E 11th St. Austin.
2. Chicken Fried Steak
Chicken is the most popular white meat. Various types of dishes can be processed using chicken, and the results are never disappointing. While in Austin, try to enjoy the legendary Chicken Fried Steak. This local food in Austin originally came from Germany and brought to Austin in the mid-19th century. Besides the chicken, a mixture of chicken and mashed beef can be another option. This local food in Austin has a mild texture on the inside, and the breadcrumbs that cover the meat makes it crunchy. Chicken fried steak usually serve along with a white sauce made from cheese, buttermilk, and other herbs.
One of the best places to try this dish is in the Hyde Park Bar and Grill. This restaurant has a crispy and tender chicken fried steak combined with a delicious savory sauce.
Hyde Park Bar and Grill is in 4206 Duval St. Austin.
3. Tex-Mex
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It is undeniable that America was adapting many types of Mexican dishes. One of those is Tex-Mex. It is an American-style taco that uses wheat flour and corn tortillas. Unlike Mexican tortillas that have a soft texture, tortillas on Tex-Mex are crisper and harder. The most common toppings are grated cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes.
The aim of creating this dish was to make a home-cooked Mexican-style dishes for Mexican in Austin. Since the components are limited, the recipe then adjusts to the availability of ingredients in Austin. That was how Tex-Mex born. To experience a variety of Mexican side dishes in Tex-Mex, visit Ramos Tex-Mex Restaurant. Here there are Chimichangas grilled chicken, Mexican-style steak, Fajitas, tortilla soup, and others.
Ramos Tex-Mex Restaurant is in 14611 N Mopac Expy #103.
4. Breakfast Tacos
If you ask locals what food you should try in Austin, Breakfast Taco will be on the top list of the most mentioned foods. As the name implies, this is a taco that is available in the morning to serve as a breakfast menu.
Tacos made from tortillas, and it filled with eggs, cheese, and grilled meat. For the best experience of eating breakfast taco, you can go to Jo’s coffee. This place doesn’t only serve the superb breakfast taco, but also the price is affordable. You can also pick your preference filling here.
Jo’s Coffee is in 1300 S Congress Ave, Austin.
5. Chili
In Austin, chili wasn’t only a vegetable’s name, but also a dish name. It was a short name for Chili con Carne. This dish uses high-calorie, low-fat beef. The main seasoning in this dish is ancho chili powder, which has a spicy flavor. This dish claimed as a Texas national dish in 1977.
This dish is adapting Mexican recipes, and Austinian chili has no beans, unlike the Mexican one. Visit Texas Chili Parlor to have the best Chili in Austin. This place is also providing a cozy environment to make customers more comfortable.
Texas Chili Parlour is in 1409 Lavaca St., Austin.
6. Pecan Pie
Pie is famous all over the world for its deliciousness and diverse varieties. In Austin, you can find Pecan Pie, which is a Texas official desert. This dish uses a soft, slightly sticky pie mixture, and filled with sweet and delicious, caramel pecans. This combination makes anyone who has tried wants to enjoy it repeatedly.
Various bakeries provide this menu. If it’s still your first time, go to Tiny Pies, which offers a small pie with great taste. For another option, you can visit the Upper Crust bakery that serves the classic pecan pie. This bakery made a buttery and crunchy pie with a hint of saltiness that balances the sweetness of the caramel pecan filling.
Tiny Pies is in Burnet Road dan South Lamar Boulevard.
Upper Crust is in 4508 Burnet Road.
7. Gourdough’s
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American cuisines identical with bread, one of which is donuts. Gourdough is a place name that provides unusual donuts. The donuts are cut horizontally and filled with meat, bacon, vegetables, and cheese. This appearance looks like a burger. Another option for the fillings is peanut butter or bananas.
Gourdough public house opens from Sunday to Thursday in the morning until midnight. While on Friday, it is only operating for lunch. Make sure to check on the daily schedule before going to this place.
Gourdough’s Public House is in 2700 S Lamar Blvd, Austin and 215 Losoya St, San Antonio.
8. Frozen Margaritas
When the weather is hot, cold drinks are always a mainstay. Frozen margaritas are cold drinks that you can easily find in Austin. To make margaritas, you can blend the tequila, lime juice, syrup, and orange liqueur with ice.
One of the best places that provide frozen margaritas is Trudy. This place has several locations, and Trudy’s Texas Star, which is near the University of Texas campus, is the most famous one. Trudy provides home-based frozen margaritas that you can get for around $5.
Trudy’s Texas Star is in 409 W 30th St, Austin.
9. Wheatsville Food Co-Op
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Wheatsville food co-op is a grocery store that is providing ready-to-eat food. The signature is buffalo popcorn tofu po’boy. The tofu was covered with cashew flour and serve along with vegetables, pickles, and French-style bread.
Besides buffalo popcorn tofu po’boy, this place also provides a variety of vegetarian-friendly menus. Wheatsville food co-op has various fresh ingredients, and this place is open from 07.30 AM until late evening local time.
Wheatsville Food Co-Op is in 3101 Guadalupe St and 4001 South Blvd.
10. Food Truck
Food trucks are numerous in America, including in Austin. Various food truck vendors serve high-quality food at pocket-friendly prices. Big-name restaurants such as Franklin BBQ and Torchy’s Tacos came from food truck stalls as well.
Numerous types of dishes served in food truck stalls. You can visit The Picnic – Food Truck Park in 1720 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704, where many food-truck stalls gather. It can give you various options to pick.
Are you ready to taste all the local food in Austin? The Austin lively atmosphere will make you more comfortable in exploring each dish. Which one is your favorite? Share your thoughts!
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