Austin City Guide Logo

Best Restaurants in Austin

Check out the best restaurants in Austin, TX. Our Austin Restaurant Guide features 25 top dining experiences based on atmosphere, originality, menu quality, and style.

Ivan Collins Last updated on Feb 13, 2024 by

1. Salty Sow in East Austin

Outdoor patio of Salty Sow in Austin, Texas

n American Gastro Pub located a few miles east of IH-35 off Manor Road, Salty Sow is known for its unique savory menu, featuring appetizers like Triple Fried Duck Fat Fries with a 110 minute egg and cold béarnaise.

View Salty Sow in East Austin

2. Bar Chi Sushi in Downtown Austin

View Bar Chi Sushi listing

Located in the Warehouse District, Bar Chi Sushi features Austin's best sushi happy hour from 4-7 daily and all day on Sunday. On weekend nights the energy level amps up to give it sort of a club like feel worthy of a night out on the town.

View Bar Chi Sushi

3. Juniper in East Austin

Indoor dining room of Juinper Restaurant in East Austin

Juniper opened in 2018 on East 6th featuring Northern Italian cuisine, one Austin's most modern and stylish interiors, and a premiere chef tasting menu.

View Juniper East Austin

4. Intero on Ceasar Chavez

View Intero Ristorante

Intero is one of our city’s best Italian restaurants. Austinites Ian Thurwachter & Krystal Craig have joined their talents to bring us fantastic farm-to-table cuisine from at least 20 different farms.

View Intero Ristorante

5. Diner Bar in Downtown Austin

Diner Bar

Tucked alongside the Thompson Austin Hotel around the corner from Historic 6th Street, Diner Bar is NOT your typical hometown diner, folks! Chefs Mashama Bailey and Kristine Kittrell have locked into something sensational.

View Diner Bar

6. Ember Kitchen in the Seaholm District

View Ember Kitchen

Ember Kitchen in downtown Austin's Seaholm District brings a modern and elegant twist to upscale dining with the use of a Josper Grill to combine the effects of a charcoal grill with temperature controlled oven to deliver an amazing Caribbean infused menu

View Ember Kitchen

7. Perry's Steakhouse in Downtown Austin

View Perry's Steakhouse

A Texas native located in the historic Norwood Tower that was once Austin's tallest building, Perry's Steakhouse and Grille features an elite steak menu and decadent ambiance that is perfect for a special occasion or important client meeting.

View Perry's Steakhouse

8. Eberly on South Lamar

Eberly Austin

This South Lamar sanctuary has a lot going on behind the ivy covered walls. The stories are as rich as the food and a trip here entails much more than just eating a meal. Let the folks at Eberly welcome you into this warm restaurant escape and venture into their menu.

View Eberly

9. Clay Pit in the Bertram Building

Inside view of the downstairs dining room at The Clay Pit restaurant in Austin, Texas

The Clay Pit is Austin's only legit upscale Indian restaurant. It's located in the Bertram building, one of Austin's oldest, that is packed with history and often featured on TV shows and local tours for it's legendary ghost hauntings. The menu is amazing and priced reasonably well. Highly recommended for date night.

View The Clay Pit

10. Second Bar + Kitchen

Second Bar + Kitchen

You’ll now find Second Bar + Kitchen at the East Austin Hotel. Chef Gerard Kenny runs the kitchen on the east side with enthusiasm, skill, and love for each dish.

View Second Bar + Kitchen

11. Buenos Aires on East 6th

Inside view of the dining room at Buenos Aires Cafe in Austin, Texas

Located on East 6th street just a few short blocks from IH35, Buenos Aires was an east side dining option that opened 2005 and before the entertainment zone developed around it. That staying power is a testament to their menu and the style of the restaurant.

View Buenos Aires Cafe

12. Quattro Gatti on Congress Avenue

View Quattro Gatti Ristorante e Pizzeria

Nestled into what turns into a remote part of downtown during the night near the Capitol, is a cool Italian spot called Quattro Gatti Ristorante y Pizzeria with a brick oven delivering true Italian fare.

View Quattro Gatti

13. Truluck's Downtown

View from outside Truluck's restaurant in downtown Austin

One of Austin's first upscale seafood and steak locations, Truluck's anchored the Warehouse District as it became Austin's top spot for upscale dining and cocktail lounge. They are known for the pinnacle of service, elegant dining, and the highest quality steaks and seafood.

View Truluck's Downtown

14. Canje on East 6th

Canje on East Sixth Street

This restaurant lights up East Sixth Street with captivating Caribbean cuisine and a comfortable atmosphere. Chef Tavel Bristol-Joseph brings in inspiration from his native country Guyana and beyond for this remarkable menu.

View Canje

15. Black's Barbecue

View Black's Barbecue

The Original Black’s opened in Lockhart in 1932, nearly a hundred years ago. This Central Austin location, operated by 4th generation Barret Black, features some of Austin's best barbecue...and that says a lot!

View Black's Barbecue

16. Aba on South Congress

View Aba on South Congress

Aba opened in 2020 to great fanfare for it's amazing use of indoor and outdoor space on South Congress avenue. The restaurant features an outstanding bar area filled with subdued lighting and greenery with an amazing Mediterranean menu.

View Aba on South Congress

17. Ten Ten on West 6th Street

View Ten Ten on West 6th

A relative newcomer to the Austin dining scene, Ten Ten opened in January of 2020 on West 6th street. Ten Ten features a modern sushi and robata kitchen with stylish décor, a killer happy hour, and large bar area serving great drinks.

View Ten Ten on West 6th

18. Wu Chow on West 5th

Inside view of the dining room at Wu Chow restaurant in Austin, Texas

The only Chinese restaurant to make our list, Wu Chow offers a very modern take on farm to table Chinese with a menu that offers "dishes representative of all eight styles of Chinese cuisine" with dim sum service on Sunday evenings.

View Wu Chow on West 5th

19. Banger's Sausage House and Beer Garden

View Bangers Sausage House

A staple of causal dining scene in the Rainey Street District, Banger's Sausage House delivers gourmet sausages in a variety of flavors, an exceptional beer selection on tap and the outdoor community seating is energetic and fun.

View Bangers Sausage House

20. Ramen Tatsu-Ya on South Lamar

View Ramen Tatsu-ya on South Lamar

A relative newcomer to the Austin scene, Ramen Tatsu-ya locations have brought the upscale ramen concept to the town with 4 locations. The South Lamar location is a short block from Alamo Drafthouse and features a hip interior, some outdoor seating, and fantastic bowls of ramen.

View Ramen Tatsu-ya on South Lamar

21. The Salt Lick BBQ in Driftwood Texas

View the Salt Lick BBQ

The Salt Lick offers some of the best BBQ in Austin plus an adventurous drive into the Texas Hill Country. It's crazy busy on the weekends when the weather's nice. Buy hey, at least it's BYOB!

View the Salt Lick BBQ

22. Dai Due on Manor Road

View Dai Due on Manor Road

Since opening in 2014, Dai Due on Manor Road has earned quite a cult following among Austin foodies. Owner Chef Jesse Griffiths's wrote, won a James Beard Award, and opened hunting school.

View Dai Due on Manor Road

23. Perla's on South Congress

People eating on the outside patio of Perla's restaurant on South Congress

A Larry McGuire hit and the third seafood focused restaurant to make our list, Perla's has one the most happening patio scenes in Austin that nestles up to the main drag of the hip South Congress Avenue area.

View Perla's on South Congress

24. Uchi on South Lamar

Inside view of the dining room and sushi bar at Uchi on South Lamar

For years, Uchi has reigned supreme as one of Austin's best restaurants. Many of those working under chef Tyson Cole have gone on to open their own restaurants over the years, making Uchi a bit of a training ground for high end kitchens around Austin and the country.

View Uchi on South Lamar

25. Launderette on Holly Street

View of the bar at the Launderette restaurant on Holly Street

Formerly the Holly neighborhood laundromat, Launderette quickly became an East Austin staple of fine food in a comfortable setting. The menu features classics like a Plancha burger as well as items from the wood grill like pulpo, branzino, and ribeye.

View Launderette on Holly Street