Guidebook for Austin

Paul
Guidebook for Austin

Parks & Nature

Barton Spring is one of the coolest places in Austin. It's a natural, spring fed, swimming hole that is 68 degrees year round. It's a great place to swim and hang out. It's like being in Austin before it grew up.
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Barton Springs Municipal Pool
2201 William Barton Dr
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Barton Spring is one of the coolest places in Austin. It's a natural, spring fed, swimming hole that is 68 degrees year round. It's a great place to swim and hang out. It's like being in Austin before it grew up.

Healthy Activities

I can’t recommend a visit to ABP highly enough. If you are an experienced climber or complete noob, it’s a ton of fun. No gear, ropes or harnesses necessary, you can rent shoes for a few bucks and the first visit is free! They also have great yoga and fitness classes, a first class gym for weight training and cardio and an upstairs balcony for co-working. It’s very kid friendly, with separate areas for all ages and skills. My daughter and myself are both members and we go regularly. When you are done, reward yourself with a beer or cider at Friends and Allies or East Ciders next door!
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Austin Bouldering Project
979 Springdale Rd
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I can’t recommend a visit to ABP highly enough. If you are an experienced climber or complete noob, it’s a ton of fun. No gear, ropes or harnesses necessary, you can rent shoes for a few bucks and the first visit is free! They also have great yoga and fitness classes, a first class gym for weight training and cardio and an upstairs balcony for co-working. It’s very kid friendly, with separate areas for all ages and skills. My daughter and myself are both members and we go regularly. When you are done, reward yourself with a beer or cider at Friends and Allies or East Ciders next door!

Insanely good Barbecue

Austin has really elevated the game for Texas BBQ. You should never settle for dry or tasteless brisket. There are more options than you can possibly try. Most good places sell out daily. Check online, as many of the places are taking call-in or online orders for curbside pickup.
World famous, celebrity bbq. The best brisket you've ever had or likely will ever have. Order online for curbside pickup.
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Franklin Barbecue
900 E 11th St
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World famous, celebrity bbq. The best brisket you've ever had or likely will ever have. Order online for curbside pickup.
I personally think it's as good or better than Franklin (brisket aside). Great selection of meats and awesome sides. Try the beef ribs (they are $20 and huge) and the jalapeno cheese grits. Order online for curbside pickup. Limited outdoor seating on picnic tables.
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Micklethwait Craft Meats
1309 Rosewood Ave
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I personally think it's as good or better than Franklin (brisket aside). Great selection of meats and awesome sides. Try the beef ribs (they are $20 and huge) and the jalapeno cheese grits. Order online for curbside pickup. Limited outdoor seating on picnic tables.
My personal favorite underrated BBQ. Always solid and they are just so nice. Usually you can get a free lone star while waiting in line on the weekends. The kolaches are a must try if they have them. The best banana custard in the universe. Limited outdoor seating on picnic tables.
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Kerlin BBQ
2207 E Cesar Chavez St
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My personal favorite underrated BBQ. Always solid and they are just so nice. Usually you can get a free lone star while waiting in line on the weekends. The kolaches are a must try if they have them. The best banana custard in the universe. Limited outdoor seating on picnic tables.
Solid, but overhyped in my opinion. I just get tired of endless lines for barbecue. If you catch a short line or endure the wait you won't be disappointed. Order online for curbside pickup. Limited outdoor seating.
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La Barbecue
2401 E Cesar Chavez St
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Solid, but overhyped in my opinion. I just get tired of endless lines for barbecue. If you catch a short line or endure the wait you won't be disappointed. Order online for curbside pickup. Limited outdoor seating.

Mexican Food

Austin has some of the best Mexican and Tex-Mex food in the universe. Breakfast tacos and other breakfast dishes are a specialty. Here are a few of my favorite places.
Best breakfast tacos ever. All natural, scratch made from their family recipes. Get the migas taco on corn (homemade tortillas). They can be super slow, so avoid them if it looks busy (they get very busy). They make great smoothies also.I recommend ordering online. Limited outdoor seating on picnic tables. They have multiple locations, check Google.
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Veracruz All Natural Food Truck
2505 Webberville Road
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Best breakfast tacos ever. All natural, scratch made from their family recipes. Get the migas taco on corn (homemade tortillas). They can be super slow, so avoid them if it looks busy (they get very busy). They make great smoothies also.I recommend ordering online. Limited outdoor seating on picnic tables. They have multiple locations, check Google.
An East Austin institution with legendary breakfast tacos. Get the Don Juan and add guacamole, order extra tortillas on the side. If you finish it, I will not believe you. Outdoor patio seating.
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Juan in a Million
2300 E Cesar Chavez St
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An East Austin institution with legendary breakfast tacos. Get the Don Juan and add guacamole, order extra tortillas on the side. If you finish it, I will not believe you. Outdoor patio seating.
Good tex mex (they will tell you it's interior Mexican). Get the cerveza fajitas (enough for two people) and a pitcher of margaritas. Don't try and drive afterwards. Large patio, but it does get crowded.
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Polvo's Mexican Restaurant
2004 South 1st Street
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Good tex mex (they will tell you it's interior Mexican). Get the cerveza fajitas (enough for two people) and a pitcher of margaritas. Don't try and drive afterwards. Large patio, but it does get crowded.
Massively underrated tacos with a really large menu. Keeping Austin tacos weird. Order online for pickup or delivery.
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Tyson's Tacos
4905 Airport Blvd
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Massively underrated tacos with a really large menu. Keeping Austin tacos weird. Order online for pickup or delivery.

Dining

This is a short, incomplete list of some of the restaurants nearby. These are some of my favorites. There are many more not listed. If you have a question or want a recommendation, just ask. Masks are required at all of the places below. Most places will give you a mask if you don't have one.
Looks like a gas station from the street. Don't be scared. Retro all-day cafe, patio & grocery selling beer & wine, serving breakfast, lunch & dinner. Very chill with lots of outdoor seating. If you want to get out and be somewhere to chill on a patio, this is the place. Lots of space, safe practices and a chill scene. Good food, drinks and people. Curbside and online ordering too.
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Kinda Tropical
3501 E 7th St
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Looks like a gas station from the street. Don't be scared. Retro all-day cafe, patio & grocery selling beer & wine, serving breakfast, lunch & dinner. Very chill with lots of outdoor seating. If you want to get out and be somewhere to chill on a patio, this is the place. Lots of space, safe practices and a chill scene. Good food, drinks and people. Curbside and online ordering too.
Awesome French restaurant for a fancier outing (fancy in Austin means wearing pants). Great for dates. Super hip, it feels like you are in a weird french film set in TX. Everyone there is probably cooler than you but no one cares. Great for late night dining too. Get the mussels, french onion soup and steak frite. Have a real tin-type photo taken in the trailer photo booth by a guy using a 19th century camera, developed on site on a metal plate - http://lumieretintype.com/. Lots of outdoor seating available, even with personal tents.
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Justine's
4710 E 5th St
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Awesome French restaurant for a fancier outing (fancy in Austin means wearing pants). Great for dates. Super hip, it feels like you are in a weird french film set in TX. Everyone there is probably cooler than you but no one cares. Great for late night dining too. Get the mussels, french onion soup and steak frite. Have a real tin-type photo taken in the trailer photo booth by a guy using a 19th century camera, developed on site on a metal plate - http://lumieretintype.com/. Lots of outdoor seating available, even with personal tents.
Great Italian food, but on the expensive side.
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Juniper
2400 E Cesar Chavez St
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Great Italian food, but on the expensive side.
Contemporary Mexican specialties & snacks, beer, wine & craft cocktails. Nice, but maybe a bit overpriced? Usually crowded, so plan on calling in an order for takeout.
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Fried and True Food Truck
1308 E 6th St
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Contemporary Mexican specialties & snacks, beer, wine & craft cocktails. Nice, but maybe a bit overpriced? Usually crowded, so plan on calling in an order for takeout.
Authentic Mexican food with quality ingredients and a wide selection of tequila. Lots of patio seating.
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Licha's Cantina
1306 E 6th St
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Authentic Mexican food with quality ingredients and a wide selection of tequila. Lots of patio seating.
Awesome level ramen. Japanese soul food. Great for takeout. They also have an outdoor bar patio.
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Ramen Tatsu-Ya
1234 S Lamar Blvd
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Awesome level ramen. Japanese soul food. Great for takeout. They also have an outdoor bar patio.
Farm-to-table fare from locally sourced ingredients served in a rustic space with a butcher shop. The food here is incredible. Limited patio space, so reservations are recommended or order online for takeout.
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Dai Due
2406 Manor Rd
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Farm-to-table fare from locally sourced ingredients served in a rustic space with a butcher shop. The food here is incredible. Limited patio space, so reservations are recommended or order online for takeout.
Neighborhood pizza joint serving authentic NY-style pizza-by the pie or by the slice. Really good pizza. Open for take out only, order online for curbside pickup.
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Home Slice Pizza
1415 S Congress Ave
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Neighborhood pizza joint serving authentic NY-style pizza-by the pie or by the slice. Really good pizza. Open for take out only, order online for curbside pickup.
Detroit style pizza (super thick crust). Very good, very heavy. No outdoor seating, but order online for takeout.
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Via 313 Pizza
10106 W 6th St
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Detroit style pizza (super thick crust). Very good, very heavy. No outdoor seating, but order online for takeout.
Always solid. Very "foody" farm to table dishes. They have great happy hour specials. Small indoor space. I'd recommend online ordering and takeout.
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Foreign & Domestic
306 E 53rd St
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Always solid. Very "foody" farm to table dishes. They have great happy hour specials. Small indoor space. I'd recommend online ordering and takeout.
Casual restaurant serving American fare made from locally-sourced ingredients plus market & bar. Large outdoor patio space for seating. Good pastries, coffee and other farm to table food.
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Sour Duck Market
1814 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
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Casual restaurant serving American fare made from locally-sourced ingredients plus market & bar. Large outdoor patio space for seating. Good pastries, coffee and other farm to table food.
I love Vic and Al's. It's probably my #1 go-to place when you just want to chill and have a great meal and some good drinks. Every night they cook up a dinner menu, and they also have a set of regular dishes. You can't go wrong with anything off their Southern Louisiana inspired menu.
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Vic and Al's
2406 Manor Rd
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I love Vic and Al's. It's probably my #1 go-to place when you just want to chill and have a great meal and some good drinks. Every night they cook up a dinner menu, and they also have a set of regular dishes. You can't go wrong with anything off their Southern Louisiana inspired menu.

Food Trucks

There are hundreds of food trucks around town now. These are a few of my favorites.
Japanese street food. Maybe the best you will ever have. The Thai Chicken Karaage is a must to order!
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East Side King
2000 E 6th St
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Japanese street food. Maybe the best you will ever have. The Thai Chicken Karaage is a must to order!
Extraordinary tacos. Nice people. Picnic table seating outside. Very good for take out. Multiple locations, check Google
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Pueblo Viejo
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Extraordinary tacos. Nice people. Picnic table seating outside. Very good for take out. Multiple locations, check Google
Converted shipping container offering Vietnamese banh mi & other street snacks near picnic tables. Great banh mi and vermicelli noodles.
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Saigon Le Vendeur
2601 E 7th St
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Converted shipping container offering Vietnamese banh mi & other street snacks near picnic tables. Great banh mi and vermicelli noodles.

Craft Breweries

If you like beer, don't miss these craft microbreweries nearby. They sell beer to go in cans, crowlers or growlers too.
Quality beers and taproom with a nice patio. Next door to the Austin Bouldering Project and Austin East Ciders.
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Friends & Allies Brewing
979 Springdale Rd
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Quality beers and taproom with a nice patio. Next door to the Austin Bouldering Project and Austin East Ciders.
Craft cider. Nice patio seating and great cider. Check them out at the same time as Friends and Allies.
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Austin Eastciders
979 Springdale Rd
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Craft cider. Nice patio seating and great cider. Check them out at the same time as Friends and Allies.
Outstanding craft beer on tap. Picnic tables outside, and usually a food truck or two.
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Hops & Grain Brewing
507 Calles St
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Outstanding craft beer on tap. Picnic tables outside, and usually a food truck or two.
Funky little brewpub in the heart of East Austin, serving up Coffee. Beer. Tacos with lots of outdoor seating. All their beers are gluten free too!
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Lazarus Brewing Co.
1902 E 6th St
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Funky little brewpub in the heart of East Austin, serving up Coffee. Beer. Tacos with lots of outdoor seating. All their beers are gluten free too!
High quality urban brewery. Nice open space and patio seating.
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Zilker Brewing Company
1701 E 6th St
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High quality urban brewery. Nice open space and patio seating.
Sour mashed beer. If that's your thing, you'll probably really like them. For me, it can be hit and miss. Outdoor patio is open.
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Blue Owl Brewing
2400 E Cesar Chavez St
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Sour mashed beer. If that's your thing, you'll probably really like them. For me, it can be hit and miss. Outdoor patio is open.
World-renowned maker of farmhouse ales and barrel-aged wild ales located on 165 acres of farmland on the outskirts of Austin, TX. These guys are the granddaddy of craft beers. You can make a reservation for outdoor seating in their farm.
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Jester King
13187 Fitzhugh Rd
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World-renowned maker of farmhouse ales and barrel-aged wild ales located on 165 acres of farmland on the outskirts of Austin, TX. These guys are the granddaddy of craft beers. You can make a reservation for outdoor seating in their farm.