Best Restaurant We Miss
TIE: Las Manitas; Tamale House No. 3
The controversial closing of Downtown Austin institution Las Manitas went down in 2008, and it’s been a clashing symbol of old-school, new-school development arguments ever since. Where an art deco Tex-Mex diner once stood, now lives a modern hotel. Local politicians still name-drop it as an example, and dedicated fans of handmade corn tortillas still feel the stinging loss. Legions of locals report still waking up fuzzy-headed and wishing for chilaquiles and tortilla soup. Fast-forward to 2014: Austin let out a collective wail when the famous doors of Tamale House No. 3 shuttered to mourn owner Robert Vasquez in April. They've remained closed in memoriam, save for the fundraiser-turned-outpouring-of-love for the ladies who perfected breakfast tacos and taco-making speed in that sweltering kitchen. Though Tamale House East remains open, we still drive by our Airport Boulevard mainstay with fingers crossed, hoping someday there will be a return of the crispy taco plate that went easy on our wallets and fueled this city for 34 years.
