photo by Jana Birchum
With their homemade corn tortillas and filling breakfast tacos including their staple El Tradicional or migas, Veracruz has become a local go-to for a quick breakfast around town. Pick up a juice, smoothie, or agua fresca to go with your La Reyna breakfast taco and kick-start your morning (or hungover afternoon).
Veracruz All Natural
4208 Menchaca Rd., 512/629-8238
2711 La Frontera Blvd. #320, Round Rock, 512/388-6595
1700 Guadalupe, 512/787-1612
111 E. Cesar Chavez, 512/665-2713
2401 Winsted, 512/665-9860
2505 Webberville Rd., 512/981-1760
veracruzallnatural.com
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Oy, that Mo Pittle! He’s no mere culinary tummeler, nu, regardless of what he’s named his neighborhood-nourishing house of hamburgers, this diner where his traditional Reform Jewish background intersects with delicious Tex-Mexery and results in burgers, burritos, latkes, and more that’ll help even the hopelessly farblondjet find themselves well-fed.
JewBoy Burgers
5111 Airport
512/291-3358
jewboyburgers.com
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photo by John Anderson
photo by John Anderson
JAK’s fancified, deeply satisfying version of the Southern classic improves on the cheap cuts of meat you’re used to with their massive slab of New York strip. The green chile gravy topper is the pièce de résistance. Looking for something marginally lighter? Chicken-fried chicken breast and pork chop are options, too.
Jack Allen's Kitchen
7720 Hwy. 71 W., 512/852-8558
3600-D Capital of TX Hwy. N., 512/351-9399
3010-D W. Anderson, 512/428-6944
2500 Hoppe Trl., Round Rock, 512/215-0372
jackallenskitchen.net
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Begin with the siu mai: crispy, crispy pork, and shrimp or chicken shiitake. Hit the Shanghai jumbo seafood soup dumpling mid courses – it’s a progression – then bookend your dumpling journey with the steamed spinach. Remember to bite the tops off the soup dumplings, insert vinegar and chili (or not), let cool slightly, and devour. Repeat as often as necessary.
Lin Asian Bar + Dim Sum
1203 W. Sixth
512/474-5107
linasianbar.com
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photo by John Anderson
photo by Jana Birchum
Matt’s El Rancho keeps it classic: If it’s not broken, no need to fix it, and their enchiladas are no exception. If you want that OG-Austin-style Tex-Mex, it’s beef or cheese enchiladas with chili con carne all day. This is the enchilada order by which all Tex-Mex shall be judged.
Matt's El Rancho
2613 S. Lamar
512/462-9333
mattselrancho.com
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No need to scream, these local ice cream experts have shops set up in 13 locations across Austin, plus spots in Houston and San Antonio. Whether you prefer the real-deal full-dairy flavors (350 on rotation!) or the dairy-free frozen yogurts and fruit ice, sweet relief from endless summer is never far.
Amy's Ice Creams
1012 W. Sixth, 512/886-5737
3500 Guadalupe, 512/886-5933
2805 Bee Caves Rd. #416, 512/883-4187
10000 Research #140, 512/886-5955
AUS: Amy's Ice Creams, 3600 Presidential Blvd. #20, 512/530-2918
1301 S. Congress, 512/440-7488
4477 S. Lamar #790, 512/886-5998
13265 Hwy. 183 N., 512/918-2697
5624 Burnet Rd., 512/886-6153
9600 S. I-35 Ste. 400-C, 512/399-8030
12800 Galleria Cir. Ste G-150, Bee Cave, 512/262-9447
2901 S. Lamar, 512/447-2697
2002 Manor Rd., 512/551-8225
amysicecreams.com
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photo by Jana Birchum
photo by Jana Birchum
In no surprise, Austin chefs/DJs Tatsu Aikawa and Takuya Matsumoto got a lot of love from our readers. Revered for their tonkotsu broth, Ramen Tatsu-Ya includes vegan options as well as a take on traditional Tokyo-style chicken broth. Pro tip: Order extra noodles to sop up every last drop of leftover broth.
Ramen Tatsu-Ya
8557 Research #126
1234 S. Lamar
1600 E. Sixth
8601 S. Congress
ramen-tatsuya.com
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Home Slice makes Austin’s most consistently delicious pizza. Customize their New York-style chewy-crisp crust by topping it with either sweet marinara or fruity olive oil, perfect mozz or pillowy ricotta. There may be no more perfect pairing than Home Slice’s pepperoni-mushroom pie with a fluffy and lightly lemony slice of their N.Y. cheesecake.
Home Slice Pizza
1415 S. Congress, 512/444-7437
More Home Slice, 1421 S. Congress, 512/444-7437
501 E. 53rd, 512/707-7437
homeslice.com
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photo by John Anderson
photo by Kimberley Jones
It’s no small feat for a sandwich to be at once no-nonsense and playful, but that’s the abiding spirit of this Austin institution (est. 1975). Signature subs like the Office Favorite (egg salad and bacon) and the California Club (turkey, avocado, bacon) are reliably good, and made to your exact specifications by somebody who’s probably in a band. Always get the ThunderSauce.
ThunderCloud Subs
ThunderCloud Subs #10, 903 W. 12th, 512/322-0154
ThunderCloud Subs #3, 3200 Guadalupe, 512/452-5010
ThunderCloud Subs #2, 201 E. Riverside, 512/441-5331
ThunderCloud Subs #11, 2521 Rutland, 512/835-6458
ThunderCloud Subs #14, 3201 Bee Caves Rd., 512/328-2114
ThunderCloud Subs #15, 2300 Lohmans Spur #108, Lakeway, 512/263-1620
ThunderCloud Subs #17, 5401 Burnet Rd., 512/467-9438
ThunderCloud Subs #18, 13776 Hwy. 183 N. #152, 512/258-9145
ThunderCloud Subs #19, 1807 W. Slaughter #500, 512/282-2255
ThunderCloud Subs #5, 7930 Burnet Rd., 512/451-0027
ThunderCloud Subs #6, 2308 Lake Austin Blvd., 512/479-6504
ThunderCloud Subs #8, 2801 S. Lamar, 512/443-0960
ThunderCloud Subs #9, 2021 E. Riverside, 512/445-4163
ThunderCloud Subs #20, 1110 N. I-35, Round Rock, 512/244-2468
ThunderCloud Subs #28, 6920 RR 620 N., 512/335-3663
ThunderCloud Subs #31, 2500 W. Parmer #160, 512/255-2013
6105 Hwy. 290 E., 512/451-5830
3601 William Cannon #300, 512/891-6782
thundercloud.com
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What could be a better indicator of Austin’s soaring growth than the spendy steakhouse tucked into a converted Clarksville home, Jeffrey’s? The iconic upscale restaurant, established in 1975 and bought by McGuire-Moorman (now MML) Hospitality in 2011, focuses on making steak memorable. Your recollections of that birthday with the fancy dessert will be dominated by thoughts of your first bite of mouthwatering, dry-aged rib-eye.
Jeffrey's
1204 W. Lynn
512/477-5584
jeffreysofaustin.com
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Photo Courtesy of MML Hospitality
photo by Jana Birchum
It’s no secret that Tyson Cole put our capital city on the international sushi map with this apotheosis of the itamae’s art in 2003. Nowadays, Uchi is still smoothly defending its throne of freshness, taste, and style – even as talented newcomers continue adding to the Austin scene’s fishy elevation.
Uchi
801 S. Lamar
512/916-4808
uchiaustin.com
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The Vazquez sisters’ taco empire spans from Manchaca all the way to La Frontera. And it’s a big-tent empire, from the veg-packed El Diferente and Furioso tacos to the more traditional Tex-Mex fare like barbacoa, al pastor, shrimp, and mole tacos. No matter your preferences, you’ll happily bend the knee to Austin’s queens of tacos.
Veracruz All Natural
4208 Menchaca Rd., 512/629-8238
2711 La Frontera Blvd. #320, Round Rock, 512/388-6595
1700 Guadalupe, 512/787-1612
111 E. Cesar Chavez, 512/665-2713
2401 Winsted, 512/665-9860
2505 Webberville Rd., 512/981-1760
veracruzallnatural.com
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photo by Jana Birchum
Photo Courtesy of P. Terry's
A veggie burger that, dare we say, sways public opinion on “meat-free” in the land of beef is surely a superstar. This housemade (baked, never frozen) patty features brown rice, crimini mushrooms simmered in cream, black beans, oats, onions, cheddar, and fresh-cut parsley. Perhaps most importantly, this budget-friendly wonder stays intact during the chomp sesh, so it’s no wonder even carnivores are fans.
P. Terry's Burger Stand
404 S. Lamar, 512/473-2217
3303 N. Lamar, 512/371-9975
4220 W. William Cannon Ste. B-200, 512/358-0380
8515 Burnet Rd., 512/420-9242
3311 RR 620 S., 512/263-9433
204 W. Ben White, 512/462-4998
12301 N. MoPac, 512/719-4810
12018 Research, 512/257-0990
701 Capital of TX Hwy. S., Bldg. H, 512/306-0779
5701 N. I-35, 512/420-9984
1551 Hwy. 71 E., 737/209-0059
5900 N. Lamar, 512/814-0129
13770 Hwy. 183 N., 512/219-9992
1800 E. Oltorf, 512/284-8137
12901 N. I-35, 512/531-9683
517 W. MLK, 737/212-0420
515 Congress, 512/473-8722
8600 S. I-35, 512/487-5103
pterrys.com
