Restaurants Within Walking Distance of ACL Fest
By Amber Williams, October 2, 2024, 1:55pm, On the Range
Hungry at Austin City Limits? Want reasonably-priced eats and a break from the crowd? Lucky for you, many local restaurants await just a short walk from Zilker Park – each offering a different taste to suit your mood. Some venues change their hours during the festival, so call before you go.
Barton Springs Road to South Lamar
The Picnic
1720 Barton Springs Rd.
Visiting this food truck circle feels like a trip around the world with vendors serving up Thai, Mediterranean, Italian, gelato, and Mexican. One stop here will probably meet any cuisine preference. Bonus: There’s also a barber on premises in case you need to freshen up your fade before the headliners.
Chuy’s
1728 Barton Springs Rd.
Now a national chain, this Tex-Mex-meets-50s-diner first started at this very location. The multicolored checkered floor, cherry red booths, hanging hand-carved wooden fish, and menu pulling from New Mexico and Texas make it a can’t-miss option.
Baby A’s
1628 Barton Springs Rd.
Two borderland-fare hubs on the same block? Yep, you’re in Austin. While similar to Chuy’s in cuisine, Baby A’s stands apart for its world-famous purple margarita and hearty tortilla soup recipe.
Green Mesquite BBQ
1400 Barton Springs Rd.
Going on 35 years with faded pictures lining the ceiling woodwork to prove it, this chill barbecue staple is the type of place for swapping stories with your server, catching live outdoor patio music, and destroying a pile of smoky wings. Save room for their locally baked pies.
JuiceLand
1625 Barton Springs Rd.
Not feeling a soporific meat plate for lunch? Drop by this health drink shop for a juice, smoothie, light snack, or selfie with the giant groovy gorilla statue. Trivia tip: The little rock building has hung around since the early 1900s.
Casa De Luz Village
1701 Toomey
What if I told you that a secret serene fortress awaits just minutes from Zilker Park? With organic vegan meals, fresh-squeezed drinks, cacao elixirs, herb shops, and yoga studios? Nestled between residential buildings off Toomey Road, the business complex is a little hard to find, but it’s worth the journey. Once you enter the vine-covered corridor weaving between bamboo, waterfalls, and Asian-inspired architecture, you will emerge in a new ecosystem with health-conscious offerings from Casa De Luz, Alchemy Organics and Third Eye Lounge.
South Lamar to South First
El Alma
1025 Barton Springs Rd.
Cross under the train tracks and east down Barton Springs for stylish Mexican cuisine and rooftop service. Whether you reserve a four-course-meal or drop by for tacos, this restaurant promises an authentic menu curated by Alma herself.
ATX FOOD CO.
517 S. Lamar, lot 1
Technically, it’s a food truck in a bicycle store parking lot. But the potted plants, string lights, soft turf, and pickled cabbage-mushroom-avocado spelt tacos make it a vegan oasis.
Terry Black's BBQ
1003 Barton Springs Rd.
Neighboring El Alma sits our second slow-cooked establishment of the list. Run by a barbecue legacy dating back four generations, the barn-like joint attracts visitors for its stream-lined service, on-display smokehouse and succulent Texas ribs.
Sandy's Hamburgers
603 Barton Springs Rd.
If familial legacy is your jam, you might like this 78-year-old fast food stop originally named after the daughter of the couple who built and ran the shop. Today, folks still walk up for a classic burger, hot dog, or their trademark frozen custard with an extra serving of nostalgia.
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