What is “Texan food”? This tricky question inspires a wide range of answers depending on who you ask. Tex-Mex, barbecue, and Southern food all play a role in our state’s culinary canon, as do Indigenous ingredients and international influences. Teddy’s, a new restaurant from the Bill’s Oyster team now open in Rosedale, seeks to bring these ideas together into a cohesive concept and menu.
Decor-wise, Teddy’s leans into the “Texas” idea with its full weight, and while certain elements – the wood and flower-printed wallpaper, the Lone Star stamps on the ceiling, the mounted steer skulls – feel charming and appropriate, others veer dangerously close to parody. Do we really need the servers to wear bolo ties and shirts tucked into Wranglers? There’s something winky about the overall vibe, as if Teddy’s wants to both honor Texan traditions and poke some good-natured fun at them. The fact that “Goodbye Earl” by the Chicks – from Dallas! – played in the dining room when I arrived for my first visit added to the effect.
The restaurant’s menu is approachable above all else. It’s easy to imagine a UT undergrad bringing their persnickety parents here for dinner and breathing a sigh of relief that both Mom and Dad can find a dish they’ll enjoy. Nothing too gourmet, nothing too “out there,” but with enough unique twists to keep avid restaurantgoers interested.
In true crowd-pleasing fashion, the appetizer section includes a blend of meat, poultry, seafood, and vegetarian items. A dish that Teddy’s clearly wants to spotlight is the Whipped Love Dip, a cheesy spread with cheddar, goat chèvre, and a rustic salsa made with charred jalapeños. If you’re a fan of pimento cheese, you’ll enjoy this, as it features many of the same rich, buttery, and peppery characteristics. The choice to serve it alongside slices of grilled sourdough is a smart one; the bread brings tangy and bitter notes, and the char from the grill lends a hint of smoke. But the dip arrives at the table with a rigid, just-out-of-the-fridge texture, making it tough to get a good schmear. Letting the dip warm up before sending it out would transform this app from a solid meal starter to a memorable treat.
Another worthy Teddy’s dip? The cinnamon ancho butter, served alongside the restaurant’s fresh Parker House rolls. The cinnamon and chile merge into an assertive but not aggressive spice blend, and while Teddy’s takes a heavy hand with the salt, the sweetness of the soft rolls provides perfect balance. It’s one of the best bread-and-butter dishes I’ve had recently, and I’ll never visit again without placing this particular order.
Nods to Teddy’s Downtown sister restaurant are present in its numerous seafood options; this spot, like Bill’s, serves a rotating variety of fresh oysters, and because chef Daniel Berg knows a thing or two about bivalves, rest assured you’re getting well-sourced East Coast and Gulf mollusks. Another aquatic highlight: the crab and sausage hushpuppies. Briny lump crab plays nicely with smoky cheddar-jalapeño sausage, and the exterior crust offers a satisfying crunch. The filling proves a bit dry, but Teddy’s solves that problem with aplomb via a vibrant mustard dipping sauce. The acidity livens up the general flavor profile, and the large mustard grains bring extra texture to each bite.
Teddy’s wants to both honor Texan traditions and poke some good-natured fun at them.
Any restaurant inspired by Texan traditions needs to put beef front and center, and Teddy’s doesn’t shirk that responsibility. In addition to expected filet and prime rib entrees, cow appears in several appetizers, salads, and sandwiches. Beef carpaccio harmonizes tender meat slices and crispy fried onions, and while the sheer quantity of herb-forward chimichurri threatens to overwhelm the beef’s natural flavor, said sauce is bright and well-salted. In the greens section, the Southwestern steak salad features nicely seared – albeit underseasoned – flat iron that collaborates with fresh and just-bitter-enough mixed greens, nutty roasted corn, black beans, and a surprisingly excellent mezcal vinaigrette, citrusy and vivid and a little bit smoky, to create a robust, satisfying dish.
On the sandwich side, the burger is a nostalgic delight with a juicy patty, an even blanket of American cheese, zingy cornichons, and sweet and tangy “HiHo” secret sauce. The Midland Dip, a Texan take on the French Dip, lets tender and rich prime rib take a dunk in a bath of fatty, beefy, luxurious jus and then get a crowning swipe of punchy horseradish sauce. Both beef sandwiches would be unqualified triumphs if not for their buns. Teddy’s favors brioche-style buns, but the moisture and weight of the fillings easily overwhelms the bread’s structure. You’ll notice dampness on your fingertips within a bite or two, and when it comes to the Midland Dip, it’s really difficult to “dip” it without risking total collapse. A sturdier roll would solve these problems, but if you’re okay with a knife-and-fork sandwich situation, you can still thoroughly enjoy these dishes.
Homey and cozy side dishes, like a loaded baked potato with beef chili and a cheesy, chicken-y, and very gooey King Ranch casserole, are natural fits for Teddy’s menu concept, but my favorite was the slightly more daring Brussels sprouts esquites. This is an ideal dish for Brussels sprout skeptics; it lets the vegetable’s natural funk and bitterness come through, but tempers those powerful flavors with creamy mayo, salty cotija cheese, sweet corn, and plenty of lime.
Teddy’s bar and brunch programs abide by similar patterns: playful, not too experimental, but with a welcome touch of nerve. The quail and waffles layers a whole smoked and stuffed quail on top of a Texas-shaped waffle with a side of maple syrup. The quail eats like a rich and slightly gamey jalapeño popper; the cream cheese and jalapeño filling stands up to the bird’s indulgent flavor, and the maple syrup lends a good-weird touch of sweetness. A thicker Belgian waffle would be an improvement over the Texas waffle; cute though it may be, it, like Teddy’s brioche buns, buckles under the heft of its toppings. Cocktails follow classic Texan tropes with a sense of humor; there’s a frozen paloma with citrusy verve and subtle heat from a Fresno pepper tequila infusion, a “Tex-Mex Martini” that balances briny pickled jalapeño with sweet Fino sherry, and a lively rum punch with roasted jalapeño and pistachio orgeat.
As a neighborhood joint with hearty plates, a somewhat cutesy but not annoying aesthetic, and cocktails that are as smart as they are fun, Teddy’s has a bright future. There are still some kinks to work out, but I can confidently say that hungry students (accompanied by parents with disposable cash), local residents, and anyone wanting a stick-to-your-ribs meal with a bit of chef-driven panache will all find something to make them happy at this Rosedale newcomer.
Teddy’s
1601 W. 38th Unit 1 teddysaustin.com
This article appears in April 4 • 2025.