Restaurant Guide

Restaurants in Downtown Austin, $10-$25

B Arlo Grey

Global Contemporary • Downtown • $10-$25

Lakeside restaurant in the LINE Hotel, presided over by Top Chef 10 winner Kristen Kish and her storied culinary flair.

111 E. Cesar Chavez, 512/478-2991

Winner of 2011’s Best of Austin Critics Pick for Best Dinner Destination on a Damp, Cold Night, this place is about as authentically Italian as you can get without jumping on a plane to Parma. Antipasti, Neopolitan pizza, and a good wine list make for good shelter here.

507 San Jacinto, 512/474-9899

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D Banger's Sausage House & Beer Garden

American Cafe • Downtown • $10-$25 • First Plates

Celebrating sausage on Rainey Street, this place has become a neighborhood staple. Sure, the ample and often unexpected selections of sausage are responsible, but don't forget the creative specials, such as fried chicken sausage atop creamy mashed potatoes.

79 Rainey, 512/386-1656

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E BarChi Sushi

Japanese • Downtown • $10-$25

206 Colorado, 512/382-5557

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F Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill

Pub Grub, Sports Bar • Downtown • $10-$25

Some say the sliders here are the best in town. Happy hour draws a crowd, and so do the 31 TVs for the sports set.

214 E. Sixth, 512/469-0001

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G Cafe Blue

American Cafe • Downtown • $10-$25

The best meal to have here is Sunday brunch. The steak and eggs are just that, a decent-sized rib eye and a couple of eggs, all cooked precisely to order. All seats are alfresco.

340 E. Second, 512/428-5796

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H Chi'Lantro BBQ

Korean, Tex-Mex • Downtown • $10-$25 • First Plates

The offerings from Jae Kim’s brick-and-mortar "Home of the Kimchi Fries" should be as yummy as those of the popular truck’s. The menu is slightly different, sporting kimchi fried rice balls containing rice, cheddar, Monterey Jack, nori, and gochujang, but retains plenty of crowd favorites.

1509 S. Lamar, 512/428-5269

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I Chupacabra Cantina

Tex-Mex • Downtown • $10-$25

400 E. Sixth, 512/703-4628

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J Cookbook Bar & Cafe

Coffeehouse, Deli/Sandwich Shop, Global Contemporary, Southern/Down-Home • Downtown • $10-$25

At this counter-service eatery located in the Austin Central Library, Chef Drew Curren of ELM Restaurant Group uses recipes from inspirational cookbooks, with a focus on the South and Mexico. The menus change seasonally and often incorporate local farm-to-table ingredients.

710 W. Cesar Chavez, 512/487-5166

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K Crú Food & Wine Bar

Downtown • $10-$25

This restaurant has an extensive wine list with several brave international choices. A light food menu is well-chosen to complement the wines.

238 W. Second, 512/472-9463

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L The Dogwood

Pub Grub • Downtown • $10-$25

"Traditional bar food with a Southern edge" is what is promised here, and by the look of satisfied customers looking for their cars, it must deliver.

715 W. Sixth, 512/531-9062

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M 1886 Cafe & Bakery

American Cafe, Bakery • Downtown • $10-$25

Located in the Driskill Hotel, this cafe is a convenient and casual option for Downtown workers and hotel guests. Favorites include the aptly named Hangover Burger and the pricey but delicious selection of baked goods.

604 Brazos, 512/391-7066

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N Fixe

Southern/Down-Home • Downtown • $10-$25 • First Plates

Southern food’s humble building blocks – buttermilk, black-eyed peas, grits, and salt pork – are refreshed through a combination of molecular gastronomy and just plain ingenuity.

500 W. Fifth, 512/888-9133

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O G'Raj Mahal Cafe

Indian • Downtown • $10-$25 • First Plates

Our favorite dishes here are the dahl makhani, perfect lentils in a creamy sauce; and Malabar, with lamb, coconut, and caramelized onions. The level of spiciness here depends on who is in the kitchen on a given night, so it's a good idea to ask.

73 Rainey, 512/480-2255

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