Home Cooking: Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

I am a relative newcomer to crock pot/slow cooker cooking. My mother didn't use a cooker when I was growing up, and it's only been in the last 5 - 7 years that I bought myself one. But I definitely appreciate the time advantages to using one, and actually now I have two: a big six quart one and a baby two quart. They are both REAL handy!

My friend Sharon Chen of Delish Plan has written a slow cooker cookbook. Disclosure, she was offering some advance e-copies at a discount to members of our food blogger group (Austin Food Bloggers Alliance) for critique and to review on Amazon, which I provided. I was not monetarily compensated otherwise, and all opinions are my own. This link here will take you to her web page for the cookbook; or click here to go directly to Amazon to purchase either an e-book or paperback copy. There are a lot of creative recipes from meats to vegetarian dishes to dessert.  And one of the beautiful things about using a slow cooker, it doesn't heat up your entire kitchen the way an oven does in the Texas summer! But back to pulled pork!

Available on Amazon

I bought a small pork shoulder from Whole Foods, that was about a pound and a half; I decided to make half the recipe and use my smaller cooker. While Sharon advocates for using plastic liners for ease of clean up, I don't care to cook in plastic, so I sprayed the cooker well with non-stick spray. An onion, the meat, and a mixture of ketchup, hard cider (I used Crabbie's, which is more of an alcoholic ginger beer than hard apple cider, but the flavors lent well), Dijon mustard, brown sugar, salt + pepper, bay leaf, and chile garlic paste all went in the pot. I cranked the heat all the way to low and let it work it's magic overnight.  My house smelled good in the morning! Here's what it all looked like still in the pot.

And below, with minimal shredding, you can see how the meat just fell off the bone.  One thing I did though was to reduce the remaining liquid from the pot; I poured it all into a skillet and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. It reduced somewhat, but definitely thickened.

One night for dinner, I made some polenta and brussels and had an easy meal, adding some of the reduced juices.

And this was my favorite, the pulled pork with a great pasta, goat cheese, fresh basil and some of that reduction.

Without a doubt, I would make this pulled pork recipe again! In addition to what I made, there's so much you can do with the pork, like make tacos or pulled pork sandwiches. Easy and versatile. I can happily recommend Delish Plan's cookbook!

Snooze: An AM Eatery (South Lamar) -- Caught Napping or Wide Awake?

I've been pondering this blog post in my mind for over a month now, and it's just time to put it out there. Maybe you can tell from the title of this blog post of the conflict going through my head. Read on to learn about my first visit to Snooze: An AM Eatery at 1700 South Lamar, which coincided with International Pancake Day on February 28th, where a portion of pancake profits go to help local community gardens.

What started out as lunch with friends M and B became a very leisurely lunch, though not entirely by choice. More on that in a minute. Snooze is in a strip center on South Lamar, just north of the light at W. Mary/Hether Streets; its patio seating with orange accents is visible from Lamar. They are open daily from 6:30 am - 2:30 pm, and feature breakfast foods (heavy on eggs) and some sandwiches, as well as a full bar. The original is in Denver, where I ate several years ago when visiting friends; there are now around 20 Snooze locations from Texas to California.

I arrived a little after 11:30 am and found the parking lot to be mostly full, but fortunately Snooze was not packed. (I have heard stories about two hour waits on weekends which is one of the reasons I have not gone until now.) I was immediately greeted and seated along the back wall; as I waited for my friends, I admired the playful decor. I don't know what you call the little starburst/jacks thingys, but they are fun and nicely incorporated on the walls, on the glasses, etc.

Our waitress was personable and happily made some menu suggestions when asked.  I ordered the Breakfast Pot Pie, which is a big piece of puff pastry, with choice of egg and gravy, along with their very nice and crisp hash browns. The pastry is probably made from vegetable shortening, not butter, but it's still light, flaky and tasty.  This is a good sized plate of food! The food took maybe a little long to come, but nothing egregious.

B had the Benny Goodman, with smoked salmon, cream cheese and capers.

M had the Bella! Bella! Benny, which the waitress had mentioned was one of the post popular benedicts, with prosciutto, Taleggio cheese, arugula and balsamic. Both of them enjoyed their food. The menu says you can also order a combo plate of any two benedicts if you can't decide, which is a nice option.

We all liked our food, and decided to split a couple of the special pancakes for dessert. I can't even remember what we ordered, but I think it was the Acai and Cannoli. So..... 25 minutes go by, and we still haven't received our order, so I asked the waitress when she was nearby. The lunch rush seemed to have peaked and was starting to thin a bit. I saw her go into the kitchen, and another minute or so later, a manager came over. He apologized for the delay and said they should be out in about 5 minutes; he further explained that a lot of his staff was in San Antonio preparing for Snooze's opening down there which was set for the next day or so, and the kitchen was backed up. I told him politely that shouldn't be an excuse for two pancakes.

A few minutes later, the pancakes did arrive; I took a bite of each, and they both seemed a bit dry. But then I saw it: there was a long hair in the batter; I was done eating. We pointed it out to the staff but did not make a scene over it.

Honestly, I think I was more disturbed by the long wait for two pancakes and what seemed like an excuse than I am about the hair. Don't get me wrong, I am not thrilled about the hair, but it can happen at any type of food establishment from fine dining on down. However, I am sure Snooze will be less than thrilled to know that it happened to a local food blogger. I will say the manager comped us a generous portion of the bill after learning of the incident, and I do appreciate his working quickly to try to rectify the situation.

I think I did catch Snooze on a day they were both napping and awake. I will return at some point, though I may still steer clear of the pancakes, but a Dirty Drunken Chai will definitely be in my future.

Addendum: I received a press release earlier this week from their PR agency; the two Austin Snooze locations (1700 South Lamar and 3800 North Lamar) donated $2000 to Becker Elementary and the Sustainable Food Center for their gardens from International Pancake Day. Nicely done.

El Burro: New Fresh and Casual Mexican in Lamar Union

Editor's note 7/12/2017: El Burro closed in early July. {That didn't last long!}

I met a friend last month at the new El Burro, sibling to VOX Table, both in Lamar Union at 1100 South Lamar Blvd. Having just opened earlier this winter, I was curious to try it and hopefully include them in my guide to the Best Mexican Food in Austin, and they did not disappoint! Plus they recently started a happy hour program, which will certainly encourage my return.

We sat outside on the patio, which did have heaters (and hopefully those will turn into misters as the weather heats up), and fortunately since we were on the driveway side, the noise from the Lamar Blvd. traffic wasn't too bad. Also fun to people watch at this new, hip complex.

I started with a lovely sangria and my friend a classic margarita.

Okay, admittedly it's been a month since I was there, and I didn't write down what my friend had, but I think this is the carnitas taco plate with green salsa. She was rather pleased with it!

Mine is definitely the al pastor! Decent corn tortillas, very nice flavor and tenderness to the pork. I almost always feel that al pastor tacos should have a teeny bit more pineapple than what they come with, but the pickled onions were a nice addition. Now the menu calls this avocado salsa, but it was certainly more of a sauce than salsa. But I would still order them again!

The El Burro website mentions free valet parking, and also has an online ordering feature that's coming soon. So whether you are planning on dining in or getting food to go, you've got options on how to get your El Burro fix!

Toss Pizza: New York Style Pizza in South Austin

There are no shortage of pizza places in Austin, but last summer welcomed Toss Pizza into the mix. This New York-style pizza place is at 2901 South First Street, and offers on-site parking and an outdoor, dog-friendly seating area.

Somewhere between a restaurant and a bar, there was a laid-back vibe on a recent weeknight. Multiple televisions are positioned throughout, but fortunately they were not blaring. Each day has a different drink/happy hour special, and there's also a window to the kitchen where you can watch them toss pizza dough.

I started with beer and my friend and I split the garlic knots. Looking back at the menu, it says "choice of garlic butter, marinara or ranch." I realize now, the waiter didn't ask our preference, and just brought all three sauces with the order. Except the ranch wasn't ranch; it tasted more like an alfredo, though it congealed quickly, making me now wonder if it was the beer cheese that's mentioned in the pretzel appetizer. But it tasted more like an alfredo than a beer cheese. Oh well. The garlic butter was my favorite of the three.  Who doesn't like soft chewy bread and melted butter?

Toss makes big 20" pies. That's the only size. Fortunately, you can order a HALF pie. So we picked our own toppings with sausage and roast garlic, though some of their specialty pies sound delicious. As you can see, the half pie is still four very large slices, so we each ate one and took one home. I really liked the pizza. It was sort of easier to eat it with a fork and knife, at least initially, but it's also very foldable for those who like to eat their pizza that way.  Crust is pretty thin on the bottom, with a decent edge to it, almost like a Neapolitan. It crisped very nicely in the toaster oven when I reheated it.

We also ordered the warm Brussels sprout salad, with beets, pancetta, walnuts, and balsamic. The flavors were fantastic, but the execution was poor. The Brussels were completely soggy, and after a few bites, I just couldn't do it, and we set the tray to the side. I told the waiter, who sort of apologized, but didn't really appear to take any corrective action, and left them on our check. So I was about to leave a little disgruntled when someone who I assume was a manager came over to the table. He said the waiter told him what I said about the Brussels, so he went back to the kitchen to check, and  sure enough, he felt they were sub par. He apologized and gave us a card for 10% off our next visit. I felt vindicated, and appreciated the manager's efforts, and that of the waiter for reporting it.

You can order online for pick up or delivery; this will come in handy. I will happily return to Toss for the pizza. So while I hope the kitchen gets the Brussels perfected, the pizza is pretty much perfect as is.

The Ultimate Guide to South Austin Restaurants 2019

Click here to see the full AFBA City Guide! 

Updated for 2019! "Where should we eat in South Austin?" The age-old question! Well, I've tried to think of every possible decent meal/dish I've had, and list MY FAVORITES here by type of cuisine (warning: there's a lot of info here). Here are my picks for best restaurants in South Austin, focusing primarily on Town Lake to William Cannon, and IH-35 to Mopac. For restaurant picks south of William Cannon, please see Homemade Austin's post from 2016. Happy eating! 

Finer Dining (Let's be real, nothing in South Austin requires a tie, but pants without holes in them would be nice.)
Eberly, 615 South Lamar Boulevard
Decor is said to be stunning, but I have not yet been.

Lenoir, 1807 South First Street
Prix fixe at $45 for 3 courses; seasonal menu, enchanting dining room and expanded backyard space.

Soto, 1100 South Lamar in Lamar Union
Expansion of the Cedar Park original location, primarily sushi and sashimi. Dinner only, good happy hour specials.

Uchi, 801 South Lamar Boulevard
Japanese, the epitome of customer service and creative food that's not just sushi. Tip: go for social hour when they have half-price apps. And make a reservation!

Hama chili (yellowtail tuna with ponzu, thai chile, and orange segments)

Vespaio, 1610 South Congress Avenue
It all reminds you of your Italian grandmother's cooking -- pasta, pancetta, parmesan, pizza... mmmm.

Americana
Cafe No Se, 1603 South Congress Avenue at the South Congress Hotel
Serving B, L, D and save room for dessert! Previous post here.

Cafe No Se croissants

Deckhand Oyster Bar, 4211 S. Lamar (by the Target at S. Lamar + Ben White) 
This Thai-owned spot opened in 2016; the original location is in far north Austin. Traditional po'boys, raw oysters, chowders, etc, and the added bonus of a few Thai dishes like tom som seafood soup.

Jack Allen's Kitchen, 7721 Hwy 71 

Texas food -- upscale cross of Southern and Mexican

June's All Day, 1722 South Congress Avenue
If you had to call it a genre, American bistro food? A great happy hour really makes the food extra delicious! Full blog post here. 

June's French Onion Soup

Mattie's, 811 W. Live Oak at Green Pastures
Upscale southern charm in a grandeur setting. Happy hour, dinner, weekend brunch.

Chocolate avocado cremeux from Mattie's

Odd Duck, 1201 South Lamar Boulevard
Local seasonal food, amazing breads; I haven't tried their burger, but people swear by it blog post here.

Parker House rolls with pig head meat. Yum.

Phoebe's Diner, 533 W. Oltorf Street
Owned by the Winebelly folks in the same strip center, Phoebe's serves comfort/southern food for breakfast and lunch. 

Phoebe's fried chicken, grits, and biscuit.

Snooze, 1700 South Lamar 
Breakfast. All day. Pancakes, French toast, Benedicts galore. Cocktails.

Snooze's Breakfast Pot Pie

South Congress Cafe, 1600 South Congress Avenue
From the Trudy's family; nice variety in the heart of SoCo. 

Fried goat cheese and prosciutto salad

TLC Austin, 1100 South Lamar in Lamar Union

Everybody needs a little TLC, right? And here's it Texas comfort foods with a coastal twist. Thirty beers on tap too. 

TLC's vegetarian sandwich called The Enlightenment with pesto, avocado, and watermelon radishes. 

Vinaigrette, 2201 College Avenue

This New Mexico transplant is salad-centric, with some nice cocktails to boot. Mix and match salads with various proteins. See my report.

Ginger turmeric tonic

Winebelly, 519 West Oltorf Street
This hidden gem has a nice wine list, and some of the silkiest, smoothest chicken liver mousse I've had. Past blog post here.

One of the best chicken liver mousse apps in town.

Winner Winner, 9300 Hwy 290 (past Oak Hill) 
Old railroad car converted to modern diner. Rotisserie chicken, other meats and vegetable side dishes already prepared and ready for take out. 2018's blog post here.

Burgers
Hill's Cafe, 4700 South Congress Avenue -- Closed in 2018
This has been one of my favorite burgers for years, largely because of the sweet kolache bun they serve it on (other bun options available); meatloaf, catfish and chicken fried steak -- something for everyone.

Hopdoddy, 1400 South Congress Avenue (and other locations around town)
Fabulous, creative burgers, partial to the lamb myself; truffle fries and thick milkshakes (honestly, two average adults could split a burger, fries and milkshake); be prepared to stand in line, but they won't take your order until there is a table available. Tip: you can order food from the bar.

Hopdoddy's Greek (lamb) burger

Odd Duck, 1201 South Lamar
Many consider their burger the best in town, and while I haven't had it I can vouch for their other foods.

Odd Duck's savory croissant

Pizza (lots of Italian places like Enoteca have good pizza too)
Cane Rosso, 4715 S. Lamar (Sunset Valley)
While the address is South Lamar, they're really on the Hwy 290 eastbound frontage road. Great Neopolitan pizza and they've recently added pasta specials like truffle carbonara.

Cane Rosso pizza

Homeslice,1415 South Congress Avenue
New York style pizza; I appreciate the fact they close for a week and take the whole staff to NYC for pizza research and they have a walk up window for slices and to-go orders.

Toss Pizza, 2901 South First Street
Also New York style, huge 20" pies, though fortunately you can order a half-pie. Parking (!) and an outdoor patio space as well. Slices were also good reheated in toaster oven the next day.

Pizza at Toss with sausage and roast garlic

Via 313, 6705 Hwy 290 West (at William Cannon)
This is their first brick and mortar location, with two trailers in town and another storefront at 31st and Guadalupe. Detroit style pizza, with it's toasty + cheesy edges will make a thick-crust believer out of you. And if you're into artichokes, get the goat cheese stuffed ones on the appetizer menu!

What you can't see in the picture are the nice crusty edges from the melted cheese!

Vegetarian/Soup/Smoothie/Sandwich
Bouldin Creek Cafe, 1900 South First Street
Vegetarian spot, great patio, huge omelets, and my favorite veggie burger around.

One of the many omelet options at Bouldin Creek Cafe

Casa de Luz, 1701 Toomey Road
Macrobiotic (which is not for everyone!), charming locale.

G's Dynomite, 2312 South First Street
Hidden gem with great sandwiches.

Mr. Natural, 2414 South Lamar Boulevard
One of two locations, all vegetarian with lots of vegan options.

Soup Peddler, 501 West Mary Street and 2801 South Lamar Boulevard
Fresh soups and juices/smoothies; love the Flotsam and Jetsam (green juice with a lot of ginger!).

Vinaigrette, 2201 College Avenue
A little pricey for a salad, but I've had some excellent ones here. Not exclusively vegetarian but salad-based with soup and sandwiches too.

Asian chopped salad with duck confit

Mexican + Tex- Mex (My personal preference is interior Mexican, as opposed to Tex-Mex, but there is some crossover; see my 2019 guide to the Best Mexican Food in Austin)
Alcomar, 1816 South First Street Closed in 2018
A beautifully remodeled space specializing in Latin seafood; brunch, happy hour specials.

Alcomar's snapper ceviche

Borrego de Oro, 3900 South Congress Avenue
No frills, just good food. Yes, that nondescript place on South Congress right before Ben White. Try it! BL+D

Borrego's chipotle cabrito

Chuy's, 1728 Barton Springs Road, plus other locations

The original on Barton Springs Road is what started it all, now with multiple locations nationwide. The tortilla soup is still a staple for many. Daily, breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Cruzteca, 5207 Brodie Lane
From the Mellizoz taco trailer family, the shrimp tacos were excellent!

Curra's, 614 East Oltorf Street
Al pastor, mole, cochinita pibil, avocado margarita, very popular spot...also BL+D

DK Maria's Legendary Tex-Mex, 1807 Slaughter Lane
Incredible thick tortilla chips and a jalapeno/avocado sauce that's amazing.

El Alma, 1025 Barton Springs Road One of the few places that uses duck (rellenos and enmoladas); great rooftop patio.

Refreshing sangria from El Alma

Fresas, 1703 S. 1st Street
Chicken al carbon, various street foods, Tex-Mex and a large outdoor area.

Habanero, 501 West Oltorf Street
This little place is mostly open for breakfast and lunch; dinner on Fri/Sat only.

Joann's Fine Foods, 1224 South Congress
New, hip and trendy in the middle of hip and trendy South Congress Ave! Adjacent to the Austin Motel, Joann's serves Tex-Mex/Californian foods. While not budget friendly the food was really good and they have 25% off food M - F from 4 -6 pm.

La Mexicana Bakery, 1924 South First Street
Cheap (and good) breakfast tacos and a ridiculous amount of sweets, aka pan dulce. Bonus: open 24 hours.

No frills and very fat breakfast tacos at La Mexicana

Maudie's Tex Mex, 1212 S. Lamar, plus other locations

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Hard to beat a giant plate of nachos compuestos for $5 during happy hour.

Papalote, 2803 South Lamar Boulevard
Tiny spot for street food and just plain good eats (sister restaurant to Azul Tequila); for the vegetarians, they're known for their cauliflower taco.

Sazon, 1816 South Lamar Boulevard
Their parking can be challenging, but I have always loved their mole, and how many places do you know that serve huitlacoche? Nice patio too. My blog post here.

Tacos al pastor at Sazon

Barbecue
Rudy's, 2451 S. Capital of Texas Hwy
A bit outside the geographical boundaries I am trying to stick with for this post, but Rudy's is definitely worth a mention, even if they are a chain.  

Terry Black's, 1003 Barton Springs
I didn't love it, but didn't hate it either. See my post. 

Terry Black's menu board

Uncle Billy's, 1530 Barton Springs Road
They're doing nice things with meat, plus they brew their own beer.

Pork belly tacos

Loro, 2115 South Lamar
Barbecue meets Asian, the mash up of local titans Aaron Franklin and Tyson Cole. Beautiful building and outdoor area. Tender, flavorful brisket.

Loro's brisket with Thai flavors

Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ 11500 Manchaca Road
Succulent brisket and other meats, well-known for their tacos.

Italian/Spanish
Barlata, 1500 South Lamar Boulevard
Spanish, tapas, don't miss the Crema Catalana for dessert. Nice happy hour pricing in the bar area.

El Chipiron, 2717 South Lamar Boulevard
(Oddly) just south of Barlata, this other Spanish restaurant has a beautiful modern interior and some tasty small plates. 

El Chiprion's oxtail empanadas

Enoteca, 1610 South Congress Avenue
This bistro has been my go-to Italian for years, as their carbonara is one of my favorite comfort foods. (The less-formal sibling to Vespaio; they share a kitchen.)

The spaghetti carbonara done with linguine

Juliet Italian Kitchen, 1500 Barton Springs Road
Amazing outdoor patio, delicious agnolotti pasta; my post here. They went through a rebranding in 2018, and I haven't been since they updated their menu.

Goat cheese agnolotti at Juliet

Chinese + Korean
Chen Z Noodles, 6705 W Hwy 290 (same strip center at William Cannon as Via 313)
This is not your typical (Americanized) Chinese restaurant; they specialize in hand-cut noodles, which can be a bit doughy, but I love them. Their pan-fried dumplings, green onion pancakes, and lamb skewers are top notch; previous post here.

Green onion pancake from Chen Z's

Chi'lantro, 1509 South Lamar Boulevard
Korea meets Mexico with this food truck empire that made the leap to brick and mortar; try the kim chi french fries and the chicken wings.

Sichuan River, 4534 Westgate Boulevard
Finally! Sichuan food that's not in far north Austin! Sizzling Sichuan lamb, mapo tofu, egg foo young, and dan dan noodles are among the specialties; see my review here. The eggplant with garlic sauce is my go-to item there.

Sizzling Sichuan lamb...if you're a lamb lover, this is a must-try!

Eggplant in garlic sauce, and I have them add pork; I get about three meals out of this!

Thai 
Krua Thai, 2024 South Lamar Boulevard Closed in 2018, now Super Thai
My Thai friend Bee says this is the best chicken satay she's had in Austin, and she was pretty fond of the rest of the dishes we shared too. My full blog post here. 

Krua's crab fried rice

Sap's, 4514 Westgate Boulevard
While I don't love their noodle dishes, their tom kha soup is other-worldly. My Thai friend also compliments their leaf-wrapped savories dish or mieng kum, which you don't often see on typical Thai menus. Moo ping is another fave, along with Tiger Cry.

Mieng kum, #S-A9 on the specials menu

Sway, 1417 South First Street
Australian-influenced Thai, can be very loud inside. Son in law and jungle curry both delish; upscale spot.

Sway's salt + pepper tofu and caramel chili wings

Thai Fresh, 909 West Mary Street
Some of the best pad thai I've had, but they can be inconsistent.

Pad thai with pork from Thai Fresh

Thai Taste, 7010 W Hwy 71
Bit of a hidden spot by the HEB in Oak Hill; love their pad se ew; my review here. Robust carry out business.

Thai Taste's Pad Se Ew

Tuk Tuk, 5517 Manchaca Road
My Thai friend particularly loves their khao soy.

Khao soy at Tuk Tuk

Japanese 
Michi Ramen, 3005 South Lamar Boulevard (sit-down location on Burnet Road)
This location is carryout only, choices include light, regular or stout broths.

Michi Ramen carry out

Ramen Tatsu-ya, 1234 South Lamar Boulevard
If you're feeling hungry, get the #1 original tonkotsu (pork) broth -- it's super rich and filling. I was surprised at how much I like the chicken ramen though, tons of flavor and not as filling fatty as the pork.

Lunch at Ramen Tatsu-ya with the chicken broth ramen

Uchi, 801 South Lamar Boulevard
Again, the gold standard for food and service. Exquisite sushi but plenty of other dishes for those who aren't into raw fish (see Finer Dining, above).

Lamb's neck with fennel at Uchi

Vietnamese
Dong Nai, 4211 South Lamar Boulevard
I love having this casual place so close to me, and the #51 bun (vermicelli) bowl with char-grilled pork and a crispy egg roll will forever have my heart.

Love this pork! 

Elizabeth Street Cafe, 1501 South First Street 
Upscale French-inspired Vietnamese; hormone/antibiotic free meats; decent banh mi, bun, and pho, but don't miss their French pastries.

Crispy Black Angus Short Rib -- the meat fell off the bone!

Me Con Bistro, 3421 W. William Cannon 
Strip mall Vietnamese done right. Family owned

Het Say, 2121 E. Oltorf, 
Homestyle Vietnamese; pay special attention to the braised dishes under specials.

Indian 
Asiana, 801 E. William Cannon
You wouldn't guess by their name that it's an Indian restaurant, and while their interior decor makes no sense to me (I think it's just been left up since the previous tenants), many people consider Asiana the best Indian food in town.

The Manchurian cauliflower in the back was especially amazing at Asiana!

Bombay Bistro, 4200 South Lamar Boulevard
Always a good sign when Indians are at an Indian lunch buffet; delicious curried mussels on the a la carte menu and I hear occasionally on the buffet. 

Tarka, 5207 Brodie Lane (other locations too)

Modern Indian fast casual spot in Sunset Valley, with both traditional dishes like samosas, biryani, and korma as well as twists like "naanini" sandwiches.

Tarka's chicken korma

Other Ethnic 

Cafe Malta, 3421 W. William Cannon
This Mediterranean-inspired spot has gotten better with age, I'd say. On a recent visit, my friends and I had the mussels, gnocchi and mushroom tart, and all were excellent.

With Chardonnay, tomatoes, garlic and harissa. 

The Flying Carpet, 504 W. Oltorf  Closed 2019
While this Moroccan spot is technically a food trailer, what sets them apart is the blue house that is available for seating. The regular trailer menu has kefta (meat) wraps as well as vegetarian options. Or, plan ahead and order from their specialty menu, and they'll reserve a spot for you inside. 

Amazing lamb and prune tagine

Habana, 2728 South Congress Avenue

The outdoor cabanas, along with mojitos, pollo salteado, and maduros make for a perfect Cuban meal.

Phoenica Bakery, 2912 South Lamar Boulevard
This Mediterranean staple is both a grocery and take-out deli; the simple cheese bread with garlic sauce makes me swoon. And baklava.

Taste of Ethiopia, 3801 South Congress Avenue
A welcome addition to the South Austin scene; buffet at lunch or order from the menu.

Traditionally, Ethiopian food is eaten with your hands though forks are available.

Sweets/Bakeries
Amy's Ice Cream multiple locations
The best ice cream in town with bold flavors and fun mix-ins! Several locations, including a small outlet at the Phil's Ice House.

Central Market Westgate, 4477 South Lamar Boulevard
Full-service bakery (four words: Anthony's Chocolate Mousse Cake) and house-made gelato.

Confituras, 2129 Goodrich
Fresh, warm biscuits and house made jams.

Cow Tipping Creamery, 4715 S. Lamar (Sunset Valley)
Soft-serve ice cream with add-ins and crushin's. Mint milkshake is a favorite.

Crepe Crazy, 3103 South Lamar Boulevard
This newcomer just north of the Broken Spoke has both sweet and savory crepes; my post here.

The prosciutto and apricot jam crepe.

Dolce Neve, 1713 South First Street
A crazy-good Italian gelateria run by Italians! They've embraced South Austin culture, and "do it" in front of everyone. Lots of traditional (chocolate, salted caramel) and unique flavors (roasted pistachio, lemon creme) Blog post here.

Lick, 1100 South Lamar in Lamar Union
Great quality ingredients, more subtle but interesting flavors like goat cheese with thyme.

La Patisserie, 602 West Annie Street (also on Burnet Road)
French pastries? Yes, please. {And the toasted almond macaron flavor was suggested by yours truly!} The morning bun is a favorite, especially slightly warmed in the toaster oven so the sugar caramelizes. But you really can't go wrong.

Sugar Mama's, 1905 South First Street
Not just cupcakes, but cakes, pies, muffins, bars... sugar heaven!

Can't go wrong with a Sugar Mama's carrot cake cupcake!

Thoroughbread, 1709 Bluebonnet
Making quite the buzz with their sourdough bread. Get there early.

Burridough stuffed with ham + egg, whole wheat sourdough, chocolate chip pecan cookie.

Bars/Breweries with decent food
Austin Beer Garden Brewing (ABGB), 1305 West Oltorf Street
They brew all their own beer on site and make a mean pizza.

Black Sheep Lodge, 2108 South Lamar Boulevard
Mini corn dogs? Yes! Great spot to watch the game.

Darcy's Donkey, 1608 Barton Springs Road
Irish pub with lots of potato dishes! Good happy hour pricing.

Cashel blue cheese fondue

Hideway, 4323 S. IH-35 (frontage road, adjacent to the Ramada Inn)
Bar/restaurant with live music/open mic. Happy hours with some half priced food options. The pork ribs were quite tasty.

Little Darlin, 6507 Circle S Road
Full bar, nice outdoor area, and nice menu; serving food until 1:30 am.

Pinthouse Pizza, 4236 South Lamar (in the Brodie Oaks Shopping Center)
That bit I wrote above for ABGB -- ditto.

Red's Porch, 3508 South Lamar Boulevard
Quite good food, a Tex-Mex/Cajun combo, and the upper level has greenbelt views.

The Park, 4024 South Lamar (also in Brodie Oaks Shopping Center)
Great burgers, popular place to watch sporting events.

St. Elmo Brewery, 440 East St. Elmo Road
Beer was good, but the Asian-fusion Soursop trailer was delicious! (Though I am admittedly more into food than I am beer.) 😉

Panang Eggplant at Soursop Austin 

Wine Bars
House Wine, 408 Josephine
Parking can be a challenge, but you're in for a nice reward.

Patika Wine and Coffee, 2159 South Lamar Boulevard
Coffee, wine, and pastries.

Have wine or coffee at Patika

Winebelly, 519 W. Oltorf Street
Again (see Gastro Pub), nice wines and tapas. 

Old Standbys
Austin Java, 5404 Manchaca Road
Recently opened, with a clean, fresh interior design.

Central Market Westgate Cafe, 4477 South Lamar
Soup, salad, pizza, nightly specials, and live music Thursday - Sunday.

Magnolia Cafe, 1920 South Congress Avenue (and on Lake Austin Blvd.)
Open 24/7 for breakfast, soup, desserts, you name it.

Kerbey Lane Cafe, 3003 South Lamar (also multiple locations)
Also open 24/7, not just for stoners or college students. :)


What are your favorite South Austin meals? Please share and leave a comment below! Also, see my guide to South Austin food trailers and favorite Mexican food in Austin!