South Austin Restaurants

It is my pleasure to present the South Austin restaurant portion of the Austin Food Blogger's Alliance 2012 City Guide. There are tons of places, and these are just some of my favorite spots. Please eat and enjoy!

Along the South Congress corridor, map

Doc's -- Great bar food and people watching.

Perla's -- Upscale seafood spot, including a raw bar; salted butterscotch pot de creme for dessert not to be missed! Previous post. 

Hopdoddy -- This hoppin' burger spot has given new life to this piece of real estate. The beef burgers are great, but I CAN'T say enough about the lamb (Greek) burger! (Or the salted caramel milkshake.) You may want to think about splitting your food with a friend! Previous post.

Home Slice -- NY style pizza, right here in ATX! Props to the owners, in the past, have closed for a week and taken the staff to NY for "research". Be prepared to wait, unless you do the walk-up window. Southside Flying Pizza  also worthy.

Enoteca/Vespaio -- Enoteca is the neighborhood bistro side, and Vespaio the fine dining, but they share the same kitchen. E will have your delicious pasta, paninis, pizza, V will have these, plus some great meat specials, great date spot. It's hard for me to go to Enoteca and not have the spaghetti carbonara; suppli and calamari too. Previous post on Enoteca.

The Woodland -- Brunch is divine, as are the desserts. Previous post.

Magnolia Cafe -- One of the few spots in town open 24 hours a day. Bernadette's salad and Martian Landscapes are always favorites.

Lucy's Fried Chicken -- Upscale fried chicken and luscious pies, s'more pie below; from the folks at Olivia (at 2218 College Ave, map).

Photos courtesy Mandy Graeber, Bite of Austin

Curra's -- (at 614 E. Oltorf, 1/4 mile east of Congress) I much prefer their food to that other spot in the middle of SoCo. Avocado margaritas. Breakfast tacos. Grackles on the patio.
Habana -- I feel like I've been eating here for years (and yet, I don't seem to have pictures, ooops!) Cuban and Caribbean foods, mojitos and happy hour specials. Love the outdoor cabanas; I am always partial to the pollo salteado.
Borrego de Oro -- Bit of a dive, but the interior Mexican food is worth it. Mole. Lamb stew. Previous post.
Hill's Cafe -- Great burger, served on a sweet bun. Sweet potato fries too. (Just past Ben White at  4700 S. Congress) Previous post. 

Whip In -- Part liquor store, part grocery store, part bar/restaurant, they serve food with an Indian influence. Nice patio, live music, you often forget you're on the IH-35 frontage road (1950 S. IH-35, map).

South First, map
Elizabeth Street Cafe -- Barely two months old, but making a mark already. French-inspired Vietnamese food. Pork meatballs are so incredibly tender. Previous post.

 Lenoir -- Also new to the Bouldin neighborhood, this tiny spot is influenced by "hot weather" foods; previous post.

La Patisserie -- Really a French bakery, not a restaurant, but too good not to share! (If they have the toasted almond macaroon, try it -- it was MY suggestion!) Love a warm morning (cinnamon bun) bun for my breakfast; previous post. 

What's known as the Mexican Mile -- starting at El Mercado, headed south, Jovita's, La Reyna, La Mexicana Bakery, Polvo's, Little Mexico, El Tacorrido (map)
Bouldin Creek Cafe -- A laid back, vegetarian haven, even us carnivores find tasty things like their veggie burger or enchiladas with "chorizo" and caramelized onions.
Sugar Mama's Bakeshop -- Also a bakery, but owned by some great people, and they're in the process of expanding into the space next door. Cupcakes, pies, bars, and soon, breakfast! 
Green Pastures -- A beautiful old estate, complete with peacocks. Not just for events.
The Flying Carpet -- This Moroccan spot started as a food trailer, and they've just "graduated" to a brick and mortar establishment at 504 W. Oltorf, about a block from S. 1st. Maria and Abdu are some of the nicest folks ever, and their food is delicious and made with love -- try the Moroccan burger; previous post.
Habanero -- At Oltorf, a hair off the Mexican Mile, this one's my favorite of the South First Mex/Tex Mex places! Great charro beans. Previous post.

South Lamar, map
Casa de Luz -- Just off Lamar, this macrobiotic spot, has legions of faithful devotees, and a community center.
P. Terry's -- Now there's fast food a la Mickey D's (boo!), and then there's P. Terry's, where it's GOOD! Please drive though! (Several locations around town, but this was the original.)
Shady Grove -- Probably where I had my first veggie burger many moons ago! 1624 Barton Springs, about 1/4 mile from S. Lamar.
Uchi -- Fine dining at some of it's finest. The original of the Tyson Cole empire, fusion Japanese. Wagyu hot rock. Hamachi. Pitchfork roll. Make a reservation; one of my earliest blog posts.
Maudie's -- One of several locations around town, good happy hours.
Suzi's Chinese Kitchen -- Yes, it's Americanized Chinese food, but it's consistently good. No one does sesame chicken like Suzi's.
The Highball -- From the Alamo Drafthouse people, is it a restaurant? A bar? Lounge? Bowling alley? Karoke bar? Yes. The Dr. Pepper ribs are VERY messy! Previous post.
Sazon -- Really good interior Mexican food, nice outdoor patio, even if it is sitting directly on Lamar. You don't find huitlacoche just anywhere; previous post.
Olivia -- A beautifully designed building, outdoor patio, garden in back, and a solid menu. Dinners and weekend brunch, committed to locally grown as much as possible; previous post.
Black Sheep Lodge -- Yeah it's a bar, but it's a bar with great food, like Nathan's corndog bites, and fried pickles.
Barley Swine -- One of the spots that has been buzzing ever since they opened last year. Creative seasonal foods, with an emphasis on beer pairings, and a highly knowledgeable wait staff. Community seating, no reservations taken; previous post. 

Mr. Natural -- Another vegetarian spot (yes, this is SOUTH Austin!), a combination cafe/store. Hearty, hefty portions.
Artz Ribhouse -- My favorite local spot to make a pig run! And the place I often take out of town visitors. I get cravings for their baby back ribs. Previous post.

Juicebox/Soup Peddler -- Part of the Austinville 78704 complex at Lamar and Manchaca. You've got soups and smoothies/juices, healthy and tasty, all in one spot. 

Photo courtesy Jodi Bart, Tasty Touring

Papalote -- Small little Mexican street foods spot (post), owned by the people of Azul Tequila, good vegetarian options.
Phil's/Amy's -- Burgers galore, and yes, THAT Amy's ice cream; previous post.

Kerbey Lane -- Another 24 hour spot, Kerbey just move into a new location (3 blocks from the old) with more parking. Gingerbread pancakes.
Red's Porch -- A Tex Mex/Southern/Cajun combination -- something for everyone. Great views of the Greenbelt and crowded for happy hours, previous post.
Pluckers -- Kind of a sports bar, and decidedly known for their wings, but I like their fried mac 'n cheese!


Westgate/Brodie Lane/Sunset Valley
Central Market Westgate Cafe -- Daily specials, family friendly, and live music a couple nights a week. Oh yeah, and then you can shop!
Hyde Park Bar and Grill -- Known for their battered and highly addictive french fries!
Sap's (formerly Madam Mam's) -- Recent name change, due to a divorce. I eat here frequently enough to know what some of the better dishes are: the tom yum soup, tiger cry, moo ping with pork, amazing green beans. And frequently enough that I should have pics. Next time.
Tarka -- Indian, from the previous owners of the Clay Pit downtown. Dine in or carry out; post.

Craig O's Pizza -- Yes, it's in a strip center but it's good food, certainly better than the chain restaurants nearby. Pizza, pastas, subs, salad, beer.
Full English Cafe -- Quirky British place has picked up a South Austin vibe in their decor. High tea, wi-fi, bangers. (Just off Manchaca, at 2000 Southern Oaks, map)


William Cannon and beyond
Yanagi -- Japanese food with great value; lunchtime bento boxes for lunch average $10 and are a LOT of food. 

Wholly Bagel -- Big, fat, NY style bagels! Bialys too! Crusty and tender, all in one. 

Photo courtesy Eli Castro, Grubbus

Cafe Malta -- I haven't been yet, but I hear great things, like house roasted pork shoulder over roasted apple couscous and warm ratatouille with a date demi-glace. And they make their own pasta.

Photo courtesy Michelle Cheng, Foodie is the New Forty

Galaxy Cafe -- They have a few locations around town now, but this one at Slaughter and Brodie is the original. Soup, salads, sandwiches, family friendly. Map.

Evangeline Cafe -- Cajun in deep, south Austin! Po'boys, and tiny little crispy onion rings. Previous post, map.
Jack Allen's Kitchen -- On Hwy 71, past the Y in Oak Hill (map), lies a destination in what was once the middle of nowhere, at least restaurant speaking. Lunch, happy hour, dinner, brunch, JAK's has it all! I've got to get there for brunch.... Previous post.

South Austin Food Trailers

Welcome to the South Austin Food Trailer Guide, part of the Austin Food Bloggers Alliance 2012 City Guide! Whether you're an Austinite or in town visiting, surely by now you've heard of Austin's incredible food trailer culture. I've tried to make this as comprehensive as possible, but surely I have missed some trailers that are south of the river/Town Lake, and for that I apologize. Please feel free to comment below if you know of ones I've missed. (I've used Town Lake as my northern boundary, IH-35 to the east, Lamar Blvd. to the west, and Ben White to the south.)

The thing about trailers, is they do move! Something that was there last week, might have moved to a new location this week. Some trailers are REALLY REALLY good about using social media to update their status, and hence their whereabouts -- thus it makes them easy to find. There are also a couple local resources that you might find handy: Austin Food Carts, Food Trailers Austin, and Trailer Food Diaries, but still, I think the best way to determine if a trailer is still open is to find them on social media, and see how recent their posts are. If you are visitor to Austin without your own transportation, here's a link to Capital Metro, our public transit system.

Buen provecho! 

801 Barton Springs Road, across from the Long Center/Palmer Auditorium parking garage, map

-- This used to be a booming spot for trailers, but presently, there are just two: MamboBerry (frozen yogurt, sandwiches) and Sno Beach snow cones (closed November thru February).

 

Just west of Lamar, by Zach Scott Theatre, map

-- Flip Happy Crepes, one of the original trailers in town, and they survived a Bobby Flay smack down! My post on them.

-- A trailer park at the other end of the block from Flip Happy, Jessie Street Eats, currently has mostly sweet/dessert places --  Ice Cream Social has some fabulous flavors including peanut butter mole which has some heat to it, ChocoSutra, and Mister Fruit Cup, and the current savory member is Fatback Boucherie.

Cruising south on South Lamar (from Barton Springs Road to Panther Lane), map

-- Trey's Cuisine at 600 S. Lamar

-- Luke's Inside Out at 1109 S. Lamar (my previous post here) which serves yummy sandwiches, such as The Pig, which I've eaten. Plus, they're next to Gibson Bar, so they're open late.

-- La Boite (The MOST AMAZING sweet goods! Love their sausage brioche, almond croissants and macaroon. Plus, their building is an old shipping container!) and Texas Cuban at 1700 S. Lamar (previous post from a food trailer tour).

 -- LuLu B's at 2113 S. Lamar, under the oak tree, next to Office Depot, daytime hours only. Great bahn mi, and other Vietnamese items. Not as dirt cheap as if you were at a Vietnamese place, but their BBQ pork is killer. One of my very first blog posts!

-- Bella Cucina at 3600 S. Lamar, in the lot south of Red's Porch. I just went for the first time (post here)! Great sandwiches, Niman Ranch meats, and a super nice owner, named Dominic.

Along South First Street, map

-- Bouldin Creek Food Park at 1209 S. 1st, which currently houses:
              -- Wasota, a west African spot. Amazing hospitality. You pay at the end of your meal, and they make sure you are satisfied with everything! We tried the jollof rice, black eye peas, and fried plantains with a spicy tomato sauce and the black eyed pea fritters, which were dense (and delicious), like hush puppies.

              -- SoCo to Go, a southern comfort foods place that also delivers. There was some nice black pepper in the fried chicken batter, and that's a hash brown casserole on the side, gravy too.

                -- Little Thai Food (previous post).

-- Torchy's Trailer Park at 1311 S. 1st
             -- Torchy's, the one trailer in the chain of taco houses (there's brick and mortar restaurants all over town now), previous post. They are damn fine tacos, but they are not the only taco place in town!
             -- Holy Cacao, darn good cake balls, previous post
             -- Conscious Cravings,  a vegetarian spot

--  Monroe Street Trailers at 1503 S. 1st (next to Elizabeth Street Cafe)
             -- Izzoz, in many ways, I think Izzoz's surpasses Torchy's, though it doesn't have nearly the recognition; previous post. Go try Izzoz!!!

             -- Gourdough's, the mother of all hedonistic donuts! They've recently moved to South First, and seem quite at home. The names of their donuts alone will make you laugh. Flying Pig? Funky Monkey? Yes, there's a donut somewhere under that PB and J pictured below! Previous post.

             -- Dock and Roll, the newest member at this corner, featuring lobster rolls. It was good, but not as great as we wanted it to be. Very unique to ATX, and very nice people working there. According to Trailer Food Diaries, they use a combo of fresh caught lobster, and some purchased at Quality Seafood.

             -- Directly across the street, is the finery that is J Mueller BBQ. Back after a hiatus from their previous restaurant on Manor Road, Mueller's has quite the following. Get there early if you want to be assured of some awesome peppery brisket and other melt in your mouth meats; previous post. 

-- SoFi Food Court, South 1st @ Live Oak

             -- Osaka Soul. Do you know what okonomiyake are? I'll tell you what they are: tasty and delicious! And unusual! It's a savory Japanese pancake with your choice of fillings on the underside. Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of the bacon and kimchi which it was loaded with, but it was great. And how can you not love something with bonito fish flakes on top? 

              -- Grill Haven, Middle Eastern inspired sandwiches.
              -- Blue Dog Pizza, for people, not dogs.
              -- Buffalo Bob's Chalupa Wagon, offering healthier chalupas, vegetarian ones too.
              -- Verts Kebap, the smallest food truck you'll find, as it's a tiny smart car with a
              pop-up tent attached to the back. They've just taken up residence here (like last
             week!), and I am dying to try!
             -- El Primo, catty-corner across the street. Tacos, and rumored to be quite good. (I
             can't locate a web or Facebook page, so the link is to their Yelp reviews.)

Along South Congress, map

-- Ms P's Electric Cock, at 1101 S. Congress. Well the name alone stands out, right?! Fried chickeny goodness. I got the 2 piece and a side of slaw, which they rotate the slaw varieties. If you have any food allergies, ask (duh); this turned out to be a blue cheese dressing on it, which I liked, but I have a friend who's allergic to blues. The chicken had a nice crust, and was super-juicy!

-- SoCo @ Gibson Street, 1318 S. Congress, currently houses:
               -- Hey You Gonna Eat or What,  serving up tasty looking sandwiches with a side of snarkiness.

              -- Fat Cactus, specializing in southwestern fry breads

                -- Crepes Mille, with, YES, crepes!

--  SoCo @ Monroe/Milton -- the granddaddy of them all, a WHOLE block of trailers!
             -- The Original New Orleans Po-Boy Gumbo Shop, I think the name says it all!

             -- The Mighty Cone, in part known for their fried avocado....previous post.

            -- Wurst Tex, is it the best wurst?

             -- Chipotle..... yeah, THAT Chipotle.... kinda weird...

             -- Coat and Thai, catchy name!

,

             -- Short Bus, IS everything better baked? (That's what the side of the bus says!)

             -- Pitalicious, is surely delicious.

             -- Cutie Pie Wagon, the iconic pink trailer with feather boas is back in SoCo after a hiatus. The owner opened a storefront up north on Burnet Road, but I am not sure if it's still open. Glad to have some representation back south!

             -- Star Company Coffee, an off-shoot of a Round Rock coffee shop.
             -- Fry Baby, I'd say it's safe to assume nothing here is baked.

             -- Austin Frigid Frog Shaved Ice (closed November thru March...I'd imagine they'll be open soon)
             -- Hey Cupcake, the original of their now several locations!

This is sorta a typical shot (below) of life in South Austin -- gorgeous February day (it hit 92 degrees on Feb 23, the day I took this shot.... cold front blew in that night, and the next day's high was only in mid 60s...that's "winter" in ATX for you!), musician playing, people standing in line at a food trailer...

And hey, no one really wants to talk about trailer trash! Please help keep Austin beautiful!

Along the fringes

-- All City Subs, 3808 S. Congress by Krebs Lane, two blocks before 290/Ben White Blvd.
-- Ah La Carte, 4418 Packsaddle Pass, at 290/Ben White
-- Double Trouble BBQ, 5300 S. Congress at Ramble Lane, three blocks before Stassney Lane

In Memoriam (I know there are many more who have gone to the great trailer park in the sky, but I miss these two, from the SoFi food court, RIP.)

-- Arancini -- living up to their name, their arancini balls were some of the best ever.

-- Fried Green Tomato -- pimento and fried green tomato sandwich? Yes, please! 

Reborn

-- The Flying Carpet -- A unique Moroccan trailer, owners Maria and Abdu have transitioned to a brick and mortar place! Visit them at 504 W. Oltorf, about 2 blocks east of South 1st Street. I haven't been to the new spot yet, but they are some of my favorite people, and make amazing Moroccan burgers! My original post, and another I wrote as a guest post for a Moroccan blogger.
-- Odd Duck --  This trailer from Bryce Gilmore was a hands-down favorite of local food bloggers in an annual restaurant/trailer poll. Fortunately, the foods live on at Barley Swine, where Gilmore has been nationally recognized for his works.

So there you have it! Go forth, and conquer some trailer food -- there's LOTS of eating to be done!

PS -- The Downtown Trailer guide is here, and the East Austin one, here.