The Best New Restaurants in South Austin: The 2020 Edition

Click here to see the full City Guide!

Hello hungry readers! In the past I have written/updated a huge comprehensive guide to all the fantastic foods that can be found throughout South Austin. I would be THRILLED if you took at look at that post, so click right here, as there is lots of juicy, mouthwatering info and pictures over there. 😃

This time, I am giving you a post of the best new places in South Austin that have opened in the past year. So I invite you to sit back and try not to gnaw through the screen. In no particular order, here are my faves.

Click on the restaurant's name to get to their website; links to my blog posts also included.

Salt Traders (my post here), 1101 South Mopac
Located at Mopac and Bee Caves, this sibling establishment to Jack Allen's hits all the coastal notes.

Chowda fries. I need more of this in my life!

Velouria (my post here), 3801 South Congress Avenue
Lovely cocktail bar with lush green velvet chairs and frozen espresso martinis on tap!

Cheers!

El Naranjo (my post here), 2717 South Lamar Boulevard
They moved from Rainey Street this winter, and I am glad they did! So not a "new" restaurant, but new to South Austin! This interior Mexican spot specializes in moles, fresh salsas, and traditional dishes like cochinita pibil and masa empanadas with huitlacoche.

Mole with duck breast

Shore Raw Bar + Grill (my post here), 8665 Highway 71 
A little ways out on Highway 71 (past Jack Allen's), but a welcome addition to the area with their seafood-centric dishes.

Exquisite snapper crudo

The Meteor (my post here), 2110 South Congress Avenue
Who would have thought a coffee/wine/snack bar and bicycle repair shop could happily co-exist?

Artipasta (my post here), 7800 South First Street in the Thicket Food Park
I only wish they weren't so far from me! Delicious pastas, all housemade.

Carbonara

The Git Out (my post here), 4930 South Congress Avenue
Very well-prepared pub grub.

Potato Puffs

Bao'd Up (my post here), 5207 Brodie Lane 
Fast casual, sibling to the original spot in Mueller and another new one on the Drag. This one is in Sunset Valley next door to Tarka (my favorite fast-casual Indian spot), and their gua bao can't be beat for price or taste!

Pork belly gua bao

Other new South Austin spots on my radar:
-- Carpenter Hall (my post here), didn't love it or hate it
-- Carve, but I haven't been yet
-- Tuk Tuk, this Thai spot closed for a while, renovated, and are now reopened, but alas, I haven't been

What have you been eating in South Austin? Tell me your favorite places and dishes!

Bits and Bites

-- It's F1 weekend in town! A reminder that the Austin Food Blogger Alliance has a GREAT restaurant guide, all prepared by your local food bloggers! My contributions are food trailers in the south part of town, as well as restaurants.

-- Thanksgiving is only a week away! Comprehensive listing in the Statesman as to who will be open. Also, places like Easy Tiger have their dinner rolls available for pick up before Thursday, and Max's Wine Dive has several of their side dishes available too. Central Market and Whole Foods offer fully-prepared meals.  And whether you're grocery shopping for your ingredients or going out -- PLAN AHEAD! You're not the only one out there looking for organic pumpkin pie filling. Don't wait til the last minute. (And if you do, don't get grumpy when you can't find what you're looking for!)

-- Speaking of Thanksgiving, I was "invited" to a Thanksgiving pot-luck. A virtual one! My friend The Kid Can Cook organized her blogger friends to each write a post on one of their favorite Thanksgiving dishes, including my pecan pie! You see all the dishes here, and you may find a new favorite to try this year. 

-- Eater Austin has their (well, the readers picks) picks of the top trendy spots, the 2012 Eater Awards. 

-- Fonda San Miguel is holding a wine and port pairing dinner on December 5th with Niepoort Wines, $85/person.


Openings/Reincarnations
-- The Cutie Pie Trailer is back in business at the Bouldin Creek Food Park, 1209 S. 1st Street. 

-- Zen, the Japanese fast food restaurant is changing concepts, becoming Lucky Robot, which will officially open November 28, emphasizing Harajuku fashion styles, iPad ordering, and a lot of Japanese street food, most of which will be priced under $10/dish.

-- Out in Fredericksburg, well-known pastry queen Rebecca Rather has opened her new spot -- The Pink Pig, open for B, L and D. No link yet on the website to the menu, but from the copy I've seen, it looks fantastic, I just wish it was in Austin! Their Facebook page has a little more info regarding hours, etc.

-- New Thai spot Sway to officially open December 9th at 1417 S. 1st Street; check out their tasty looking menu too!


Closings/Transitions
-- Sagra has sadly announced they are closing (though looking for a place to relocate); their current landlord will not renew their lease. Read Sagra's letter posted on their homepage. 

-- La Boite, the food "trailer," made out of an old shipping container (before it was cool!) is closing due to their inability to find a suitable wholesale baker for their needs. 

-- Uncle Billy's Brew and 'Cue on Lake Travis, by the Oasis and Soleil.

-- Collie's Burgers, formerly part of the South Austin Trailer Bazaar has apparently closed with the closure of this trailer park.

-- Chef John Bullington and the Alamo Drafthouse have parted ways. No word yet on what's next in store for him, but he's got lots of love around town!