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1. The Music
2. The Food
Today, we talk about the food. If you're going to be in Austin for SXSW this week, or if you plan on going there soon, there are countless excellent places to chow down. Texas cooking—first and foremost—is about beef (mostly in the form of barbecued brisket) and the regional Tex-Mex style of Mexican. (i.e. vegetarians need not apply).
Here's where I'll be eating this week if all things go according to plan. (I get to town on Wednesday just before lunch and leave Saturday afternoon.) Maybe I'll see you around town. I'll be the guy sitting in the corner, drinking an icy-cold bottle of Lone Star beer—perfect for washing down all that beef.
WEDNESDAY
Lunch: A random gas-station parking lot. Outskirts of Austin.
The best food I've ever had in Austin, hands-down, was the first time I visited in 2004. The Paste crew and I flew into Houston to save a little cash on airfare, rented a van and drove the rest of the way to Austin. As I took in the strange and beautiful Texas landscape for the first time—with its rolling, cattle-dotted hills, low scrub, clusters of palm trees and the occasional tumbleweed blowing by—I started get a rumble in my stomach. On the outskirts of Austin we pulled over to gas up. In the parking lot, a Mexican family was selling pork tamales out of the back of a tiny pickup truck. To this day, they are the most authentic, amazing tamales I've ever had. And for about $7, they gave me a huge sackful of them. If you see anything that resembles this scenario, pull over. You will not regret it.
Dinner: Stubb's Bar-B-Q, 801 Red River Street
You've seen Stubb's Bar-B-Q Sauce at your local grocery store, but the delicious sauce at the original location puts the jarred, mass-marketed stuff to shame. Plus, they have a huge outdoor stage and always have great bands playing. A few years back during SXSW I saw a bill there with The Wallflowers, Patty Griffin and Son Volt. Not bad. Get the marbled beef brisket plate.
Late-night: Katz's Deli & Bar, 618 W 6th St.
Sure, it's a New York staple, but there's one in Austin, too. Open 24 hours, it features excellent breakfast/diner type food, but no matter what time of day I'm there, I go with the rueben—with either pastrami or corned beef. Ask for a bowl of pickle spears, too. One spear is not enough.
THURSDAY
Breakfast: Las Manitas Avenue Cafe, 211 Congress Ave.
An Austin tradition, Las Manitas was started by two sisters, Cynthia and Lydia Pérez, in 1981 and has become an Austin tradition, serving up authentic Mexican and South American breakfast. Get the migas or the chilaquiles. (UPDATE: JUST FOUND OUT THIS WONDERFUL ESTABLISHMENT WAS TORN DOWN LAST YEAR FOR A BUILDING PROJECT THAT NEVER ENDED UP HAPPENING. SO TRAGIC. IT WILL BE MISSED.)
Lunch: Hut's Hamburgers, 807 W 6th St.
One of the best burger joints I've ever been to. Serving Austin since 1939, Hut's features free-range beef and buffalo burgers and a regional flare. I highly recommend the Ritchie Valens Burger: guacamole, grated cheese, chopped tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, mayo & mustard.
Dinner: IronWorks BBQ, 100 Red River St.
Inside the famous red building, the walls at IronWorks are cluttered with autographed pictures of celebrities and famous politicians who've enjoyed some brisket at the local favorite. Including ol' G.W. Bush. That's right, folks. Don't mess with Texas... and don't mess with anything but the sliced-beef plate at IronWorks. It's a piece of slow-smoked perfection.
Late-night: Any of the dozen walk-up pizza windows on E 6th St.
Drunk? Exhausted? Starving? Even after the bars have closed up for the night, you can still grab a slice on E 6th St. If you want it Austin style, jalapeños on top is the way to go.
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Gee, you didn't know that the Las Manitas building has been demolished and that they're utterly out of business? Someone wanted to build a hotel there. Then they didn't. But...too late.
uh...you do realize that the reason Katz's can hang with New York any day is because it is a New York institution, right? surely you remember that orgasm scene in When Harry Met Sally that's set in Katz's?
otherwise, please keep recommending all the well-trod cliched places that only out-of-towners eat at, leaving the real eats to locals.
Oh, man... didn't realize Las Manitas shut down. That is a tragedy. That place was so cool. I'll have to find a new place to eat breakfast that day.
Idjut, fair enough on Katz's. Didn't realize it was the same company. Still has great food, though. Also, if you're an Austin native, why don't you share some of your favorite places to eat?
The Salt Lick is amazing! I know a lot of people that work there and my mom even worked there when she was in High School. DELICIOUS!
Also, if you like Indian Food, The Clay Pit (near Guadalupe and MLK) is great. For an amazing burrito go to Freebirds on Congress and Riverside.
Amy's Ice Cream and Hey Cupcake are also good if you're in the SoCo area!
I lived in Austin for about a year and a half, and since I can't live there I now visit every couple of months.
Try The Blue Star Cafeteria at 4800 Burnet Rd. The food is good and the decor is just beautiful to behold -- oh, and it's not really a cafeteria, it's a sunny, spacious restaurant. On South Congress try The Magnolia Cafe. Extremely colorful and vibrant atmosphere, the place is packed on weekend mornings, so be prepared to wait a while for a table.
For more upscale dining try Malaga Tapas Restaurant and Bar at 208 West 4th St.
One of my favorite places in Austin is The Screaming Goat. It is not as sadistic as it sounds. Go there for a late lunch at 900 W. 10th Street. It is a tiny college hangout with really, really great Tex-Mex.
You missed pretty much almost all the good places to go eat at. Next time you come to Austin, ask a local where to go eat good Local food. Or you could watch the Travel Channel, a bunch of them have figured it out. Other than Las Manitas (which is closed) I wouldn't take an out of towner friend to any of the places you mentioned. You missed out on the best BBQ in town, the best Tex-Mex (hello?!?), the best Hamburgers, completely left out South Congress and South First Street (which tells me you don't venture much at all). Maybe Paste outta have some locals spell it out in your magazine next year, or someone who actually did something Authentic Austin style. I mean Katz's Deli, WTF dude, nasty! And you totally missed Whole Foods, um their international headquarters is like two blocks away from Hut's Crappy Burger Shack.....
There a lots of good places in Austin, next year check out Hoovers Home Cooking two locations - also, if you go back to katz, you need to try the deep fried pickles and the cheesecake milkshake.