13 Best Restaurants in Austin, Texas

This beloved villa-style North Loop spot combines sophisticated ambience with a solid menu of authentic Mexican classics. Start with the ceviche Veracruzano (with chiles, onion, tomato, and spices), and continue with a multilayered dish like the ancho relleno San Miguel—a roasted pepper stuffed with chicken, capers, raisins, and cilantro cream—or try the pollo pibil, chicken baked in a banana leaf. Yes, it’s pricier than other Mexican hot spots, but the lovely, romantic atmosphere makes up for it. 

The not-so-secret weapon of this classic east Austin breakfast spot is its owner and namesake, local legend Juan Meza, who has run his modest eatery since 1981 and still greets every diner with a bone-crushing handshake and a smile. Juan's strong community spirit is infectious, but the simple, filling, and reliably good fare will start your day off right on its own. The Don Juan taco (a massive mound of eggs, potato, bacon, and cheese) is the true east Austin breakfast of champions; the machacado con huevo (shredded dried beef scrambled with eggs), migas (eggs scrambled with torn corn tortillas, onions, chile peppers, cheese, and spices), and huevos rancheros are also above average. A variety of inexpensive Tex-Mex and Mexican specialties is served at lunch.

Veracruz wears a taco tiara in the Austin food scene and for good reason. The migas lives up to the local lore, and this always-hopping original location has a convivial patio where its best to enjoy tasty quesadillas, barbacoa, vegetarian and fish tacos on homemade tortillas, and fresh aguas frescas alfresco. 

The interior of this family-owned east-side bakery and restaurant might be shabby, with worn linoleum floors and various Texas-theme memorabilia and fading newspaper articles hanging on the walls, but the hole-in-the-wall's classic Mexican fare still attracts a loyal breakfast and lunch crowd seven days a week. They are drawn by straightforward trademarks like migas (generously covered in melted cheese) and huevos rancheros that aren’t accompanied by the typical Austin-brunch price tag. Diners are offered the choice of flour or corn tortillas or a side of homemade biscuits that can be dressed with drawn butter or honey, both found in squeeze bottles on the tables.

This contemporary Mexican restaurant (from acclaimed chef Philip Speer) has people arriving in droves for the bone-marrow tacos with pecan gremolata. Servers will encourage you to mix and match inventive plates for the table. Brunch here is always bumping, and happy hour is a fabulous time to enjoy house margaritas and discounted tacos and tostadas.

A popular anchor at the east side's Arbor Food Park, this cheery yellow truck has become Austin's go-to for Mexico City–style street tacos. A helpful diagram at the walk-up window showing the actual size of the pequeño tacos (100% nixtamal) is as straightforward as the service and menu here. It's hard to go wrong choosing from the modest selection, but the suadero (flank steak) and cachete (beef cheeks) tacos are excellent. Weekly specials also pop up, and everything can be enjoyed alfresco at the park's picnic tables.

If you're looking for authentic Mexican food at an affordable price (read: cheaper than Fonda San Miguel), then head to Curra's. The cochinita pibil (marinated slow-roasted pork) is moist, tender, and flavorful; the shrimp and fajitas are a cut above most local establishments. Outstanding brunch entrées are served all day, and the enchiladas menu doesn’t disappoint. Try the enchiladas con chile Colorado, filled with melted Monterey Jack cheese and braised pork-tip, marinated in guajillo and chipotle sauces. Portions are hearty, and the house avocado margarita has a significant fan base. There are two locations, south and northwest, and both are casual, with brightly colored, but no frills, interiors. 

It’s hard to think a drive-through could have such high-quality fare, but Fresa’s has built a name for its charcoal-grilled chicken al carbon, which is slow-roasted over post oak and served with homemade tortillas and sides like Mexican street corn and crispy brussels sprouts out of this trendy Clarksville take on fast food. Breakfast tacos, aguas frescas, and Stumptown coffee service the early morning crowd, but the family-style lunch and dinner menu is the real signature, with whole- or half-chicken orders (choose from achiote and citrus or Yucatán spice), accompanied by house-made salsas, corn tortillas, charro beans, and rice. Fresh salads, queso, and guacamole, plus a selection of beer, wine, and margarita kits are available for drive-through or walk-up orders.

After an award-winning start in 2013, this sophisticated spot for modern Mexican cuisine has remained solid. Diners can still expect reliable mainstays, such as crispy pork shoulder carnitas tacos with black beans and tangy tomatillo-avocado salsa, and don't miss the the house ceviches (try the Acapulco) or the guacamole sampler, with varying seasonal combinations like watermelon with queso fresco or toasted almonds and chipotle puree. The popular Sunday brunch doesn’t disappoint.

This south Austin landmark has been slinging classic Tex-Mex cuisine since 1952, and while the latest Austin food trends have overlooked the establishment as a bland flyover, you'll hear few complaints from the steady crowd of happy diners. Combination dinners are many and varied, with all the usual standbys: tamales, crispy tacos, and more. Diehards swear by the chiles rellenos, enchiladas, and Bob Armstrong dip (queso with taco meat, guacamole, and sour cream). House margaritas, like the prickly pear, are pleasant palate cleansers. The expansive dining room can get noisy at peak hours, but the large outdoor patio is lovely in good weather.

Situated between some of the city’s best music venues, this lively joint has reasonably priced Tex-Mex standards you can enjoy on the oak tree-shaded patio. Or just indulge in the drink menu full of house margaritas, specialty cocktails, and premium tequila flights.

This little nondescript shack usually has a swarm of locals each morning clamoring for their favorite breakfast tacos. But for a sit-down meal, head across the street to the official restaurant in a big, red building where you can order Rosie's signature tamales or enchiladas. Famed Texas singer-songwriter Willie Nelson is a frequent enough customer to have his very own dish, Willie's Plate: a crispy beef taco, one cheese enchilada smothered in chili con carne, and a side of guacamole salad. There's no liquor license, so bring your own cooler of beer.

This contemporary take on Mexican fare makes for a fun dining experience on the east side. Interiors are spacious and bright (if a bit impersonal and loud during peak hours), and the menu is playful (with categories like "snackcidents," "frio and raw," and "masa y mas"), as is the food, like goat-rib Barbacoa and huarache duck carnitas. Make plans for their popular brunch service on weekends.