Best Restaurants in Austin

Check out the best places to eat in Austin before your trip to the ‘Jumbo State’. With so many high-quality dining options, you’ll be spoilt for choice in Texas’ culinary capital.

Texas might also be known as the ‘Beef State’, but there are plenty of other tasty treats to entice your palate. Our guide to the best restaurants in Austin has you covered, from farm-to-table delicacies to Asian fusion dishes to die for.

All that’s left for you to do is pack up your bags and head down to Austin to experience one of America’s best foodie cities.

Odd Duck

1201 South Lamar Boulevard, Austin, Texas TX 78704

This farm-to-table, locally sourced establishment dates to 2009, when brothers Bryce and Dylan Gilmore bought a Fleetwood Mallard trailer and transformed it into an eatery offering local food from Austin farms.

Odd Duck has since blossomed into a popular restaurant where you can enjoy colorful, reinvented dishes and wonderfully crafted fresh food, from gulf seafood ceviche to aged pork loin and capellini pasta.

Make sure you sample the menu favorite. A dry-aged wagyu burger drizzled with blue cheese sauce and served with pork birria jam. Vegetarians can enjoy an appetizing mushroom tamale served with chicory greens and kohlrabi cheese.

Garrison

101 Red River Street, Austin, Texas, TX 78701

Chef Jakub Czyszczon leads this open-flame kitchen in the Fairmont Hotel, preparing divine classics from steaks to tater tots – all grilled with Texas Post Oak flame. This Forbes Four Star-rated restaurant offers a seamless dining experience from the moment you set foot inside to the last bite of every delectable dish.

Experience the intimacy of small-town hospitality fused with the glamor of a high-end city establishment. Enter the dark wood interior of this swanky date-night location and experience why the Garrison is named one of Austin’s most romantic restaurants.

Start with mouthwatering appetizers like the pan-roasted scallop and Garrison reserve caviar. Then move on to main courses like smoked duck breast and charred cabbage all the way to 38oz prime tomahawk steak.

Uchiko

4200 North Lamar Boulevard Suite 140, Austin, Texas, TX 78756

Uchiko was born from Chef Tyson Cole, a James Beard Award winner, and his non-traditional Japanese concept. Cole is one of few American sushi masters. His passion and dedication is felt throughout his dishes, where he flawlessly fuses smoke and char with fresh flavors.

Uchi was launched in 2003 and Uchiko was created as an extension of the Uchi experience in 2010. Since then, the establishment has gone from strength to strength and opened new restaurants in multiple locations.

At Uchiko Austin, you dine on local favorites like gyutoro (72-hour short rib) and kinoko nigiri (trumpet mushroom, brown butter and sea salt). Experience the expert craftsmanship of one of Austin’s best places to eat for sushi and authentic Japanese dishes.  

Hestia

607 West 3^rd Street, Austin, Texas, TX 78701

Whether you dine from the a la carte selection or choose the curated multi-course tasting menu, you’ll experience first-class cuisine at Hestia. With dishes inspired by fire, sit back and enjoy meals prepared from a 20-foot hearth that anchors the kitchen and dining room.

Take a seat at this sleek establishment and enjoy succulent halibut and maitake mushrooms from the entrée menu. You’ll be tempted to enhance your meal with tasty extras like the smoked crab tart and fresh oysters for an enjoyable dining experience.

Head down to Hestia and discover for yourself how it earned fourth place on Esquire’s 40 of the Best Restaurants in America in 2021 list.

Bar Chi Sushi

206 Colorado Street Austin, Texas, TX 78701

Boasting the best happy hour for sushi in Austin, Bar Chi Sushi has been a popular city hotspot since it opened in 2010. Located in the Warehouse District, the restaurant delivers a divine dining experience, enhanced by its passionate staff and its extensive menu offering.

Dine from a dynamic menu featuring fresh ingredients and a variety of rare sashimi, hand rolls and cooked nigiri. Bar Chi Sushi also offers a curated section of ‘chef’s choice’ dining options, where you can enjoy a hand-selected assortment of fresh and delicious ingredients.

Enjoy happy hour deals (nightly or all day on Sunday) on fresh sushi, skewers and more. So, what are you waiting for? Treat your tastebuds to the tantalizing delights awaiting you at Bar Chi Sushi.

Lutie’s Garden Restaurant

4100 Red River Street, Austin, Texas, TX 78751

Enjoy spectacular regional cuisine at Lutie’s Garden Restaurant. The toothsome dishes here have been carefully prepared by chefs (and sweethearts) Bradley Nicholson and Susana Querejazu.

The diverse menu accommodates all taste buds, with dishes ranging from swordfish to rabbit and camembert to beets. Complete your main course with a tempting array of desserts, from kouign-amann ice cream to an apple cider donut.

Lutie’s provides a breathtaking ambiance as you dine amongst a haven of lush green plants. Take your time to soak in the tranquil atmosphere on your visit – and don’t forget to snap a picture of the oh-so Instagrammable décor.

Quattro Gatti Ristorante e Pizzeria

908 Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas, TX 78701

Head down to Quattro Gatti Ristorante e Pizzeria to experience the winner of the Diner’s Choice Award (seven years in a row) in action. From its charming location in an 1876 landmark building to its passionately crafted offering, there’s nothing not to love about this family-run authentic Italian restaurant.

Both bread and pizza dough are made in-house using an ancient fermentation process. Enjoy both red and white-base pizzas from marinara to funghi tartufati. There’s something for everyone with their extensive menu of pasta, fresh seafood and meat dishes.

After you’ve had your fill of savory goodness, sample indulgent homemade desserts and delicious gelato. Treat your tastebuds to an array of flavors from tantalizing tiramisu to indulgent affogato al caffe.

Canje

1914 East 6th Street Suite C, Austin, Texas, TX 78702

Featured on ‘The Restaurant List 2022’ by The New York Times, Canje effortlessly fuses tradition and modernity with its dishes. Named after the Canje pheasant, inspiration for the restaurant stems from mainland Guyana, Jamaica and Puerto Rico.

As part of Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group, Canje follows the initiative of this family of restaurants to support local produce as much as possible. The restaurant sources homegrown ingredients to help local farms, with parts of its menu inspired by local growing seasons.

This freshness is evident in its mouthwatering dishes, from grilled pink shrimp to curry wagyu beer and jerk chicken. Expect a kaleidoscope of unforgettable flavors from tangy and spicy to bright and coconutty.

From regional dishes and fresh local produce to exotic influences and expertly crafted delicacies, the food scene in Austin is a melting pot of cuisines, flavors and influences. Visit Austin with Hertz to experience this foodie’s paradise for yourself.

Get to know more about Austin

Now you know where to dine after a day of exploring Austin, but there’s much more to this eclectic city. Do some more exploring by checking out:

• Austin driving guide
• Best hotels in Austin
• Best things to do in Austin