Let’s be honest: East Austin eats better than most cities dream. From barbecue that makes grown men (and women) tear up to tacos that qualify as a religious experience, this neighborhood knows its way around a fork. Whether you’re chasing Michelin-level brisket, brunching like a champ, or finding enlightenment in a bowl of ramen, East Austin’s food scene hits every craving and then invents new ones. At any one of these places, we can one hundred percent guarantee you can go hungry and leave happy – with a sauce stain to prove it.
Best New Restaurant
Fish Shop
fishshopatx.com
When you’re feeling a little ‘shellfish,’ cast your cravings at Fish Shop. They reel in Austin’s freshest catch from buttery Lobster Toast to crispy Fish & Chips that could outshine any restaurant on the eastern seaboard. Grab a cold beer and a plate of oysters because every bite tastes like summer vacation without the TSA line. Sea-riously, this spot is the freshest catch you did not expect. Insider tip: Try the $12 Le Beef Burger on HH. 1401 E 6th St., #201
Best Fast Food
JuiceLand
juiceland.com
Kale yeah. JuiceLand is Austin’s unofficial reset button: smoothies that slap, juices that jump-start, and premade salads and wraps that could sing “Cover Me in Sunshine.” One sip and suddenly you’re making better choices, texting your ex less, and maybe even stretching through your mid-afternoon slump.
1900-A E MLK Jr. Blvd.
Best Walk-Up Window
Bird Bird Biscuit
birdbirdbiscuit.com
This little window serves big biscuit energy. Whether you’re a Queen Beak devotee or a Biscuit & Gravy believer, Bird Bird knows how to butter you up. It’s flaky, it’s crispy, and it’s the reason your car smells amazing for three straight days. Grab it to-go, because patience is overrated when biscuits are this good. 2701 Manor Rd.
Best Sandwich
Spread & Co.
spreadandco.com
With artisan bread so good it deserves its own fan club, Spread & Co. crafts sandwiches that are part art, part obsession. Layered with local cheeses, pickles that crunch, and spreads that could convert a cynic, every bite whispers, “This is not your average desk lunch.” 2406 Manor Rd., Ste. B
Best Pizza
Bufalina
bufalinapizza.com
Some call it pizza, others call it a Neapolitan love language. Bufalina’s pies are blistered, bubbly, and baked hotter than a Texas summer. Think chewy crust, molten cheese, and flavors that make you whisper “just one more slice.” The crust has just enough resistance to remind you that you’re alive. Add in an impeccable wine selection, a dimly lit table, and good company, and you’ve basically written your own romance novel.
2215 E Cesar Chavez St
Best Italian
Intero
interorestaurant.com
Every dish at Intero feels like a warm hug from a stylish Italian bistro on the beach of picturesque Lake Como. Hand-rolled pasta, local ingredients, and zero waste are worth writing poetry about. And the chocolate, oh, the chocolate truffles, will have you planning your next visit before dessert’s gone. 2612 E Cesar Chavez St., Ste. 105
Best Sushi
Fukumoto
fukumotoaustin.com
You don’t need a passport for this Tokyo-level experience: just a good appetite and a seat at the bar. Fukumoto serves up sushi so fresh it practically winks at you. From delicate sashimi to smoky yakitori skewers, every bite’s a mic drop of umami. Bonus: Their playlist is as sharp as the knives. 514 Medina St.
Best Fried Chicken
Cockti Juicy Fried Chicken
cockti-fried-chicken.square.site
Crispy, golden, and dangerously habit-forming, Cockti Juicy Fried Chicken turns comfort food into a full-blown experience: juicy on the inside, crunch symphony on the outside. It’s fried perfection that’ll have you rethinking what “finger-lickin’ good” really means. Insider tip: Try all the sauces. 2701 E MLK Jr. Blvd.
Best Vegan Food
The Vegan Nom
thevegannom.com
The Vegan Nom proves you don’t need meat to melt hearts. Their plant-based tacos are the stuff you write home about: bold, spicy, and shockingly indulgent. Bring your carnivore friends and watch them question everything they thought they knew. 2324 E Cesar Chavez St.
Best Breakfast
Hillside Farmacy
hillsidefarmacy.com
Old-school charm meets comfy brunch at this Eastside classic. Once a pharmacy and now a cure for sleepy Sundays, Hillside’s waffles are crisp, the coffee is strong, and the setting is so photogenic it should have its own filter. Side effects may include over-ordering and smiling too much. Don’t miss the fried egg sandwich and a mimosa (or two). 1209 E 11th St.
Best Take-Out
Honest Mary’s Mueller
honestmarys.com
If zen came in a bowl, it’d look like this. Honest Mary’s keeps things fresh, fast, and surprisingly craveable. Their grain bowls are bright, balanced, and built to make you feel like you’ve got your life together (even if your fridge says otherwise), and their sauces
are basically therapy. 2021 Aldrich St.
Best Brunch
Launderette
launderetteaustin.com
From deviled eggs to crispy potatoes, Launderette turns brunch into a full-on event, complete with style and sunshine. Mimosas flow, laughter echoes, and a lemon tart sparkles like it knows it’s the star. Launderette has the magic mix that’s fancy enough for a “treat yourself” day and chill enough for sandals. 2115 Holly St.
Best Food Truck
Veracruz All Natural
veracruzallnatural.com
These tacos have their own fan club, and for good reason: fresh tortillas, vibrant salsas, and avocado so creamy you’ll question your life choices up until now. If Austin had a taco hall of fame, Veracruz would be on it. These tacos don’t just feed you; they make you wish you were in Mexico. 2505 Webberville Rd.
Best Date Night
Holiday
holidayon7th.com
This spot oozes casual romance. The kind where you split fries, steal sips, and accidentally fall in love. Holiday’s stringed patio lights, cocktails that charm, and shareable plates make it feel like the Eastside’s version of a Parisian café. Insider tip: Go for their half-off martinis every Sunday. 5020 E 7th St.
Best Reason to Stand in Line
la Barbecue
labarbecue.com
Standing in line is worth every minute once you bite into that smoky brisket, snappy sausage, and sides that slap your taste buds. This is the holy grail of Texas barbecue. And when you finally hit that brisket, time slows down. The bark cracks, and angels hum a Willie Nelson song. This is barbecue worth losing a Saturday afternoon for. Insider Tip: Skip the line with a Locals Know BBQ Tour. 2401 E Cesar Chavez St.
Best Breakfast Taco
Granny’s Tacos
grannystacosatx.com
It’s nothing fancy—just pure, tortilla-wrapped saucy goodness. Granny’s slings breakfast tacos with love from recipes straight from abuela’s casa. One bite, and suddenly you’re calling granny to say “thank you.” Bonus points if you manage to eat one without making a mess. 1401 E 7th St.
Best Tex-Mex
Cisco’s
ciscosaustin.com
The OG of East Austin comfort with migas, biscuits, and stories that span generations, Cisco’s is as Austin as it gets. With salsa that could end wars, this place screams Texas comfort food with a heartbeat, and that heartbeat might just sound like Tejano music. 1511 E 6th St.
Best Asian
OKO
okoaustin.com
OKO is East Austin’s passport to umami heaven. Their ramen hugs your soul, their yakitori brings the smoke, and their playlist is as sweet as the miso glaze. It’s cozy, it’s cool, and honestly, it’s your new Asian comfort food. 1100 E 6th St.
Best Donuts
SH Donuts
@shdonuts
Fluffy, fresh, and dangerously addictive, SH Donuts is the humble Eastside hero, light and perfectly glazed every time. Grab a dozen, tell yourself you’ll share, and then “accidentally” eat four in the car. It’s the morning win your whole team needs. 5313 Manor Rd.
Best Tacos
Nixta Taqueria
nixtataqueria.com
Michelin-recognized and Eastside adored, Nixta elevates tacos into art: vibrant, creative, and rooted in tradition. Bright, beautiful, bib-worthy, this abuela-approved taqueria is the art museum of tacos, and your mouth is the curator. 2512 E 12th St.
Best Barbecue
Terry Black’s Barbecue
terryblacksbbq.com
The line snakes around the block like a slow Texas two-step, but once you taste their brisket, you’ll know why. Terry Black’s is smoky salvation, tender enough to cut with your eyes. Load your tray with ribs, mac, and banana pudding, and consider it an authentic Austin experience. 1003 Barton Springs Rd.
Best Dessert
Bésame Ice Cream
@besameatx
Sweet, creamy, and dangerously good, this small-batch bliss has craveable desserts with a creative twist. Bésame scoops up pure joy in every cone with flavors like smoked peach, maple bacon donut, and cinn-a-holic that’ll make your taste buds do the salsa. The hardest part is deciding between a double scoop or total moral surrender. 3901 Promontory Point Dr.
Best Coffee
Desnudo Coffee
desnudocoffee.com
Single-origin beans, flawless pour-overs, and chill patio energy, Desnudo keeps Austin cool and caffeinated. Each pour-over feels like a tiny ceremony, and every cup could win an award. Skip the frappes; this is caffeine for grown-ups who know a good cup of joe when they taste one. 2505 Webberville Rd.
Best Coffee Shop
Figure 8
figure8coffeepurveyors.com
Part café, part creative hub, Figure 8 brews killer coffee and community in equal measure. Figure 8 is caffeine’s cool older cousin—the one who DJs on weekends and always knows a shortcut. This Eastside favorite brews beans with precision and heart, pairing them with playlists that make productivity almost fun. Come for the espresso, stay for the vibe (and maybe your third refill). 1111 Chicon St.
Best Bakery
Rockman Coffee + Bakehouse
rockmanatx.com
Warning: These croissants may cause emotional attachment. Rockman is a pastry-paradise with flaky layers of buttery devotion made fresh daily by people who clearly believe in carb-confetti happiness. Grab a cinnamon roll or a chocolate chip cookie “for later,” but spoiler alert: later lasts about two blocks, just like their line. 2400 E Cesar Chavez St., Ste. 200
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