A Legend’s Guide to Dining in Austin & Beyond
Feast Like Bourdain
Words Codi Chen | Photos Ashley Haguewood & Baptiste Despois
Anthony Bourdain was a chef, writer, and globetrotting storyteller on a mission to find a culture’s soul through its food. No matter if he was elbow-deep in Franklin Barbecue or savoring a multi-course meal at Barley Swine, he approached every bite with curiosity and respect.
To eat like Bourdain is to say ‘yes’ to the unfamiliar, seek out the soul in each dish, and honor the people behind the plate. In that spirit, here’s a simple checklist to help you channel his fearless appetite, whether visiting the Austin spots he loved or venturing the world.
Say Yes to the Weirdest Thing on the Menu
This chef never backed down from a meal if it sounded strange. To him, unfamiliar food often revealed a culture’s deepest stories. Next time you’re at Dai Due, skip the usual and order the Wild Boar Confit or Nilgai Antelope Steak Frites, ingredients tied to Texas’s hunting traditions.
Beyond Texas, Bourdain showed the world that so-called “odd” foods were everyday staples elsewhere. He tasted hákarl (fermented shark) in Iceland and savored crispy crickets in Cambodia, treating each experience as an opportunity to learn rather than judge. The lesson is that ‘if it’s good enough for the locals, it’s worth a bite.’
Find the Hole-in-the-Wall Joints
Bourdain had a knack for finding the hidden gems in food trucks, mom-and-pops, and market stalls that served up dishes with history and heart. In Austin, he was a fan of the pork buns at East Side King, a playful spot where Japanese flavors meet bold Texas creativity.
This same philosophy guided him worldwide while slurping noodles at a roadside stall in Vietnam or discovering the perfect al pastor taco at a Mexico City street stand. His personal rule was to skip the fancy signage and follow the locals. If there’s a line of construction workers on their lunch break or grandmothers gathered for their usual order, you’re in the right place.
Respect the People Making Your Food
For Bourdain, eating was as much about the flavor as it was about the people behind the meals. He uplifted street vendors, line cooks, and family-run businesses, knowing they were the backbone of any food scene. If you want to eat like Bourdain, start by acknowledging the hands that prepare your meal. Strike up a conversation at Texas Chili Parlor, a legendary Austin staple serving bowls of classic chili with a side of Southern hospitality for nearly 50 years.
From European Michelin-star restaurants like Le Bernardin in France to Senegal’s lively market stalls, Bourdain reminds us that food is a universal language. Next time you’re on vacation and exploring something new, ask yourself: Am I eating like a tourist or like Bourdain?
In his show, No Reservations, Bourdain visited Austin twice. To truly “eat like Bourdain,” visit some of the restaurants that are still open today and see if you can order the dishes he sampled back when he was here in 2009 and 2012.
• Barley Swine: coffee-rubbed brisket, goat neck & shoulder, and chicken-fried egg, to name a few
• East Side King & Liberty Bar: beef tongue sticky bun tacos, deep-fried panko hot dog, and fried beets & kimchi
• Franklin Barbecue: brisket, ribs, and sausage
• Gordough’s Donuts: a fried chicken strip and honey butter donut and a Canadian bacon, cream cheese, and jalapeño jelly donut
• Lala’s Little Nugget: Bloody Maria
• Odd Duck: pork belly slider, grilled quail and pickled beets, roasted Brussel sprouts, and rabbit belly
• Perla’s: oysters, oak-grilled red snapper, triggerfish, and braised octopus
• Quality Seafood Market: Gulf oysters, fried catfish, fish tacos, and crack pie
• Texas Chili Parlor: Texas chili
• The Draught House
