Brisket for Breakfast, Mezcal at Midnight: 10 Must-Hit Food and Drink Spots in Austin
Austin has a reputation of heat, smoke, music, great people…People talk about it like a food pilgrimage, a place where brisket could be breakfast and late nights slide into early mornings with country songs. We chose it because everyone said the same thing: if you care about food, you go to Austin.
But we had another mission. This wasn’t just a casual eat-your-way-through-the-city trip. This was training. Prep work. A full stomach and full-throttle run-up to a Longhorns tailgate, where the smoke gets thicker, the beer colder, and the crowd louder than any dining room.
So we came hungry. Curious. Ready to see if the legends were true. Ready to taste the hype. Ready to meet Glen Powell maybe? Austin didn’t ease us in. It hit hard. And that’s why we came.
InterStellar BBQ
Northwest Austin. Strip mall front. World-class pit room in the back. InterStellar is literally the Michellin star BBQ fav of the city. Everything here feels deliberate.
Meats cooked slow over post oak. Tomawhawk steaks teasing the line outside. Sides done with care, like the chorizo grits or the scalloped potatoes. We tried the brisket of course, as good as anywhere. We have to recommend the lamb shoulder, a rarity on many BBQ menus here. The peach tea–glazed pork belly hit like candy.
la Barbecue
East Cesar Chavez. Big line. Big attitude. la Barbecue (sic) is Texas BBQ with punk energy, loud, proud, and ruled by a serious pepper bark. All female-led and owned. It’s badass.
Their brisket is a must, sliced thick with that edge-of-burn spice Texans brag about. The housemade sausages snap clean and spicy. Watch out: even the slaw is spicy. We grabbed the mac and cheese too, heavy, rich, exactly what you want with meat that bold. It was our favourite side of the trip.
Terry Black’s Barbecue
A BBQ close to the river, a hall built to feed crowds, but still nailing the classics. Terry Black’s is smooth, efficient, and almost comforting in how it runs. Brisket sliced fast, ribs stacked high, sides ladled out like a family gathering.
We went straight for the beef rib, massive, tender, smoky to the bone. We also got basically everything else. Their brisket is reliable, steady, the kind you could eat any day of the week. Mac and cheese and cream corn rounded out the tray.
Cuantos Tacos
East 12th Street. An infamous taco trailer serving Mexico City flavours with zero pretense. Thin corn tortillas, double-stacked and steaming.
We ordered everything: suadero, carnitas, buche, cheek. Each taco came small, soft, and packed with rich, simmered meat. Cuantos is proof that some of Austin’s best meals come in paper boats.
Mother’s Ruin
East 6th. It became our favourite area. A cocktail bar that feels like your favourite dive but with actual talent behind the wood. Frozen palomas with chilli. Mezcal negronis that go down too easy.
The food menu hits above its weight class too, with items like Cholula-honey wings, a solid smash burger, and a stellar grilled cheese. It’s fast-moving, busy, and THE place to strike up a conversation, if you know what I mean.
Floppy Disk Repair Co.
Downtown speakeasy hiding behind a fake storefront. You need a code to get in, and half the fun is figuring it out. We know every speakeasy is like that, but this one is actually cool.
Inside, the bar runs on horror-movie humour and playful cocktails. Swings at the bar, neon glow, drinks built for the story as much as the flavour.
Desnudo Coffee
East Austin trailer with a cult following. Colombian-owned, farmer-forward, and proud of it. The brown sugar miso latte is the star, sweet, salty, smooth. We grabbed a cookie too: brown-butter, toffee, whoa.
This is morning fuel for people who care about where their beans come from and how their drinks are built. Incredibly friendly service too, but not surprising in Austin.
Longhorns Tailgating
Not a restaurant, but a rite of passage. Smokers everywhere. People in burnt orange everything handing out beers as handshakes. Ribs, brisket, sausages, tacos, all cooked in parking lots with more spirit than half the stadiums in the country.
It’s messy, loud, sweaty, and unforgettable. If you love food and football, this is bucket-list stuff.
Butler Pitch & Putt
Have to mention this one. Zilker Park. Sun on your face. Clubs in hand, even if you’ve never swung one before. Butler Pitch & Putt isn’t fancy golf. It’s nine short holes, no pressure, no dress code, no one judging your slice.
After a round, hit the food window. Smash-style burgers, hot fries, fried okra, nothing complicated. This spot isn’t about mastery. It’s a perfect break from the BBQ marathon. And the merch shop inside is incredible.
Texas BBQ really is the best. No debate. A Longhorns game should be on every traveler's list. BBQ for breakfast will slow you down, but it’s worth every bite. The coffee scene in Austin is strong enough to keep you going. And Tex-Mex? It’s everywhere. Always order the queso.
Austin delivered. Hook ‘em. Keep it weird. All of that.
Hogan short
Follow me on Beli and see my ranked lists in every city I’ve been to!
Follow me on Instagram and see other stuff I get up to!
For more food stories like this, check out our weekly newsletter.
