Guidebook for Austin
Food Scene
Sorry, Google maps has this great coffee shop in the wrong wrong place. It is actually very close to our house, near the corner of Poquito and MLK. A 2 minute walk. Open 24 hours, 7 days a week.
223 locals recommend
Bennu Coffee
2001 E Martin Luther King Jr BlvdSorry, Google maps has this great coffee shop in the wrong wrong place. It is actually very close to our house, near the corner of Poquito and MLK. A 2 minute walk. Open 24 hours, 7 days a week.
Eat very good food outdoors. All the best tattoos show up here. Our favorites: Breakfast Burrito $3.50 is an entire meal. Great drinks "refrescos" esp. watermelon and horchata.
302 locals recommend
El Chilito
2219 Manor RdEat very good food outdoors. All the best tattoos show up here. Our favorites: Breakfast Burrito $3.50 is an entire meal. Great drinks "refrescos" esp. watermelon and horchata.
Close by, comfortable seating, casual atmosphere. They also make sandwiches/pannini
251 locals recommend
Thunderbird Coffee
2200 Manor RdClose by, comfortable seating, casual atmosphere. They also make sandwiches/pannini
Posh and excellent restaurant. Enjoy the garden and the chickens in the lot next to the restaurant. All the eggs come from their chickens. A famous restaurant in Austin for high quality dining.
160 locals recommend
Eastside Café
2113 Manor RdPosh and excellent restaurant. Enjoy the garden and the chickens in the lot next to the restaurant. All the eggs come from their chickens. A famous restaurant in Austin for high quality dining.
If you like meat you should not miss Hoover's. Easy walk from our house to some say the best barbecue. They also have excellent salads and fine desserts.
163 locals recommend
Hoover's Cooking
2002 Manor RdIf you like meat you should not miss Hoover's. Easy walk from our house to some say the best barbecue. They also have excellent salads and fine desserts.
Our very own local pizza and it is delicious. An easy bike and a longer walk but well worth it. Lots of innovative flavors.. not just your typical pizza.
321 locals recommend
East Side Pies
1401 Rosewood AveOur very own local pizza and it is delicious. An easy bike and a longer walk but well worth it. Lots of innovative flavors.. not just your typical pizza.
This is a cool backyard outdoor restaurant with a bar inside. Tucked away toward the back of the block. Live music there some nights in the enclosed yard.
61 locals recommend
The Vortex
2307 Manor RdThis is a cool backyard outdoor restaurant with a bar inside. Tucked away toward the back of the block. Live music there some nights in the enclosed yard.
Hopping place. Lots of space indoors and outdoors. Good prices on lunch and tasty food. Not just a study hall like some places around UT; this place is usually alive. Music on weekend nights.
250 locals recommend
Cherrywood Coffeehouse
1400 E 38th 1/2 StHopping place. Lots of space indoors and outdoors. Good prices on lunch and tasty food. Not just a study hall like some places around UT; this place is usually alive. Music on weekend nights.
It's a drive but we go there once a week. Incredible food for reasonable prices. Wonderful music on Thurs. Fri, Sat and sometimes Sunday evening. Truly central and the best playground for kids.
765 locals recommend
Central Market
4477 S Lamar BlvdIt's a drive but we go there once a week. Incredible food for reasonable prices. Wonderful music on Thurs. Fri, Sat and sometimes Sunday evening. Truly central and the best playground for kids.
Wright Bros. Brew and Brew
500 San Marcos StAnother cool coffee shop.
Good food and good desserts. Pleasant back covered patio. Lots of new places along 11th street. Revitalized.
351 locals recommend
Blue Dahlia Bistro
1115 E 11th StGood food and good desserts. Pleasant back covered patio. Lots of new places along 11th street. Revitalized.
My favorite place to go for a Thai pearl drink aka bubble tea aka tapioca pearls in a drink. Lots of students hang out here -- has a friendly happy atmosphere. It's close. Just west on MLK.
19 locals recommend
CoCo's Cafe
1910 Guadalupe StMy favorite place to go for a Thai pearl drink aka bubble tea aka tapioca pearls in a drink. Lots of students hang out here -- has a friendly happy atmosphere. It's close. Just west on MLK.
A nice bike ride from our house to the best outdoor/indoor coffee house. Hard to say why but this place is special, quirky, open minded, creative, comfortable. Unique. Sells spirits, too.
176 locals recommend
Spider House Ballroom
2906 Fruth StA nice bike ride from our house to the best outdoor/indoor coffee house. Hard to say why but this place is special, quirky, open minded, creative, comfortable. Unique. Sells spirits, too.
If you are a coffee devotee, aficionado, gourmand, don't miss this place. The coffee is extraordinary and all fair trade. But if all you need is good coffee go to Bennu's. Not extra pricey.
37 locals recommend
Fair Bean Coffee
2210 South 1st StreetIf you are a coffee devotee, aficionado, gourmand, don't miss this place. The coffee is extraordinary and all fair trade. But if all you need is good coffee go to Bennu's. Not extra pricey.
Southern Mexican food. Better than most and less touristy than Guerros... Tho Guerros has fine music sometimes.
200 locals recommend
Curra's Grill
614 E Oltorf StSouthern Mexican food. Better than most and less touristy than Guerros... Tho Guerros has fine music sometimes.
Essentials
Fiesta is an easy bike and a moderate walk away. Enormous produce and international food section. Feels like a Mexican supermercado. Fun place to shop. Map a bit off, enter from 38th St.
49 locals recommend
Fiesta Mart, LLC
3909 N I- 35 Service RdFiesta is an easy bike and a moderate walk away. Enormous produce and international food section. Feels like a Mexican supermercado. Fun place to shop. Map a bit off, enter from 38th St.
If I was looking for a good lunch place, I'd go to Wheatsville. Outdoor seating. Full sized, locally owned, coop grocery and deli. (More interesting -- and worthy-- than Whole Foods - my opinion!)
337 locals recommend
Wheatsville Food Co-Op
3101 Guadalupe StIf I was looking for a good lunch place, I'd go to Wheatsville. Outdoor seating. Full sized, locally owned, coop grocery and deli. (More interesting -- and worthy-- than Whole Foods - my opinion!)
Everything Else
Large City park with a swimming pool open in summer and tennis courts open year round. Also has a skate board half pipe. Nice trail for walking and picnic tables. Easy walk or bike from our house.
14 locals recommend
Patterson Neighborhood Park
4200 Brookview RdLarge City park with a swimming pool open in summer and tennis courts open year round. Also has a skate board half pipe. Nice trail for walking and picnic tables. Easy walk or bike from our house.
This is the best State Park within an hour drive from Austin and well worth the trip. Good trails down to the Pedernales (pronounced Perd-n-alice), good swimming in the river in summer.
318 locals recommend
Pedernales Falls State Park
2585 Park Rd 6026This is the best State Park within an hour drive from Austin and well worth the trip. Good trails down to the Pedernales (pronounced Perd-n-alice), good swimming in the river in summer.
Oh so amazing gigantic boulder. Takes about 30 mins to walk up. About 1.5hr drive thru Fredricksburg. And plenty of other trails. Blistering hot in summer; but always a wonder and a delight.
233 locals recommend
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
16710 Ranch Rd 965Oh so amazing gigantic boulder. Takes about 30 mins to walk up. About 1.5hr drive thru Fredricksburg. And plenty of other trails. Blistering hot in summer; but always a wonder and a delight.
Want to take a short hike to a beautiful cavern/amplitheater swimming hole? So beautiful. Call first to make sure the swim is open. Walk trail to Pedernales river after the swim. County park gem!
588 locals recommend
Hamilton Pool Preserve
24300 Hamilton Pool RdWant to take a short hike to a beautiful cavern/amplitheater swimming hole? So beautiful. Call first to make sure the swim is open. Walk trail to Pedernales river after the swim. County park gem!
Like plants? Trees? This is a great place to learn about gardening and enjoy gardens -- especially low water plants and gardening in harsh climates.
252 locals recommend
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
4801 La Crosse AveLike plants? Trees? This is a great place to learn about gardening and enjoy gardens -- especially low water plants and gardening in harsh climates.
The quickest way to the hike and bike trail is straight down Chestnut, which becomes Pleasant Valley. Or you can catch the trail anywhere along the river, aka Lady Bird Lake. Great way to see Austin
267 locals recommend
Lady Bird Lake Trail
Lady Bird Lake TrailThe quickest way to the hike and bike trail is straight down Chestnut, which becomes Pleasant Valley. Or you can catch the trail anywhere along the river, aka Lady Bird Lake. Great way to see Austin
Ignore the map! Best place to start the trail is at Barton Springs Pool. Many miles of good trails for walking or biking. If there is water in the creek you can stop to swim anywhere along the trail
531 locals recommend
Barton Creek Greenbelt
3755 South Capital of Texas HighwayIgnore the map! Best place to start the trail is at Barton Springs Pool. Many miles of good trails for walking or biking. If there is water in the creek you can stop to swim anywhere along the trail
If you have time to wander around the campus at UT you will find all sorts of interesting places -- art museums, natural history museum. And if you can, take the tour up the tower. Amazing views.
238 locals recommend
The University of Texas at Austin
2515 SpeedwayIf you have time to wander around the campus at UT you will find all sorts of interesting places -- art museums, natural history museum. And if you can, take the tour up the tower. Amazing views.
A beautiful, and in the process of being restored, urban trail along an intermittent creek. Lots of fossils, lots of beautiful trees. In places you are in a wild canyon in the middle of the city.
38 locals recommend
Shoal Creek Trail
Shoal Creek TrailA beautiful, and in the process of being restored, urban trail along an intermittent creek. Lots of fossils, lots of beautiful trees. In places you are in a wild canyon in the middle of the city.
The greatest place to swim! A natural pool of spring water, 1/4 mile long. 68 degrees. Perfect for a hot summer day. Check to make sure the pool is open-- closes once a week for cleaning.
2454 locals recommend
Barton Springs Municipal Pool
2201 William Barton DrThe greatest place to swim! A natural pool of spring water, 1/4 mile long. 68 degrees. Perfect for a hot summer day. Check to make sure the pool is open-- closes once a week for cleaning.
Arts & Culture
Our neighborhood library is a gem. Next door is the Carver Museum of African American HIstory. Check out the incredible quilt in the library. And all the wonderful books and DVDs.
13 locals recommend
Carver Branch, Austin Public Library
1161 Angelina StOur neighborhood library is a gem. Next door is the Carver Museum of African American HIstory. Check out the incredible quilt in the library. And all the wonderful books and DVDs.
Sightseeing
Go all the way down Chestnut (which becomes Pleasant Valley) or down Chicon to get to Fiesta Gardens and the Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail. A Treasure!
46 locals recommend
Edward Rendon Sr. Park at Festival Beach in Town Lake Metropolitan Park
2101 Jesse E. Segovia StGo all the way down Chestnut (which becomes Pleasant Valley) or down Chicon to get to Fiesta Gardens and the Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail. A Treasure!
The Congress Ave. bridge where Congress crosses Town Lake is the bat hub of Texas. Go just at dusk in most seasons to see millions of bats fly out like wreaths of smoke.
44 locals recommend
Congress Avenue
Congress AvenueThe Congress Ave. bridge where Congress crosses Town Lake is the bat hub of Texas. Go just at dusk in most seasons to see millions of bats fly out like wreaths of smoke.
Drinks & Nightlife
Antone's
305 E 5th StAustin's Home of the Blues!
World famous home of rock and roll and roots music--and the infamous "hippie hour" on Tuesdays at 7.
815 locals recommend
The Continental Gallery
1313 S Congress AveWorld famous home of rock and roll and roots music--and the infamous "hippie hour" on Tuesdays at 7.
Intimate room with ATX's finest singer-songwriters, roots musicians, and eclectic bands. Free happy hours with world-class acts.
284 locals recommend
Saxon Pub
1320 S Lamar BlvdIntimate room with ATX's finest singer-songwriters, roots musicians, and eclectic bands. Free happy hours with world-class acts.
Skylark Lounge
2039 Airport BlvdBecause a good dive is hard to find...
Sophisticated dive for soul, R&B (old-school), and jazz. Check out the hippest bathrooms around upstairs in the lounge.
242 locals recommend
C-Boys Heart and Soul
2008 S Congress AveSophisticated dive for soul, R&B (old-school), and jazz. Check out the hippest bathrooms around upstairs in the lounge.