Austin

Late-night French brasserie. Steak frites. Mussels. Oysters. Duck confit. Bring a crowd and order the menu or dine solo with a burger and cognac.

Local Mexican food chain with loud decor, large plates, dangerous happy hour, and stiff frozen ‘ritas.

Smoked meats by the pound, but great BBQ has great fixin's. Don’t skip the collards and black-eyed peas.

Jerk chicken, ceviche, plantains. And rum, rum, rum, rum. Just what you’d expect from a remarkable Caribbean restaurant.

Indoor stage. Outdoor stage. Multilevel. Known for strong purs and keeping rock 'n roll alive.

Neighborhood bar with kitchen open late. Much heralded burger.

Former underground supper club and a farmers market vendor turned restaurant specializing in charcuterie and cuts of prized meat.

Italian food in intimate space. Scratch pasta. Brick oven pizza. Extensive wine menu.

Second full-service restaurant from acclaimed Suerte chef Fermin Nunez. Its conceit: what if Mexico City was by the ocean? Seafood done exceptionally well.

Southern fare just like granny used to cook, with an eye toward elegance.

On Sundays, the smash burger is $5. You won’t get a better burger for this price (or double) in Austin.

One of half a dozen locations around town in a house once occupied by an accounting office and beauty salon.

Coffee from Chicago purveyors Intelligentsia with bagels, soups, sandwiches, pastries, caviar and smoked fish by the pound.

Local coffee and breakfast out of remodeled 1952 Spartan trailer.

Iconic coffee shop in the middle of South Congress. Home to "I love you so much" graffiti icon.

Post-pandemic, a handful of 24-hour institutions closed their doors in Austin. But this all-day coffee shop is still standing.

Yes, the coffee is great, but so are the cocktails and food trucks on site. Burgers. Thai. Tacos. Barbecue and biscuits.

Upstairs mezcaleria in tiny space. Life-changing frozen guava margarita. Curated array of agave spirits. 

Spoon. Doug Sahm. Townes Van Zandt. Shakey Graves. Old 97s. Iconic bar and venue on the Drag that’s hosted countless would-be rock stars.

Chic bar with experienced bartenders who can make any classic drink or inventive cocktails dreamed up right at Rosie.

Pool, jukebox, cheap drinks since 1951. Long live the Eddy!

Traversing the line between dive bar and cocktail heaven. Extensive and inventive menu. Delicious food truck slinging taters, burgers, wings.

Traversing the line between dive bar and cocktail heaven. Extensive and inventive menu. Delicious food truck slinging taters, burgers, wings.

High rises and fancy restaurants pop up all over East Sixth, but this tiny bar is a reminder of how things used to be.

New brewery in South Austin with menu where virtually anything can be made vegan or gluten-free. Still tastes amazing.

Annual comedy festival that’s a little over a week-long with local stars and national acts doing stand-up, improv and live podcast tapings. 

Stroll this enchanting sculpture garden outpost near Lake Austin.

Go to hiking destination with miles of trails and spots to take a dip.

Iconic venue with diverse booking habits in local acts and touring musicians alike.

Carefully selected wine and açaí bowls. In the evening DJs playing their favorite tunes.

Art house from past and present. Founded by Richard Linklater.

Family-owned mini-golf operating since the 1940s offering whimsical courses.

Sandlot baseball field that looks exactly like you’d expect a Field of Dreams diamond to look like in Austin. 

Vintage shop with well-priced unique finds and quite the bizarre restroom. Take a key from the front desk and get your camera ready.

Lobby DJ, design shops, good vibes. Daily guest passes for rooftop pool.

Hand-hewn details in former union hall with shady pool and all-day cafe.

1928 estate glamourously redesigned by Ken Folk, Epic gardens, dreamy pool. 

Heritage Oaks. Neon Lit Pool. Design nuance to channel Mick Jagger.

Minimalist touches and leafy gardens set standard for all motor court redux.

Eclectically designed lobby is the best in town. Sip martinis at Goldie’s marble bar

Impeccable design. No front-facing staff. Malin + Goetz toiletry. Complimentary beverages. Where boutique hotel meets AirBnB. 

For Fashionable men who enjoy RRL, Filson, Kapital. Daughters, its women’s boutique, is only a few blocks away.

Four decades-old shop that’s Vogue-approved and home to luxury brands like Homme-Plisse, Bode, Bottega Veneta, Dries Van Noten.

Glassbox shop full of ATX makers’ creations, apothecary goods, Japanese-inspired designs, and home goods galore.  

Homegrown boot company with versatile and affordable options. Allens Boots on the same block has over 4,000 pairs available, including a Lucheese showroom. 

In a music-obsessed city, this one is famous for good reason.

Customize an Open Road (felt or straw) with feather and band. It’ll make LBJ proud.

Women's boutique with Marla Aaron, Apiece Apart, Issey Miyake and more.

Austin is rife with secondhand clothing shops. This is among the best. Original Nike Waffle on display (not for sale), but plenty of gems can be found.