The best food in Austin Texas for the month of November includes All You Can Eat Korean BBQ + Hot Pot, a Middle Eastern sandwich speciality, an heirloom corn focused bakery and an old school Midwest Supper Club pop up. As always take notes or really just bookmark this page.
The Vitals:
the spot: KPOT Korean BBQ and Hot Pot 5200 Brodie Ln, Sunset Valley, TX 78745
the eats: all you can eat Korean BBQ and Hot Pot
the bucks: $$
the full nelson: the greatest restaurant to take a 14 year old and his crew
Let’s get right to it: finding a place that satisfies a crew of ravenous teenage boys is harder than scoring brisket at Franklin on Memorial Day weekend. But KPot is built for that mission. This Korean BBQ and hot pot chain hybrid feels like it was engineered for feeding growth spurts — sizzling meats, customizable broths, dipping sauces, and everything cooked right at the table.
We took my son and a small army of 14-year-olds for his birthday, and yes, it was chaos — but in the best, most delicious way. Watching teens discover bulgogi and dunk ribeye into broth is its own joy. This isn’t just “all you can eat,” it’s “all you can cook and devour as fast as they bring it.” It may not be a quiet evening, but it is guaranteed edible entertainment for the whole crew.
The Vitals:
the spot: Shawarma King 3211 Red River St, Austin, TX 78705
the eats: a Jordanian Shawarma specialist
the bucks: $
the full nelson: solid shawarma find
I love when seasoned talent spawns an offshoot idea — especially when the result is smokey rotisserie meat wrapped in warm bread. Shawarma King is descended from a well-regarded Jordanian kebab restaurant, but instead of trying to do everything, it laser-focuses on shawarma. The result? Juicy sliced chicken and beef that hits you with aromatic Middle Eastern spices, and excellently carved.
Austin is a far cry from Detroit or even Houston when it comes to Middle Eastern fare but Shawarma King is a delicious exception.
The Vitals:
the spot: Mercado Sin Nombre 408 N Pleasant Valley Rd, Austin, TX 78702
the eats: heirloom masa twinkie, killer coffee drinks, and a brilliant biscuit sandwich
the bucks: $-$$
the full nelson: a nationally acclaimed bakery that is literally a little window operation in East Austin
Mercado Sin Nombre is the kid in class who shows up quietly, gets straight A’s, and suddenly becomes valedictorian. They nixtamalize heirloom corn and turn it into a now-famous “masa twinkie,” but don’t stop there. Their coffee program churns out small-farmer-sourced beans paired with wildly creative (but balanced) drink ideas.
And then breakfast: a blue corn biscuit sandwich with chicken chorizo, a sunny-side egg, and fresno chile hot sauce — the kind of dish that makes you stop mid-bite and renegotiate your beliefs. Bon Appétit already included them on their national breakfast list, but locals have been whispering about them long before that.
The Vitals:
the spot: Frankie’s Supper Club Pop Up at Uptown Sports Club 1200 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78702
the eats: Midwestern supper club fare: ribeye for two, fish and chips, wedge salad, everything they ate on Mad Men
the bucks: $$$
the full nelson: a pop up homage to mid century Midwestern supper clubs from the pitmaster who made Austin a culinary destination
Aaron Franklin — yes, that Aaron Franklin — isn’t content with just shaping Texas BBQ. With Frankie’s Supper Club, housed at Uptown Sports Club, he channels Midwestern nostalgia: relish trays, steaks cooked like Friday night ritual, cocktails that lean toward classic rather than trendy. It almost feels like a wink at how Austin dining keeps evolving — and how someone synonymous with brisket can set a different table entirely.
It’s a supper club that feels both transportive and grounded, a reminder that hospitality takes many forms — sometimes smoky, sometimes butter-basted.
Mentioning the likes of Mercado Sin Nombre and Aaron Franklin’s Pop Up Supper Club will easily bring the words “Best Food Austin” to the table. But it’s the hidden gems like a Jordanian Shawarma joint or even a national Korean BBQ Hot Pot chain that show Austin has something for everyone. Best food Austin is more than a list of elites, it’s about range.
Take note, save your pennies, and eat the best food Austin has to offer at any one of these establishments.
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