The Vitals:
the spot: Bloody Mary Festival Fair Market, 1100 E 5th St., Austin, TX 78702
the eats: Bloody Marys. Micheladas and a few nibbles
the bucks: $72.95 VIP, $54.95 General Admission
the full nelson: The Best Brunch cocktail for a good cause
If you are on the hunt for the best food in Austin, chances are a cocktail might be up your alley. When it comes to cocktails for breakfast, we all know that the Almighty Blood Mary is the king(or Queen) of the mountain top. But who serves up the Best Bloody Mary in Austin TX?
Turns out it was Industry and Day Maker Half Day Cafe for the categories of traditional and original respectively. But the real winners were the young women of Austin. Proceeds from the event went to a local organization called the Girls Empowerment Network whose mission is support young women a variety of challenges ranging from anorexia/bulimia, teen pregnancy or drug abuse among many other obstacles.
The Vitals:
the spot: Granny’s Tacos 1401 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78702
the eats: Breakfast Tacos
the bucks: $15
the full nelson: Breakfast Tacos with a full bar upgrade
Granny’s Tacos is a taco trailer that has been holding it down in East Austin for almost 10 years. The fact that you can get two large, like 6″ flour tortilla sized tacos stuffed with scrambled eggs and chorizo or bean/cheese/bacon/avocado for $5 each easily qualifies for the Best Food in Austin category. But the recent game changer is the addition of a full bar.
Hangover not required here. And keep in mind, this custom taco, loaded with four ingredients, including avocado is $5. That’s winning in the inflation game in 2025. And how you stay in the hunt for the best food in Austin for the rest of the year.
The Vitals:
the spot: La Plancha + Cuantos Tacos collab at 701 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd Unit 101, Austin, TX 78702
the eats: Collab Torta with Cuantos Tacos’s Mexico City style tripe(tripas)
the bucks: $15
the full nelson: The elite taco & torta collab you have been dreaming about for one day only: Saturday March 29th
Cuantos Tacos has received national acclaim for their Mexico City style tacos in the NY Times and on the PBS series Taco Mafia. La Plancha has been a low key gem in East Austin serving Tortas, the unofficial sandwich of Mexico from a chef who trained at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. Now these two forces of Mexican gastronomy are teaming up this coming Saturday for a collab that is sure to be some of the best food in Austin.
Full disclosure this torta shown above is what one could call an artists conception of what the collab could be. The torta above is a similar idea. Refried beans, bacon, a fried egg and arugula combine for an unconventional yet elevated version of a Torta. This is what I made during peak pandemic cooking days. I can only imagine what Chefs Luis “Beto” Robledo and Mariha Hinojosa come up with. But I can taste it and it is bound to be some the best food in Austin.
The Vitals:
the spot: Tare + Sana Sana Taqueria at 12414 Alderbrook Dr, Austin, TX 78727
the eats: tasting menu from a James Beard Finalist and Michelin Guide recognized chef
the bucks: $$$$
the full nelson: 8-Course Tasting Menu by Chef Joseph Gomez | Cocktails & Beverages by @tareaustin
This Sana Sana Taqueria will pop up on weekdays when Tare is closed, continuing to tell the story of Chef Joseph Gomez’s roots in the Rio Grande Valley.
The son of migrant workers, Gomez reimagines food traditions from the Rio Grande Valley and Northeastern Mexico through the lens of Chicano futurism—exploring what cuisine in these regions might look like if borders didn’t exist.
The originality of the concept alone might qualify it for some of the best food in Austin.
The pop-up features two seatings at 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. and will also showcase cocktails from Tare’s forthcoming bar, Bare, set to open beneath Tare at the end of the year. Expect drinks like the No Mames Whey, crafted with tequila, sake, and edamame syrup.
The experience is priced at $150 a person + an optional beverage pairing or alternatively beer and wine are available. Reservations available through Tock.
That you will find this Spring. I for one will absolutely be at the Torta pop this Saturday. Maybe I will see you there!!
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