The best food in Austin Texas for the month of October includes multi course pop ups, Japanese bar food, a BBQ double header and the best bagel I’ve ever had. Take notes or really just bookmark this page.
The Vitals:
the spot: Thali Omakase currently at Garbo’s 626 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78703
the eats: Multi course chef’s choice menu
the bucks: $$$$
the full nelson: an exclusive dining experience that explores South Indian flavors
I will cut to the chase: a $300 tasting menu isn’t for everyone, including me. However Thali Omakase is more than a succession of pretty plates till you “feel full”. It is an exploration of South Indian flavors through Chef Deepa Shridhar who is as driven and talented as they come.
Full disclosure: I was a guest but my lavish praise isn’t born out of gratitude for a free meal. It turns out, despite my South Asian heritage, my awareness of the depth of Indian/South Asian flavors is that of a novice. The rasam spiked broth that is a hallmark of this Thali experience featured all the aromatic spices I was introduced to at a young age like cumin, coriander and cloves. But the depth of what these spices can do with a host of baked goods, in a savory broth and paired with copious amounts of caviar revealed a whole new world of eating.
Generally speaking, I admonish spending more than $100 a person when eating locally. I find the carriage turns into a pumpkin by the time the Uber takes me home. It’s almost been 24 hours and I still feel like Cinderella at the ball.
The Vitals:
the spots: Franklin BBQ 900 E 11th St, Austin, TX 78702 & LeRoy and Lewis 5621 Emerald Forest Dr, Austin, TX 78745
the eats: BBQ by the pound
the bucks: $$-$$$
the full nelson: a Texas BBQ double header that celebrates two eras of Craft Texas Barbecue
Going to the legendary Franklin Barbecue would be a food pilgrimage any foodie would gladly take on and call it a day, maybe even a year. But when a James Beard best chef NY finalist by the name of Ryan Fernandez comes to town, you take on a BBQ doubleheader.
I have to admit this: I have never waited in line for Franklin Barbecue. I’ve had it at Hot Luck Fest and had it ordered at private events though. And yes, the hype is deserved. That being said, eating LeRoy and Lewis after Franklin only highlighted how far barbecue has come. Dining at Franklin was a glimpse at the dawn of today’s craft barbecue scene. Dining at LeRoy and Lewis felt like fast forwarding to, well 2025.
Both restaurants are must visits for any true barbecue aficionado. But after having both in the same afternoon, I have to say that what Evan LeRoy and his team are doing at LeRoy and Lewis is truly the cutting edge of Craft Barbecue.
The Vitals:
the spot: Kemuri Tatsu-Ya 2713 E 2nd St, Austin, TX 78702
the eats: Japanese Izakaya so small plates and dishes to share
the bucks: $$
the full nelson: a modern Austin restaurant staple
Izakayas are pretty much my favorite kind of restaurant. A variety of savory cooked dishes with a splash of sushi that’s as much a bar as it is a restaurant pretty much rules in my book.
Kemuri Tatsu-Ya takes notes from Texas like Brisket in the ramen and using smoking methods whenever possible. This might be why they make the best yellowtail collar I have ever had. Smoking the meaty cut of fish before finishing on a Binchotan fueled grill is elite cooking. And gives me ideas for my next grilling adventures.
Oh and don’t skip the massive cocktails here. They are sized for two but I’ve been know to nurse one for the night.
The Vitals:
the spot: David Doughies 2427 Webberville Rd, Austin, TX 78702
the eats: Artisanal Bagels
the bucks: $-$$
the full nelson: a bagel to make an NYer jealous
Let me be clear: I am a lox man. Russ and Daughters in NYC is the G.O.A.T. NY bagel experience in my book. But much like Katz, the starch component leaves something to be desired. Prior to David Doughies I viewed bagels as an edible vessel for lox. But at David Doughies, the bagel is the star of the show. I’ve never had a better bagel. And while in two visits in two weeks, I can’t quit ordering the house made pastrami lox and bagel, the Benton’s sausage or the house made barbacoa bagel are waiting in the wings.
David Doughies is without a doubt some of the best food in Austin.
Uttering the names of David Doughies, LeRoy and Lewis, Kemuri Tatsu-Ya and Deep Shridhar become synonymous with “best foods in Austin”. Take note, save your pennies and eat the best food in Austin at any one of these establishments.
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