Restaurant ReviewsTop 5 Restaurants in Austin
There are few places in the U.S. with a more eclectic restaurant scene than Austin, Texas. From the expected fare of generous helpings of Texas barbeque to some of the best sushi this side of the Pecos, Austin is a food loverò€™s paradise. In addition to top-notch dining there are a slew of small, independently owned, and minded, restaurants that do their best to keep Austin weird ò€“ to borrow from a marketing phrase that tries to keep Austinò€™s fiercely independent personality alive and well.
Top Texas Chefs Make Austin Their Home
Here are some of our choices for the best cooking in Austin, outside of your motherò€™s house of course.
Driskill Grill
Reminiscent of cattle or railroad baronò€™s private dining hall, this restaurant in the Driskill Hotel is everything youò€™d expect from fine Austin dining. Executive Chef Jonathan Gelman takes tasteful liberties with Driskillò€™s meat-and-potatoes format by integrating world-cuisine influences. EntrÓ©es include hot smoked Bandera quail, pistachio-crusted sea scallops, and pan-roasted duck breast. Nightly piano music adds to the charming ambience.
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
Thatò€™s right cinema. In addition to being serving a full dinner and drinks menu, the Alamo Drafthouse is also a movie theatre. Executive chef Trish Eichelberger got her first food service job at a movie theatre concession counter at the age of 15 and now she plans menus and cooks for movie goers at the Alamo. The theater is laid out like a traditional movie theater, except every other row of seats has been replaced with a long narrow table for your food and drinks.
Uchi
Respectful of traditional sushi and sashimi methodsò€”but not limited by themò€”this standout sushi bar (a consistent critical and popular favorite) starts with super-fresh ingredients. After that, anything goes. You can make a tapas-style meal from the cold and hot "tastings" menu. If you sit at the sushi bar you can watch the enthusiastic kitchen staff at work.
The Salt Lick
When Texans argue about the relative merits of barbecue joints, the Salt Lick usually winds up at or near the top of the heap. finger-licking-good ribs, beef, chicken, turkey, and sausage slow-cooked over an open pit and accompanied by a tangy sauce (unusual for central Texas) and the usual sides of slaw and beans.
Kreuz Market
Kreuz might have caved in to the consumer demand of the 21st century to offer a couple of sides. But at this premier barbecue joint, it"s still all about well-seasoned meat and the smoky goodness a wood fire imparts. What began as meat market and grocery in 1900 is arguably the best barbeque joint in central Texas. Beef brisket, boneless prime rib, homemade sausage, and several other cuts of meat are smoked to perfection every day at Kreuzò€™s. You must stop by the next time youò€™re in Austin.
This article is presented by The Texas Culinary Academy. The Texas Culinary Academy offers Le Cordon Bleu culinary education classes and culinary training programs in Austin, Texas. To learn more about the class offerings, please visit Chefs.edu/Austin for more information.
The jobs mentioned are examples of certain potential jobs, not a representation that these outcomes are more probable than others. Texas Culinary Academy does not guarantee employment or salary.