Eat:
Justines- my all time favorite restaurant. French brasserie on the east side of Austin. No reservations but waiting is not bad with their great bars both inside and their tented patio outside. Mussels & steak tartare are fab here.
Perlas- located on SOCO, great spot to sit on the patio and grab oysters and champagne.
Clarks- same owners as Perlas. A go to for a fun happy hour. The interiors & food of the Larry McGuire restaurants are unbeatable. 
Junes all Day- again another Larry McGuire classic. The rose here is fantastic- we buy it by the bottle. Another classic spot to grab brunch on south congress.
Launderette- located in East Austin. This has been one of my favorite spots in Austin. Its a place I could order everything on the menu. 
Uchi- see my Houston page for what you should order. hands down the best bang for your buck happy hour in Austin. $7-$12 for most items. The zero sen roll (pictured on the right) is one of my favorite sushi rolls ever.
Uchiko- same owners as uchi. the difference is its "farmhouse fusion". some say uchiko is a little more casual than uchi. 
Lin Asian Bar + Dim Sum- spot on west 6th st close to Clarks oyster bar. Lin Asian has great service is fun food. Fun fact, i went to dinner here when I first met my boyfriends family! we had a really fun time.. sadly i cant remember anything i had to eat or drink for that matter but i will be returning. 
Loro- Collaboration between Uchi and Franklins BBQ. Try the oak smoked salmon or the pork belly off the menu! And dont skip on the frozen cocktails. The frozen gin and tonic is my favorite. No reservations needed which makes this spot great for large groups! 
Aba- opened in 2020 in Austin. comes from Chicago. One of my favorite spots for Mediterranean food in Chicago. The handmade crackers are gluten free and a+. My recommendations would be the hummus, falafel, and brussels sprouts.
Jeffreys- High end restaurant in Clarksville. If you are a martini fan and sitting in the dining room, make sure to get the martini cart- the martinis may be $40 but it will be the best martini you have ever had. Plus it comes with a small scoop of caviar. The meal begins with the most delicious popovers. Some of the highlights on the menu are the lobster bisque. It is served with a cold creame that is such a nice contrast with the warm soup- also the bits of lobster are amazing. The persimmon salad is a must (winter season) and the tortellii on the appetizer section. As far as mains go, if you are not a steak fan check out the lobster its served with mushrooms and carrots and the best sauce. This place is a 10 out of 10 and perfect for special occasions!
Josephine House- Gorgeous older house turned into a beautiful brunch spot. Order the mimosas- they come with green, grapefruit, or orange juice! The rice bowl on the menu is fabulous- its a ton of food but incredible. Served with broccoli, avocado, pickled carrots, marinated mushrooms- this dish is so good! 
Enoteca Vespaio- Italian spot on south congress. this is my mothers favorite Italian spot in Austin and her favorite food is Italian.. so that's saying a lot! My step dad loves the rice balls- suppli! And the gnocchi is a must. 
Emmer & Rye- close to Rainey street. my mom first took us here when it opened. it has a dim sum feel where the waiters bring over specials on carts and you choose your favorites. It now is a bit different. I went with a large party so we had a set menu. Service was a little slow but there were 12 of us so i will cut some slack. The chicken was very tasty and well cooked, it is served with cornbread which makes it unique and also gluten free! The steak is also very good if you are a red meat eater. Our table was most excited about the cacio e pepe that they served us, i didnt not try it because it was not gluten free but it was the crowd favorite.
Comedor- opened in 2019. request to sit on the patio. the mezcal margarita is fantastic. Great mexican spot. If you are choosing between comedor and suerte- i would say comedor all the way! 
​Matties- what a fun place to bring out of town guests. this restaurant is in a old house and has peacocks on the patio!
​Suerte- mexican resturant in East Austin. I have been twice now and its not my favorite spot however many people love it so I am leaving it on the list. We ordered the quesidilla- it was super spicy. So if you are a spice fan go for this. We ordered a couple ceviches and the squash dish as starters- they were good. My favorite thing on the menu worth going back for is the barbocoa, hands down a must. Comes with corn tortillas to make your own tacos. We also ordered the fish which came wrapped in a banana leaf, it too is served with corn tortillas. The fish was so so a bit dry but tasty. This menu is great if you are gluten free and if you love spicy food i think you will like this more than i do. Margaritas are fab, so that helps! the owners of suerte just owned a spot called Este. I have yet to check this out! 
Sammies- An italian spot in the former Huts Hamburgers location started by non other than Larry Mcguire. If Sammies is on your list be sure to set your alarm to get a reservation. 
Luties- resturant in the Comedor Perry Hotel designed by Ken Fulk, so you can expect loud patterns and mixed materials. Luties is chef Bradleys newest restaurant after running birdsong in San Francisco. Dont skip on the garden hand rolls.
Pecan Square Cafe- I came here with my mom if you are not gluten free definitly go for the pasta and pizza... however, there are still great options if you are! When we went the sweet potato fritters came highly reccomended, followed by the little lettuces. My mom ordered the tortelli which she said was great (not gf) and i had the chicken. It was a toss up between the fish and chicken since they both looked incredible. 
Red Ash- overwhelmingly recommended as the top Italian spot in Austin
Hestia- Same ownership as Emmer and Rye. I have yet to go but this is there tasting menu/set menu concept.
Ramen Tatsu Ya- the east austin location is super festive.
​J Carver- new steak spot in Austin owned by the same group that opened Red Ash. My mom has visited here a few times. She says beware of the dover sole that can run you about $70 howver she says the food is fabulous. Great for special occasions or a nice date night. 

Drink:
Garage Bar- hidden spot located in a parking garage
Ah Sing Den- currently taking reservations, know for wine & asian spirits. 
Half Step - Rainey St cocktial bar, great patio with live music 
Roosevelt Room- Evans favorite bar in town! Cant go wrong with a old fashioned here. 
Proper Hotel- great spot to grab drinks. If you are staying at the hotel then check out Goldies. 
Rosies- the cutest petite wine bar in the clarksville neighborhood. tables are outside that seat more than two but the inside only has two bar counters. 
Howards- my friend calls this the club for more mature people. Perfect neighborhood cocktaill bar with fun dancing vibes. Also owned by Mcguire Mormon Lambert Group. Live Dj and great drinks- this spot is connected to Rosies.

Breakfast Tacos (because it deserves its own section):
Veracruz- located in the line hotel, my friends fav breakfast taco spot (and she is a tough critic)
Taco Deli- location downtown near frost tower 
Torchys - location on 2nd street downtown


Stay:
South Congress Hotel- mid century modern boutique hotel in SOCO.
Commodore Perry- Newest Auberge Property. Dying to stay here. The interiors & pool is everything!
Hotel Saint Cecilia- boutique hotel located near Bouldin Creek
Hotel Zaza Austin- In the heart of the warehouse district in Austin. 
Austin Proper Hotel - newly opened and designed by Kelly Wearstler. Great spot to grab cocktails. Has a fitness center and spa 
Hotel San Jose - "bed and breakfast" on South Congress, has Santa Fe vibes with a fun outdoor pool area.

Do:
Rent a boat on lake travis or lake austin
Hike the greenbelt
Paddleboard in townlake 
Shop on second street
Catch a UT football game
explore South Congress
drive to Duchmann Family Winery
Salt Lick Barbeque or Jester King Brewery
The Austin Winery - an urban winery
Zilker Taproom
Visit in October for ACL
Mount Bonnell-800 ft height [short] hike with great lake views.
Bike ride to Mozarts for coffee
Walk town lake