Best Brunch in Austin, TX — the snobby foodie

Mexican inspired brunches are a staple of Texan cuisine (if not a necessity). Also, brunch is an activity that makes you feel classier than you are, much like happy hour.

The Struggle
This mini-rant is unrelated to ranking brunches, but it needs to be addressed. I love a brunch that is sweet & savory. I want the pancakes AND the tacos. I want it all! Is this just me? Comment below with your favorite brunch places & if the struggle is real.

If you like this post, you'll likely love some of these other lists:

Venue	Food Rating	Ambiance	Good for Hangovers	Would I come back?	Comments/Advice
Abel's on the Lake	2	4.5		No	The food is not good. Just go to Mozart's and get coffee and enjoy the view.
Red River Cafe	4	3		YASS	For the price, you can't complanin. It's inexpensive and quick. Get the french toast and the tacos!
Z'Tejas	2.5	4		No	The food was not very good, but the ambiance was cool.
Trudy's	2.5	3	X	No, but their salsa though.	Their salsa is my favorite. Their food is not..
Blue Dahlia	3	3.5		No	It was cute and yummy- having sweet riccotta and blueberries in my crepe, but it was nothing to write home about.
Swift's Attic	3	4		No	The food was not very memorable. The ambiance was cool though. I really don't know why my meal was so expensive...
Hillside Farmacy	3	3		No	It has a small cute menu. My macaroni and cheese was good, and the special omelette was solid. It was just nothing special. Avoid getting coffee here- Vintage Heart is right around the corner.
Kerbey Lane Cafe	3	2	X	No, but it's inevitable.	Avoiding Kerbey Lane when in Austin is like avoiding baby pictures on Facebook. If you end up here- which you will - I only recommend a few dishes: the Paris Texas platter OR the Migas with Ranchero sauce (my favorite) OR the featured pancake OR the Nachos (if drunk) OR this sweet potato fries.
South Congress Cafe	3	3.5		No	I was impressed the first time I came here - and the VERY disappointed the second time. Unfortunately, my second experience is enough for me to be done with this place.
Pacha	3.5	3		No, but I feel bad saying that because I had such a lovely experience here.	The Pacha latte was not so yummy. I like the fact that they give you an Alpaca, rather than a number for your order.
Cafe Crepe	3.5	4		No	This place has been around forever. The crepes are decent, but I always feel like they're overpriced- probably because I'm always hungry after eating them. Very cute shop.
24 Diner	3.5	3.5	X	No	Cuter than Kerby Lane. I love how buttery the chicken and waffles taste. It sucks that there's always a line here. I recommend going here if you are hungover.
Red's Porch	3.5	3.5	X	No	Very very very rich food. It was good, but I think I would rather go back to one of my other brunch places.
Tacodeli	3.5	3	X	Yes	Tacodeli is my shit. Probably because it is right next to Houndstooth coffee. It's just a cute little taco spot that holds a very fond place in my heart. Nothing special, but I would come back here for food if I was hangry.
Upper Crust Bakery	3.5	3		No, not for brunch	Come for good pastries. Don't expect brunch.
Boudin Creek Cafe	4	3.5		Yes	The Renedict makes me want to dance. Don't bother getting their coffee.
Bonneville	4	4.5		Yes	Get their Popovers, Bananas Foster French Toast, and Chipotle Lime Chicken Hash to balance out the sugar rush.
Torchy's Tacos	4	3	X	No	It's kind of an Austin thing to do. Maybe I'm just over it. I'd rather go to Vegan Nom or an authentic taqueria outside of Fiesta.
La Cocina de Consuelo	4	3		Yes	Yum. Go here for a Mexican brunch.
The Vegan Nom	5	4	X	Yes	Om Nom NOM! I can't believe it's not eggs- also it's so flavorful. Also there's a lot to see in this area. Wander around thrift shops and find your next Halloween costume! Make sure to include a Bean Diablo in your order. The tacos are honestly worth every penny.

You'll notice that some of the major places (like Searsucker and Eastside Cafe are not on this list - it's because I've concluded they belong in another category -- dinners or lunches or drinks). Stay tuned.

On Kerbey Lane...

As much as I don't want to come back here, I end up here. And as much as I want to say "No, I would not come back.", but unfortunately, I do. And their migas really are good with ranchero sauce.

On Boudin Creek Cafe...

Their Renedict is really good, but their service is that of a typical Austin hipster (more on this later). I ordered some tortilla chips to eat with my salsa. When the chips came out, I noticed they looked like they had been smashed and stepped on. Naturally, I called the server over and told this to him.

He looked at me dead in the eyes and said, "That's how the French do it." and proceeded to walk away. The food was great, but WTF. I ate my chips and salsa with a spoon.

On Red River Cafe..

It's a solid diner - a place where you can go when you don't want to deal with Kerbey lane. The people are generally pretty friendly and the food is inexpensive.

"Good for Hangovers"

For your convenience, I have included a "Good for Hangovers" category. This signifies the food is greasy and high in fat content- allegedly good for hangovers. If it is not marked "good for hangovers", this does not mean the food is not good. It could simply mean the wait is long- or you will appreciate the tasty experience of your food more if you weren't hungover. So a hangover applies, it overrules "Would I come back?" column. You're welcome.