What's "Cool" in ATX — the snobby foodie

Mar 5

Mar 5 What's "Cool" in ATX

So - I realize I have to post this before these places become "uncool". You'll understand in a bit. Keep reading.

I used to live in Austin, TX, and being a huge foodie, I knew where all the good spots were. Upon revisiting the city, I realized that I sounded like one of those old people that talk about the clubs that since have been shut down.

Me: I miss Hopdoddy's
Friend: Uh- no one goes to Hopdoddy's any more. There are way more locations now. Not cool any more.
Me: I'd love to go to Banger's for a sausage & a beer.
Friend: Ew- Rainey Street? You want to get stabbed with a martini glass?
Me: What?

Now I'm one of those people saying, "Back in my day…"

After visiting Fleet Coffee (a legit hip new Austin coffee shop) I got a bit of a reality check.

As I was talking about all the places that I used to go, the barista (Patrick) looked up and said, "Yeah - those places were cool like 3 years ago."

Flabbergasted and skeptical, I asked him to list off what is "cool". It happens that one of the editors at Eater Austin is sitting a few tables down.

All of a sudden, they started bouncing venues off each other. I had to immediately pop open my Evernote and jot it all down.

How do I know these places are legit?

It's because the coffee at Fleet is one of the legit-est coffee shops I've been to. I'm not even sure if "legit" is a cool word to say any more. Anyways, it was so legit that I had a latte from this place every day I was in Austin (sometimes multiple times a day).

Also I've sampled a lot of this list over the course of one weekend in Austin. This is food so good that I day dream about it.

Anyways, these are some bomb places that you can impress your "cool", "hip" friends with.
*Not recommendations from barista, but are still some of my fave places. I quality-checked them, so don't worry ;).

Cocktails

Firehouse Hostel --> EPIC bookshelf entrance!!!!!
Roosevelt --> Places that use the umami flavor of shitake mushrooms in their drinks. BOMB.
Townsend --> Go here if you like a show made out of your cocktails. Get a seat at the bar.
Small Victory --> This place is effing hard to find, but cocktails are bomb.
Yellow Jacket Social Club
Whistler's for the mezcaleria upstairs --> Just go to the mescaleria. Don't pass go- do not collect a mixed drink. Mescaleria all the way.

Coffee

Fleet --> YAS girl. Best coffee shop ever. Obsessive write up to come.
Patika --> Used to be a trailer, and is now a legit venue. Back in the day- I would go searching for a trailer that wasn't even there.
Figure 8 --> Very Instagrammable with their succulents
Houndstooth*
Vintage Heart*

Brunch

Paper Boy --> Food truck brunch
Café No Se
Licha's Cantina* --> The Bloody Mary and red salsa is legit.
El Alma* --> Just get the Veggie Enchiladas.

Seafood

Quality Seafood --> The barista says it sounds gross, but just do it.

Beer

Easy Tiger Beer Garden --> Get beer downstairs & a croissant upstairs
Abvg Beer Garden
Jester King --> Lovely to beer taste outside on a summer evening

Pizza

Pieous Pizza --> Holy shit- get the pastrami- even if you don't like pastrami. Drooling thinking about it. The barista described it as "er meh gerd". Pretty legit.
Bufalina
Via 313 --> Dreamy good pizza.

Lunch / Dinner

Vegan Nom* --> These are some of the best tacos you will eat.
Contigo Austin
Chicon
Mi Madre --> Classic oh so good Mexican
Ramen Tatsuya --> Are you a Ramen Tatsuya or a Michi Ramen? That's the real question.
Michi Ramen
Odd Duck --> Definitely get a cockatil with your meal.
Olamaie
Sway Thai*

Ice Cream --> Lick (their flavors are SO bomb.)

Yeah. I did a lot of eating. But I did it for you - I promise! Anyways- enjoy! Let me know what you think! Give me recommendations for my next trip! Now I'm super duper hungry.