The east-of-I-35 strip is Austin's busiest food corridor: BBQ trailers, Mexican taquerias, Bib Gourmand dining rooms and the after-bar carts. The corridor runs from Cesar Chavez up to Manor Road.
Suerte in Austin is Fermin Nunez's masa-driven East 6th room, a Michelin Bib Gourmand kitchen serving heirloom-corn tortillas and suadero tacos.
OrderThe suadero tacos on heirloom blue-corn tortillas; the masa is ground in-house each morning.
TipBeverage director Celia Pellegrini won the Michelin Texas Sommelier Award 2025; let her route the pairings.
Birdie's in Austin is Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel's counter-service bistro at East 12th and Harvey, a James Beard beverage winner and 2025 Time100 Next pick.
OrderWhichever pasta is on the daily-changing menu; Tracy ran pasta at Marea before opening.
TipThe reservation system is limited but walk-ins are always welcome; aim for the 5pm seating on weeknights.
Nixta Taqueria in Austin is Edgar Rico's heirloom-corn taqueria on East 12th, a James Beard Emerging Chef 2022 winner and Michelin Green Star kitchen.
OrderThe duck-carnitas taco on the pink-corn tortilla; the masa is ground each morning for service.
TipTortillas are nixtamalized in-house from heritage corn; order direct from the counter, no booking.
Kemuri Tatsu-ya in Austin is the Tatsu-ya team's Japanese-izakaya-meets-Texas-BBQ mash-up on East 2nd, a Michelin Bib Gourmand kitchen with sake list.
OrderThe brisket ramen; the tonkotsu broth runs into the BBQ kitchen and back out.
TipThe sake list is unusually deep for a BBQ-leaning room; ask the bar to route a flight from Junmai to Daiginjo.
Justine's Brasserie in Austin is a late-night French brasserie in a 1937 East 5th cottage, owned by Justine Gilcrease since 2009 and open until midnight.
OrderThe steak frites with bearnaise; the kitchen runs until 12am Friday and Saturday.
TipThe Pagoda room and patio handle the smoking crowd; the Tuesday closure is firm, so plan around it.
Kemuri Tatsu-ya in Austin is the Tatsu-ya team's izakaya-meets-BBQ casual room on East 2nd, a Bib Gourmand kitchen built for big shared plates and sake.
OrderThe brisket ramen and the smoked-tongue maki; the menu cross-references both kitchens.
TipThe sake list runs 80 bottles; ask the bar to walk you up from Junmai to Daiginjo as a flight.
Cisco's in Austin is Rudy Cisneros's East 6th Tex-Mex breakfast counter since 1948, the room that ran the city's politician breakfasts and helped make huevos.
OrderHuevos rancheros plate with refried beans and a side flour tortilla.
TipThe morning rush peaks at 8:30am; smoother before 7:30 or after 10. Cash and card both work fine.
Pueblo Viejo in Austin is Nestor and Margarita's East Riverside Mexican taqueria since 2010, a brick-and-mortar grown from a taco truck and a citywide.
OrderBean-and-cheese breakfast taco on a homemade flour tortilla.
TipThe Tillery Street trailer and the St. Elmo and Pickle Road locations run the same kitchen with shorter lines.
The White Horse on Comal Street in East Austin is the honky-tonk where two-step lessons run nightly, a wood floor and live country bands until 02:00.
TipTwo-step lesson at 19:00 with no cover, live bands from 20:30. Cash and card both work; food trucks park out back through last call.
Hotel Vegas on East 6th Street in Austin is the garage-punk and psych bar opened in 2011 in a 1949 building, two stages and a giant patio plus the sister.
TipIndoor and outdoor stages run different acts most nights. Cover is usually low; the patio gets busy from 21:00 on weekends.
Sahara Lounge on Webberville Road in East Austin is the funky world music room in the old TC's Lounge, with African, Afrobeat, blues and Brazilian bands.
TipSaturday Africa Night is the long-running headline. Cover varies by act; the outdoor courtyard and stage open most warm weekends.
Pershing Hall on East 5th in Austin is the historic lumber-mill listening room with compiled programming, craft cocktails and acoustics.
TipClosed Monday and Sunday. Tickets for the listening room shows via the venue site; the bar runs walk-in on programming nights.
The Liberty on East 6th Street in East Austin is the dog-friendly dive with a picnic-table patio and the original East Side King food truck in the back.
TipEast Side King serves until close; patio holds the crowds on warm weekends. Cash and card both work, no cover most nights.
Guided tour · 3 hours
Six East Austin smokehouses in three hours, including a MICHELIN One Star pitmaster and three Bib Gourmands. Skip every line, ride in an air-conditioned van, and come hungry.
11 hours
Get ready to have a road trip experience to the Capital of Texas. We will enjoy the beautiful hill country stopping at wonderful places.
Water activity · 6 hours
Join a guided boat tour of Lake Travis in Austin. Enjoy a BBQ lunch, swim in the lake, and learn about the area's history. Choose this tour to join a group and to meet...