The South Lamar Boulevard spine runs Uchi, Loro, Matt's El Rancho, El Naranjo and Bouldin Acres. Zilker Park anchors the south end with Barton Springs and ACL Festival's autumn rounds.
Uchi in Austin is Tyson Cole's James Beard-winning sushi room on South Lamar since 2003, the kitchen that codified modern Japanese on the south side of the river.
Signature: Hama chili, Maguro sashimi, Brussels sprouts
Order: The hama chili and the maguro sashimi, ordered before anything else.
Tip: Sit at the sushi bar; the omakase is built in real time and the chefs talk you through each piece.
Loro in Austin is Aaron Franklin and Tyson Cole's Asian smokehouse on South Lamar, a Texas BBQ and Southeast Asian small-plates mashup under live oaks.
Signature: Smoked brisket, Boat noodles, Thai-style sausage
Order: The smoked brisket with rice noodle and Thai chiles; it is the most direct Franklin handprint on the menu.
Tip: The South Lamar patio under live oaks is the best seat; no reservations, walk-in only, go early.
El Naranjo in Austin is Iliana de la Vega's James Beard-winning regional Mexican kitchen on South Lamar, serving Oaxacan moles and coastal ceviches.
Signature: Mole negro de Oaxaca, Pulpo y papas, Costillas de res
Order: The mole negro de Oaxaca; de la Vega trained at the source in Oaxaca City and rebuilt it in Austin.
Tip: The Sunday-supper format runs a slightly different menu; ask about it when booking.
Ramen Tatsu-ya in Austin is Tatsu Aikawa's Hakata-style tonkotsu ramen room on South Lamar, the Austin ramen flagship since 2012 with five locations across town.
Signature: Tonkotsu original, Mi-So-Hot, Spicy ramen
Order: The Tonkotsu Original with the extra-fatty broth setting; that is the chef's-friend order.
Tip: Order at the counter; walk-ins only, queue moves fast at 17:30 and 21:00 windows.
Matt's El Rancho in Austin is the Martinez family's South Lamar Tex-Mex room, opened in 1952 and home of the canonical Bob Armstrong queso dip.
Signature: Bob Armstrong dip, Enchiladas with chili gravy, Frozen margarita
Order: The Bob Armstrong dip and a frozen margarita; the dip was invented here for a state legislator in 1973.
Tip: The patio under the oaks is huge; arrive 6pm or after 9pm to dodge the 7-to-9 wait.
Loro in Austin is the Franklin and Uchi teams' Asian smokehouse on South Lamar, a casual walk-in patio for Texas BBQ and Southeast Asian small plates under live oaks.
Signature: Smoked brisket, Boat noodles, Thai-style sausage
Order: Smoked brisket with rice noodle and Thai chiles, plus a tall papaya salad.
Tip: Walk-in only; come at 5pm sharp or after 9pm to dodge the 90-minute weekend wait.
Ramen Tatsu-ya in Austin is Tatsu Aikawa's Hakata-style tonkotsu ramen on South Lamar since 2012, the city's most-followed ramen counter with no-booking lines.
Signature: Tonkotsu Original, Mi-So-Hot, Kara-age
Order: Tonkotsu Original with the extra-fatty setting; the menu calls it Kotteri.
Tip: Walk-in only; the 6pm window moves slowest on Friday. The Research Boulevard location is the shortest queue.
Matt's El Rancho in Austin is the Martinez family's South Lamar Tex-Mex room since 1952, home of the Bob Armstrong queso dip and a citywide birthday-dinner tradition.
Signature: Bob Armstrong dip, Enchiladas with chili gravy, Frozen margarita
Order: Bob Armstrong dip, beef enchiladas with chili gravy, plus a frozen margarita on the side.
Tip: The patio under the oaks holds 200; arrive 5:30pm to dodge the 7-to-9 family wait.
El Naranjo in Austin is Iliana de la Vega's James Beard-winning Oaxacan dining room on South Lamar, a family kitchen of regional moles, ceviches and slow-roasted meats.
Signature: Mole negro, Tostadas de atun, Pulpo y papas
Order: The mole negro de Oaxaca; de la Vega trained at the source in Oaxaca City.
Tip: Daughter Ana Torrealba runs the kitchen as chef de cuisine; the Sunday-supper menu is the most experimental.