Lin Asian Bar in Austin is Ling Qi Wu's dim sum and Chinese kitchen on West 6th, a bright counter room with an open kitchen and Sunday brunch dim-sum carts.
Signature dishes: Xiaolongbao, Wagyu dumplings, Pan-fried buns
Must order: The xiaolongbao and pan-fried beef buns; dough rolled in front of you at the counter.
Tip: Sunday brunch is the only dim-sum-cart service; book a week out for the 11am seating window.
Address: 1203 W 6th St, Austin, TX 78703
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 flights.
Signature: Brisket ramen, Smoked-tongue maki, Tonkotsu
Order: The brisket ramen and the smoked-tongue maki; the menu cross-references both kitchens.
Tip: The sake list runs 80 bottles; ask the bar to walk you up from Junmai to Daiginjo as a flight.
Bouldin Creek Cafe in Austin is South First's vegetarian neighbourhood cafe since 2000, a bungalow-cum-coffeeshop with all-day breakfast and gluten-free and vegan options.
Signature: Veggie burger, Migas, Vegan breakfast tacos
Order: The award-winning veggie burger and a side of migas; both run all day.
Tip: Walk-in only; Sunday brunch from 11 to 2 has the longest queue, weekday breakfast moves fast.
Joann's Fine Foods in Austin is the Bunkhouse Group's Tex-Mex diner at the Austin Motel on South Congress, a palapa-bar patio of fajitas, queso and frozen margaritas.
Signature: Wood-grilled fajitas, Joann's queso, Frozen margarita
Order: Wood-grilled fajitas and a frozen margarita; the tortillas are pressed in-house each morning.
Tip: The Austin Motel pool is members-only but the diner patio runs walk-in; arrive 5pm Saturday for shade.
Magnolia Cafe in Austin is the South Congress 24-hour diner, a counter institution running queso, migas and pancakes through the night, weekends round the clock.
Signature: Mag mud (queso), Love migas, Gingerbread pancake
Order: Mag mud queso and the Love migas; both run 24 hours, 7 days a week.
Tip: Open 24 hours Thursday through Saturday; otherwise closes at midnight. SXSW makes Friday 1am a scrum.
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 rancheros famous.
Signature: Huevos rancheros, Migas, Chorizo and eggs
Order: Huevos rancheros plate with refried beans and a side flour tortilla.
Tip: The morning rush peaks at 8:30am; smoother before 7:30 or after 10. Cash and card both work fine.
South Congress Cafe in Austin is the South Congress brunch room since 2005, an all-day kitchen of pancakes, crab cakes and a brunch trade that runs weekend mornings hard.
Signature: Carrot-cake pancakes, Crab cake, French toast
Order: Carrot-cake pancakes; they are the room's most-photographed plate for a reason.
Tip: Weekend brunch books out by 10am; reserve a day ahead or arrive at the 9am Saturday open.
