Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
All-beef chili with no beans and no tomatoes, built on chunks of chuck and a dark chile paste of ancho, guajillo and pasilla chiles, beef stock, cumin and Mexican oregano. Texas state dish since 1977.
Chili con carne traces to the San Antonio chili queens of the 1880s, who set up open-air braziers in Military Plaza serving meaty stew to railroad workers. Texas codified the no-beans rule in 1977 when chili was named the state dish. Austin's chili cook-offs and the Original Terlingua International Championship 4 hours west established the modern competition recipe.
3 editor picks for Texas Chili Con Carne in Austin, ranked by editorial score. All Austin signature dishes · Texas Chili Con Carne across every city.
Also in: San Antonio.
Dai Due in Austin is Jesse Griffiths's butcher-shop-and-supper-club on Manor Road, a Bib Gourmand kitchen built on Texas farms and wild game.
OrderThe venison burger on house bun; the meat comes from Griffiths's New School of Traditional Cookery hunts.
TipThe supper-club nights book separately and run the most interesting menus; the regular dinner card is the daytime grill.
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.
OrderThe Bob Armstrong dip and a frozen margarita; the dip was invented here for a state legislator in 1973.
TipThe patio under the oaks is huge; arrive 6pm or after 9pm to dodge the 7-to-9 wait.
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.
Texas Chili Con Carne makes more sense with someone from Austin explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
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...
