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.
Signature dishes: Pasta of the day, Crudo, Daily vegetable
Must order: Whichever pasta is on the daily-changing menu; Tracy ran pasta at Marea before opening.
Tip: The reservation system is limited but walk-ins are always welcome; aim for the 5pm seating on weeknights.
Address: 2944 E 12th St, Austin, TX 78702
Emmer & Rye in Austin is Kevin Fink's grain-driven Rainey Street room, a Bib Gourmand kitchen with a dim-sum-style cart and house-milled pastas.
Signature: House-milled pasta, Dim-sum cart small plates, Heritage-grain bread
Order: Whatever the pasta of the day is; the kitchen mills its own flour and the pasta moves with the harvest.
Tip: Sit at the counter to flag down the small-plates cart first; the choice cuts go fast.
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.
Signature: Wild-boar sausage, Venison burger, House-cured charcuterie
Order: The venison burger on house bun; the meat comes from Griffiths's New School of Traditional Cookery hunts.
Tip: The supper-club nights book separately and run the most interesting menus; the regular dinner card is the daytime grill.
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.
Fonda San Miguel in Austin is Tom Gilliland's 1975 interior-Mexican dining room on North Loop, a pioneer of regional Oaxacan and Yucatecan cooking.
Signature: Cochinita pibil, Mole poblano, Sunday hacienda brunch
Order: The cochinita pibil from the Sunday hacienda brunch buffet, plus a bowl of pozole.
Tip: The Sunday brunch buffet is the showcase; book the dining room for it at least a week out and arrive at 11.
Jeffrey's in Austin is McGuire Moorman's heritage steakhouse on West Lynn since 1975, a Clarksville room with tableside Caesar and oak-grilled steaks.
Signature: Dry-aged ribeye, Crab cake, Caesar tableside
Order: The dry-aged ribeye on the bone, with the tableside Caesar to start.
Tip: Josephine House next door, by the same operators, is the no-booking sibling for a more casual lunch.
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.
