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 dishes: Smoked brisket, Boat noodles, Thai-style sausage
Must 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.
Address: 2115 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
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.
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.
Barley Swine in Austin is Bryce Gilmore's farm-driven Burnet Road tasting room, the chef's first kitchen since 2010, with a Texas-only sourcing rule.
Signature: Tasting-menu vegetables, Pasture-raised meat course, Pecan pie
Order: The full chef's tasting menu; the kitchen builds it around what came in that morning.
Tip: Odd Duck and Sour Duck Market are Gilmore's sibling rooms; book Barley Swine for the most kitchen-led experience.
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.
Signature: Duck-carnitas taco, Beet tartare tostada, Heirloom blue-corn tortilla
Order: The duck-carnitas taco on the pink-corn tortilla; the masa is ground each morning for service.
Tip: Tortillas 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.
Signature: Brisket ramen, Smoked-tongue maki, Tonkotsu broth
Order: The brisket ramen; the tonkotsu broth runs into the BBQ kitchen and back out.
Tip: The sake list is unusually deep for a BBQ-leaning room; ask the bar to route a flight from Junmai to Daiginjo.
