Modern Mexican$$$downtown
Comedor in Austin is Philip Speer's modern Mexican room on the corner of Colorado and 5th, with an Olson Kundig design and a focus on sourcing through Texas farmers.
Signature: Bone-marrow tacos, Smoked-trout tostada, Mole negro
Order: The bone-marrow tacos with smoked butter and hoja santa-pecan gremolata.
Tip: The guillotine garage doors open in good weather; ask for the indoor-outdoor counter when you book.
Modern Mexican$$$east-austin
Suerte in Austin is Fermin Nunez's masa-driven East 6th room, a Michelin Bib Gourmand kitchen serving heirloom-corn tortillas and suadero tacos.
Signature: Suadero tacos, Confit potato, Octopus al pastor
Order: The suadero tacos on heirloom blue-corn tortillas; the masa is ground in-house each morning.
Tip: Beverage director Celia Pellegrini won the Michelin Texas Sommelier Award 2025; let her route the pairings.
Mexican coastal seafood$$$manor-road
Este in Austin is Fermin Nunez's seafood-driven Manor Road bungalow, charcoal-cooked coastal Mexican food and ceviches in the old Eastside Cafe space.
Signature: Tuna tostada, Aguachile, Whole grilled fish
Order: The tuna tostada with avocado and serrano salsa; it has been on the menu since opening.
Tip: Lunch runs Friday to Sunday 12 to 4pm; the daytime ceviche service is significantly easier to walk in than dinner.
Modern bistro$$$east-austin
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: Pasta of the day, Crudo, Daily vegetable
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.
Modern American grains$$$rainey-street
Emmer & Rye in Austin is Kevin Fink's grain-driven Rainey Street room, a Bib Gourmand kitchen with a dim-sum-style cart and house-milled pastas.
Signature: House-milled pasta, Dim-sum cart small plates, Heritage-grain bread
Order: Whatever the pasta of the day is; the kitchen mills its own flour and the pasta moves with the harvest.
Tip: Sit at the counter to flag down the small-plates cart first; the choice cuts go fast.
Texas wild-game and farm$$$manor-road
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.