Casual French comfort food, all-you-can-eat hot pot, and New York-style pizza slices
As is the tradition as we near the end of 2023, Eater asked a trusted group of friends, industry types, and local bloggers for their takes on the past culinary year in Austin. All answers will be revealed before the year ends — cut, pasted, (mostly) unedited, and in no particular order. Question number one:
What were your regular go-to destinations in 2023? What newcomer on the scene excited you this year?
Darcie Duttweiler, freelance writer and Eater contributing writer
I know I said this last year, but it’s still true: I’m constantly craving a good meal to accompany a delicious bottle of wine, so I tend to find myself at Birdie’s more often than I feel comfortable admitting. Hopfields is an underrated gem that I also frequent for wine and their escargot dumplings.
When I’m not in the mood for wine and am craving a beer and some tacos, I always head to Celis Brewery for Con Todo’s excellent bistec.
If I’m absolutely truly lazy, ordering from Austin Rotisserie is always a good time — I like to save the verde sauce to douse on homemade breakfast tacos with the leftover roasted potatoes. And, because I love a good deal, the Silver Medal’s two-for-one dog night on Thursdays is just too good to pass up.
In terms of newcomers, I’m low-key obsessed with Uchiba. I’ve had a couple of amazing meals (and service) at Ezov. Bureau du Poste is great for lunch or dinner. Uptown Sports Club is always my speed and vibe. Murray’s Tavern is so very new, but I can see myself enjoying a lot of prime rib and Rob Roys here.
Chris Hughes, features editor, Texas Highways
Underdog, Mum Foods, Casper Fermentables, Uptown Sports Club, and Allday Pizza at Flo’s Wine Bar.
Madeline Hollern, editor-in-chief, Austin Monthly
Uptown Sports Club and Bill’s Oyster were go-tos for me. I really loved Elementary as a newcomer.
Pat Sharpe, restaurant critic, Texas Monthly
I’m besotted with Bureau de Poste. I love this little French bistro in Hyde Park. I would eat the pommes dauphine — golden-brown potato croquettes topped with trout roe and creme fraiche — every day if I wouldn’t gain a thousand pounds. The restaurant is located in the remodeled neighborhood post office in the same building with specialty foods store Tiny Grocer.
Chef Enrique Limardo serves three menus at Michelin-starred D.C. restaurant Imperfecto: an a la carte menu, a set menu, and a chef’s table tasting menu. Each menu contains unique dishes like king crab buñuelo, kampachi, lamb terrine, and more.
I was also impressed by my one visit to Fabrik, a highly innovative vegan gourmet micro-restaurant — it has just a handful of tables. They serve darling beet tarts, lovely sourdough focaccia, and coffee-maple soft serve “ice cream” that’s every bit as good as one made with dairy products.
Lenny Dewi, @eats_n_noods
I was most excited about Mom’s Special Cooking because we finally have Burmese food. Another one was Soupleaf Hot Pot because I have watched them build and waited to finally have an all-you-can-eat hotpot place.
My regular go-to in 2023 are Hunan Bistro, Ros Niyom Thai, and Fresh Tofu.
Raphael Brion, Texas senior editor, the Infatuation
I found myself drawn the most to Epicerie this year. It’s a combination of many things: a best-in-class croissant and pastry program, the fact that the place finally has a full bar with excellent cocktails, superb charcuterie like the mind-bending boudin blanc, a charming patio, and possibly the jiggliest quiche in all of Austin.
For new spots: Zoé Tong, Ramen del Barrio, Underdog, Fabrik, Holiday, and P. Thai’s Khao Khao Man Gai are all such promising newcomers. I cannot wait to see these places grow and evolve. Uptown Sports is really coming into its own.
Jane Ko, blogger, A Taste of Koko
Sazan Ramen, Thai Fresh, Soupleaf Hot Pot, Yamas, and Asahi Imports (I go here for the onigiri). Soupleaf — all-you-can-eat hot pot for $25? Thank you.
Eric Webb, culture writer and Eater contributing writer
I was a creature of habit in 2023, and my regular spots were all old friends: Better Half, Counter Cafe (in North Campus), Bufalina, Mi Madre’s, Hi Wings, Pacha, Home Slice (on North Loop), and Little Thailand. I also visited two strip mall spots for the first time that I’ve added to my recommendation roster: Habesha Ethiopian Restaurant and Ng Cafe. For coffee shops, Epoch and Genuine Joe ruled my life.
Honestly, the newcomer I find myself thinking of most fondly is Cosmic Saltillo. The taco counter is great.
Erin Russell, associate editor, Eater Austin
My go-tos are Birdie’s (due to food and ambiance excellence) and Home Slice (due to ease and proximity), as well as a variety of caffeine purveyors (did I mention I’m a new mom?) but especially Epoch and Double Trouble.
In terms of new places that excited me, I have loved the combination of Flo’s and Allday (see: Eater Awards), I’m so excited there’s a great gelato place near me (Gelatoro), I appreciate the playfulness of Elementary, and I feel like I will stop into Wolf and Wheat.
Nadia Chaudhury, editor, Eater Austin
For the purposes of this question, I’ll stick to absolute newcomers and new-to-me places (my general favorites can be seen through previous Year in Eater answers):
- Obviously, all of the Eater Award winners: As soon as I had a bite of Ramen del Barrio’s mole tsukemen in February, I knew that the restaurant would be a ginormous hit; the Este team knows how to make food fun and fancy (see both the hella messy camarones and the beautifully plated and creamy trout a la pulla); the fantastic melding of Egyptian and Texan flavors of KG BBQ; why are all of the cocktails so perfect at Holiday?; and also pizza + wine = the recipe to Nadia’s heart, especially with Allday Pizza + Flo’s.
- I’m so excited to see how Murray’s Tavern grows, that prime rib + Rob Roy is a classic combination already and the vibes are New York without being too New York.
- I love how Parisian and casual Bureau de Poste feels with equally as great food.
- On a similar note, I’m also excited see more people experience Craft Omakase because the service and the food was so so great.
- Palm Pizza makes me happy because I love Bufalina
- I’ve been happy for nicer-than-casual South Austin restaurant openings: Underdog, Zoé Tong, and El Raval.
- I was blown away by the vegan tasting menu of Fabrik.
- I’m lucky that my hair stylist is walking distance from Choo Sando for my new favorite treat-myself routine: getting my hair done and then walking over for an ebi sandwich and hopefully a box of sushi if one is still available.
- Daydreamer because Ramos gin fizzes forever.
- And finally, I am so impressed and awed by the magic of Veracruz All Natural’s new restaurant Veracruz Fonda. It’s so awesome to see and taste how the Vazquez sisters stretch their culinary expertises beyond their famous tacos.
Source : Eater Austin
