Matthew Jacobs
Senior Editor, Austin
Matt is an Austin-based culture writer and editor who advocates for nighttime Bloody Marys. He joined The Infatuation in 2024.
ATXGuide
photo credit: Richard Casteel
This year’s openings brought a slew of new restaurants, dining experiences, and even cuisines to Austin. We saw a meteoric rise in fancy pizza, sushi omakase, and smashburgers. Thai, Lao, and Filipino restaurants dominated our senses, and we crowned a new (old) barbecue champion in a city already so famous for smoked meats. Even a small sandwich truck blew us away. We ate at a lot of new places this year, but these 11 reminded us why so many people keep moving to Austin.
Looking for the best places to eat in Austin, full stop? Check out our guide to the 25 highest-rated restaurants in town.
No rating: This is a restaurant we want to re-visit before rating, or it’s a coffee shop, bar, or dessert shop. We only rate spots where you can eat a full meal.
The barbecue darling got its own brick-and-mortar, and it’s worth weathering whatever line might be spilling out of the front doors.
Pulling into the parking lot and seeing plumes of meat smoke wafting into the sky.
The Pitmaster’s Platter, which piles meats and sides onto multiple trays so you won’t have to pick between the beef chorizo and the miso-glazed carrots (believe it or not, the choice is harder than it sounds).
Smoked meat, obviously.
There are plenty of Thai restaurants in Austin, but P Thai’s Khao Man Gai outshines them all with its namesake dish.
As soon as we were reunited with the khao man gai and pig tongue salad. They’re even better than when P Thai’s was a tiny stand in the back of Hong Kong Supermarket.
Share the refreshing pig tongue salad, an order of khao man gai (fried or poached), fried pork belly, and multiple bowls of fiery boat noodles.
Rich dishes worth sweating for even in the middle of summer.
Small plates are a perk here—you'll want to try as many of the restaurant's almost-fancy takes on Filipino street foods as possible.
When we tapped the crispy skin on our lechon with a knife and it made an audible thud.
An order of crispy pork belly, some chicken wings you won’t stop talking about, and every dessert on the menu (there are only four, don’t be a coward).
Bold, punchy flavors, tropical oases, and pork in many forms (belly, neck, and skin, to name a few).
POWERED BY
In a year when expensive omakases spread faster than Olympic breakdancing memes, we didn’t roll our eyes at Craft Omakase's blend of nigiri and small plates.
When we were told that the meal would consist of 22 bites, with no sneaky add-ons or upsells. That, and the savory interlude of roasted gai lan in brown butter between bites of dry-brined fish.
The menu is set each night, so all you have to decide is whether or not you want to drink, and how much wine or sake you’ll be ordering if you do. You can also split a sake pairing between two.
A fairly classic omakase with a touch of fusion flair, like aguachiles and gazpachos.
POWERED BY
Don’t let the $30-per-pie price tag scare you off. Allday won’t leave you wishing you had just ordered Dominos.
When the sampler pizza arrived. It’s the hack for trying six different toppings in one order.
A slice of stracciatella, pep & pepp, and a miso caesar salad, plus a dirty martini from the bar inside. Finish with sweet cream gelato soft serve.
New York-style pizza by the slice. And relaxed, breezy patios.
There aren’t many Lao restaurants around these parts, and this counter-service spot is the sticky-finger-food jolt that Austin has been waiting for.
When we visited Lao’d Bar even when the window units struggled to keep up with the summer heat.
Start with cocktails, specifically the Yum Chelada, which is like a tom yum michelada made with tamarind and lemongrass. Share a handful of dishes, and make sure one of them is the chicken wings tossed in caramel fish sauce with crab fat.
Fusion-y finger foods, like a pork patty smashburger with cheese, jeow bong aioli, and rice-fermented pickles. In a city overrun by smashburgers, this is one of the most interesting.
This is a simple takeout operation that requires planning, but we promise it’s some of the best pizza you can eat on your couch.
When we tried the tomato pie, topped with a thin layer of slightly tangy sauce, fresh basil, and a sprinkle of pecorino. The feral cat logo played a part as well.
A grandma-style Ankle Biter (that’s not a euphemism as far as we know), a side of hot honey, and the rotating dessert, which is usually some type of brownie.
Simple, well-executed pizzas without unnecessary frills, flash, or pomp.
Murray’s feels like an homage to vintage tri-state taverns—complete with a carpeted back room where handshake business deals probably take place.
When we saw the list of miniature cocktails on the menu, perfect for anyone who decides to go out on a Tuesday night and doesn’t want to face the repercussions the next day.
Every Wednesday, Murray’s turns into a steakhouse, serving a platter of steak frites with chimichurri and a martini for $35. Ordering doesn’t get much simpler than that.
Old-school fancy dining experiences without the stuffy atmosphere.
POWERED BY
Gina’s is the type of pocket-sized bistro you might expect to find on a quiet corner in a much older, larger city.
When we saw the towering pile of shoestring fries draped over the mussels and frites.
All of the starters, two different Negronis, lardon salad, and the mussels.
French and Italian plates, old-school dining rooms, and great Happy Hour deals.
Sijie is a mini-chain from Northern California, and hopefully it’s just a matter of time until their soup dumplings pepper all of Central Texas, too.
When a little robot on wheels showed up to our table with big trays of lamb kebabs and grilled vegetables.
Enough xiao long bao for everyone to eat their age in soup dumplings, and lots of lamb kebabs.
Dumplings, skewers, noodles, and Wall-E.
Good sandwiches are everywhere, but great sandwiches are hard to come by. Knuckle’s are even better.
When we sat on the patio wondering why more sandwiches don’t have baked parmesan crisps while watching people play pickleball on Ants Beer Cave’s outdoor court.
Any of Knuckle’s four options will fill you up, especially next to a side of the chickpea tots. Our favorite is their namesake, a twist on an Italian sub made with Mama Lil’s pickled peppers and the aforementioned parmesan.
Unconventional spins on deli classics, like a vegetarian reuben with mushrooms and a turkey sandwich with tapenade.
Senior Editor, Austin
Matt is an Austin-based culture writer and editor who advocates for nighttime Bloody Marys. He joined The Infatuation in 2024.
Senior Staff Writer, Austin
Nicolai has lived in Austin since 2008, where he’s photographed, cooked for, and written about restaurants.