The December Hit List: La Joie, DipDipDip Tatsu-ya, Big Nonna’s, and More

This pretty little Louisiana-style oyster bar is run by Nicholas Harrison, formerly of Olamaie, the Driskill Grill, Italic, and others. Informed by his grandmother’s cooking, Harrison serves oysters and po’boys and boudin balls and more, alongside a pretty serious cocktail list.

Dining status: inside and patio dining; reservations suggested. 

In the spirit of giving the people what they want, here is a delivery-only burger shop from Salt & Time. Burgers are what they do, and they do them well: from the classic they serve at the restaurant, to the “Breakfast for Dinner” burger with a chorizo patty and topped with an egg, to the Lamb Birria Burger, which comes with consomé for dipping.

Dining status: Delivery only. More info here.

The restaurant at the Carpenter Hotel has newly reopened its patio for dining, with a short-and-sweet menu that’s really all you need: a few great cocktails, some snacks, some salads, fried chicken, a steak, and one hell of a burger. Or take it home — along with a thick wedge of their famous carrot cake.

Dining status: patio dining, and takeout.

Freshly reopened, this shabu-shabu favorite from team Tatsu-ya is serving two set tasting menus — one regular, one “baller” — with optional sake pairings. Not up for dine-in? Their clever French dip sandwich pop-up is still offering up Japanese-inspired dipped sandwiches with a side of impossibly crispy Pow!tatos and housemade ice cream tacos from the window out front.

Dining status: dine-in only for shabu-shabu, reservations highly recommended; sandwiches and ice-cream takeout.

Oh, hello, vegans—Big Nonna’s sees you. This Tech Ridge restaurant and South Austin food truck serves all manner of vegan pizzas, with Sweet Ritual vegan ice cream for dessert. Try the beeteroni or the house special VBR, or verde bianco rosso, topped with cherry tomatoes, arugula, and housemade vegan mozz.

Dining status: takeout only.

A Mexican-style coffee shop serving Venezuelan food? Yes, please: here, the music venue and bar Coconut Club makes a daytime play, brewing coffee from south of the border and serving arepas, tostones, and more, courtesy of Arepa Dealers ATX.

Dining status: dine-in, takeout. More info here.

South Asian meets South Austin at this new offering from the folks who brought you G’raj Mahal. The menu has a little something for everyone, from meat lovers to vegans, with dishes like mutton vindaloo, chicken tikka masala, and a rotating seasonal vegetable curry. The plan is to add market items soon, too, so keep an eye out.

Dining status: dining in by walk-in only; take out. More info here.

Time for moules frites, chérie, and that perfect burger. If Hopfields hasn’t been in your heavy take-out rotation, add it in now: never before has date night courtesy your neighborhood French beer bar been so welcome. Zoom happy hour more your style? Get charcuterie boards and wine to go.

Dining status: Dining inside and on the patio; reservations recommended. Takeout available here.

This daytime café from the team behind Devil May Care and TenTen has every flavor of healthy eats you could ask for: from smoothies to bone broth, gluten-free toasts to grab-and-go overnight oats. Plans are to add dinner soon, but for now it’s breakfast and lunch only.

Dining status: patio dining and takeout. More info here.

A neighborhood restaurant just north of UT’s campus, Thrive’s menu reads like a collection of Austin’s greatest hits, with queso, burgers, and flatbreads all named after neighborhoods and landmarks. You can order take out if you like, but with over 40 beers on draft and a dog-friendly patio, sticking around is awfully tempting.

Dining status: patio dining and takeout. More info here.