The November Hit List: Buenos Aires Cafe, Tiki Tatsu-Ya, Small Victory, and More

Tiki Tatsu-Ya needs very little introduction. This new tiki bar on South Lamar from the team behind Ramen Tatsu-Ya, Kemuri Tatsu-Ya, and DipDipDip Tatsu-Ya is the hot ticket in town right now. If you’ve been lucky enough to snag a coveted Resy, lord it over your friends as you enjoy these unique takes on classic tiki cocktails — like painkillers made with shiro-miso coconut cream — and tasty Japanese-Hawaiian bites in this multi-level tiki bar (one of the floors is a cave). And if you weren’t able to grab a reservation, don’t worry — they accept a limited number of walk-ins each day.

Downtown office workers looking for an after-work drink know that up those hidden steps, over a parking garage, they’re getting some of the best cocktails in town. It’s not just limited to folks downtown either — no, this is a destination of its own that’s worth the trek. But whether you’re sipping on a martini or perusing their impressive wine and sherry list, you’ll want to do it with one of their excellent charcuterie boards to keep your fingers occupied.

Ramen512 started off as a pop-up restaurant, setting up under tents at breweries and inside of existing kitchens for a few years. They briefly opened up a cloud kitchen during that year we’re all trying to forget, but closed in order to focus on setting up something more permanent. Now you can get the full menu of excellent ramen whenever the craving hits — and not just on occasional weekends. And if you’re wondering if it’s worth the drive to Cedar Park — trust us, it is.

No reservations.

Launderette is the perfect spot on days like these — it’s bright and airy and the food never really falters. Try the plancha burger for something simple, or grab a couple of “snacky bits” for the table and dive into one of their specialties, like the PEI mussels with castelvetrano olive butter and pancetta. And if you’ve been trying to figure out where to grab brunch on one of these upcoming pleasant Sunday afternoons, the answer is probably Launderette.

Over in East Austin, Canje is the latest project from the Emmer & Rye team. This time helmed by chef Tavel Bristol-Joseph, the menu focuses on Guyanese cuisine. That means you can expect to find excellent renditions of things like jerk chicken, green banana escabeche, and sour orange ceviche. And for anyone who’s dined at any other Emmer & Rye concepts, you’ll know that chef Tavel’s speciality is dessert, and the closers at Canje are no exception.

Call (512) 706-9119 for reservations.

On East 12th in the Arbor Food Park (right next to Cuantos Tacos), Sammataro is turning out some of the best pizza in Austin, with a classic New York-style pizza crust complete with 48-hour fermented dough and Bianco Di Napoli tomato sauce. Despite operating out of a food trailer of sorts — it’s not exactly mobile and it houses a full-sized pizza oven — the quality at this former pop-up pizza joint is up there with some of the best New York-style pizza shops. Try the pepperoni with basil to stay classic, or build your own creative concoction with anchovies and serranos if you’re feeling wild.

No reservations.

Odd Duck has been a name in Austin for some time now — with humble food truck origins dating back to 2009 — and at this point they’ve become something of an institution. The menu changes constantly — so you’ll need to go back often — but that shouldn’t take a whole lot of convincing. Just about everything on the menu is locally sourced: point to an ingredient and your server can tell you exactly where it’s from, likely just a few miles away. Grab some bites, try out a barrel-aged cocktail or some local beer/wine, and get ready to start planning your next visit back before you’ve even reached dessert.

At Celis Brewing in North Austin, Con Todo is a brand new food truck specializing in border cuisine — Mexican food from the Rio Grande Valley. It has been in the works for some time now — operating as a pop-up at one point — but now you can grab excellent tacos, wheat chicharrones, bunuelos, and more whenever the craving strikes. And its location in Celis Brewery’s new beer garden means you already have something nearby for a drink pairing.

No reservations.

Buenos Aires Cafe is one of the few options in town for Argentinian food — so it’s especially fortunate that it also happens to be really good. Grab a couple of handmade empanadas, but save some room for some excellent grilled meats and classic Argentinian dishes, like pastel de papas and choripan sandwiches. Afterwards, head downstairs to the Milonga Room — a cocktail and amaro-focused “speakeasy” that somehow remains one of Austin’s best-kept secrets.

Vaquero Taquero’s new location downtown (and late hours) means you no longer have to worry about figuring out where to eat after a night out. Cooked on a trompo, their al pastor is some of the best in town, available to enjoy in taco or quesadilla form. Classics like bistek and nopales also are available. You can even grab birria tacos with consomé here if you haven’t had a chance yet to try out the buzziest (but delicious) taco style to hit Austin recently.

No reservations.