The 10 Restaurants That Defined Austin Dining in 2024
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We asked our contributors to the Resy Hit List to share their top dining experiences in their cities this year — to choose 10 restaurants that define the state of great dining right now. Welcome back our Best of The Hit List for 2024.
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2024 will be remembered in Austin as the year the clouds didn’t stop us from enjoying the total eclipse, the Longhorns got their groove back, and, while I-35 still is mostly chaos and closures, we discovered listening to audiobooks and podcasts at 1.5 speed. New restaurants opened, like OKO and The Flower Shop, and older places like Kalimotxo got a fresh start. APT 115 and Dai Due even got recognition from Michelin. Austin is so back, baby.
With that, here are 10 standout restaurants that defined the Austin food scene for us this year — the kind of spots that will make you glad you moved here or glad you haven’t left, since what you love about Austin remains, and new food stars are emerging alongside.
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1. OKO Central East Austin
OKO opened in late 2024 as a Filipino restaurant with modern Texas twists, taking over the old Ah Sing Den space on the East Side, and quickly became a go-to special occasion spot. Run by chef Harold Villarosa, born in the Philippines, raised in the Bronx, and pedigreed at some of New York’s top restaurants, he teamed up with Paul Qui (“Top Chef” winner/restaurateur) to re-create traditional Filipino dishes like oxtail kare-kare stew made with nine-hour braised oxtail in peanut butter sauce; lechon (crispy pork belly); and kinilaw (hamachi in coconut vin and topped with salmon roe). As for dessert, the halo halo tastes like our childhood dreams, with ube ice cream, shaved ice, and Fruity Pebbles as sprinkles. We’ll be back many times in 2025.
2. APT 115 East Austin
The secret of APT 115 is out and they are rising in popularity, especially after Michelin recognition. Not to say we knew them when, but we’ve loved how this intimate space on East Seventh Street serves over 400 wines from six continents, with just 22 seats inside. The ever-evolving wine list continues to include bottles you haven’t heard of but will love. Dishes changed throughout the year, and we were most excited by the final few months, which brought a partnership with chef Grae Nonas of Le Cowboy for a longer term pop-up. The Italian menu features garganelli Bolognese if you’re feeling hungry, or Le Lunchable with meats, cheese, and Ritz crackers if you want to nosh while you drink wine. While it’s not going to get easier to grab a seat, it’s ever more worthwhile.
3. Rockman Holly
Most of the bakeries in Austin feel more like coffee shops that serve baked goods then the other way around. Chef Amanda Rockman set out to create the ultimate bakery, and she did just that. The sign outside boldly declares “CAFFEINE, GLUTEN, SUGAR, BUTTER, BOOZE,” and people have been lining up ever since for that combo — although Rockman wouldn’t necessarily put the caffeine part first.
Her namesake bakery offers more than 20 sweet and savory options. Try rip-and-dip bagels like plain with NY cheesecake schmear or everything with French Onion schmear. Croissants range from ham, cheese, and mustard to churro to chocolate chip cookie croissant. The kouign amann and tonka orange plum morning bun (weekends only) are equally epic. Baked goods sell out early, so be sure to come early if you want the gluten, sugar, and butter part of the sign.
Find more info here.
4. Nixta Taqueria Chestnut
Run by James Beard award-winning chef Edgar Rico (also recently given Michelin’s Young Chef Award) and his wife Sara, Nixta Taqueria is a tribute to all you can do with corn. Case in point: while you may have been to Nixta before to try their duck carnitas taco or beet “tartare” tostada, now is the moment to make time (and a Resy) for the bucket list-worthy masa omakase experience Thursday through Saturday. It is a case study in blending traditional Mexican ingredients and flavors with a more modern American twist. Everything is fresh, as with a recent hamachi crudo with kumquat aguachile and smoked lamb belly. Each dish is plated with precision, flowers, and fresh herbs. The reverence for masa is a template for exceptional Texas cuisine.
5. Kalimotxo East Side
We were excited to get back our go-to tapas spot in Austin this year. Having made a move from west to east, Kalimotxo opened at the Arrive Hotel, and reminded us why we’re still a small-plates town. From the team behind Emmer & Rye, Hestia, and Canje, it focuses on pinxtos (individual bites) like tomato and chorizo tosta with manchego and tapas like Tortilla Espanola and croquetas de jamon. If you’re hungrier, you could go big with the salt-roasted prawns or whole roasted fish. And yes, the namesake Basque drink is on offer — Coca-Cola and red wine — but Kalimotxo the restaurant uses that only as a departure point for exceptional drinking. You might avail yourself ot the Don Quixote, with bourbon and amaro, or a Spanish gin and tonic made with elderflower tonic. The wine list tilts Spanish, of course, and completes the formular for a tone-perfect restaurant.
6. Dai Due East Austin-Cherrywood
Dai Due is the oldest spot on our end-of-year list. Is it resting on its laurels? Not a chance. This spot continues to lead the Austin dining scene in sustainability efforts and investment in what is grown and raised in Texas. Even the wine and beer list is local, with options from Marfa to Hye. When you dine here, you can feel the level of care they put into each dish, with details like caramelized fennel-mandarin whipped lard that comes with their grilled sourdough, and red wine pickled blueberries that accompany the stuffed quail. The menu rotates based on what’s in season, but you can usually find their antelope and aged wagyu burger — which might just be the most underrated burger in Austin.
7. LeRoy and Lewis East Side
You expect certain things from Texas barbecue: smoky smells in the air, wax paper as your plate, white bread on the side, and simple sauces, if any at all. LeRoy and Lewis won hearts and stomachs this year by not only nailing the Texas basics, but also upping their game with beef cheeks, cauliflower burnt ends, and hog fat cornbread. Hence what started as a food truck at Cosmic Coffee is now an expansive restaurant with accolades from all corners. They offer sliced or chopped beef and a variety of sausages, as well as — GASP — smoked vegetables. And since we’re talking about vegetables at a barbecue spot, it’s worth noting the miso glazed carrots, kale slaw, and (don’t laugh) arugula salad too. We recommend the pitmaster’s platter to sample a bit of all the meats and sides. In addition to beers on draft and by the can, a frozen Big Red Sangria or other cocktails further underscore: This is the glorious future of Texas barbecue.
Find more info here.
8. Mum Foods Windsor Park
It feels important to celebrate a quintessential Austin sandwich of 2024. And, honestly, Mum Foods does so much more than just sandwiches. Another farmers market to brick-and-mortar success story, people rely on Mum as the best place in Austin for pastrami. And yes, barbecue also is part of the mix, so be sure to get some pork ribs or brisket by the pound. On the deli side, the matzo ball soup is the best in town; the matzo balls are light and fluffy, the broth perfectly balanced, the dill fresh and plentiful. And unlike most other delis and barbecue joints, the salads at Mum Foods are made with local produce, housemade dressings, and can be topped with any of their meats.
Find more info here.
9. El Naranjo South Lamar
Some might know El Naranjo as an OG Rainey Street spot — initially a food truck and eventually a restaurant starting in 2012. But El Naranjo actually was created in Oaxaca in the late ’90s by chef Iliana de la Vega and her husband Ernesto. Its current home is on South Lamar, which lacks some of the character of the Rainey Street space, but the Oaxacan food traditions are timeless. The de la Vegas arebest well-known for their moles, and with good reason. The mole negro comes over duck breast and is made with over 30 ingredients including nuts, seeds, and chocolate; the corn tortillas are handmade. But there’s also a ceviche of the month, a queso Oaxaca fundido, and tacos dorados, which you can only get at Sunday brunch. In a town full of Tex-Mex and taco trucks, the soulfulness and consistency of El Naranjo show that we also love and respect the direct links to regional cuisines south of the border just as much.
10. The Flower Shop Central East Austin
We lovingly accept New York transplants — especially when they come with a three-story, ’70s-style set-up that feels more like diner-meets-dive bar then Manhattan elite. The Flower Shop’s kitschy decor includes a cheetah print pool table and umbrellas with fringe throughout the roof deck. Many come here for bar experiences on the second and third floors. Try the michelada cocktail served with mezcal, Tequila, and the tiniest Corona, or the vodka cold-brew martini. Bar food classics include the super meaty burger made with special sauce, chicken wings doused in Frank’s, or mozzarella sticks. If you want to go lighter or vegetarian, opt for a cauliflower steak served with quinoa and a fried egg. And bring your billiard skills.
