Monday, February 29, 2016

Deep South Austin Eats: 2016 AFBA City Guide


We live in South Austin & love it.  Deep, deep South Austin to be exact.  Like, almost in Manchaca, but still firmly in Austin.  About three years ago, we bought our first home near the edge of town & set out to discover good eats that were close to our new neighborhood.  When we first exploring, a few fast food national chains & a couple of disastrous meals from the closest takeout joints seemed to be the only options.  Thankfully(!!) we were wrong.  We kept searching & uncovered several tasty gems in our neck of the woods. 

And luckily for us, all kinds of tasty Austin-owned eateries are now popping up south of William Cannon!  Below is my piece for the 2016 AFBA City Guide, a list of favorite restaurants in deep South Austin.  Did I miss any of your go-tos?  Let me know in the comments, I love trying new places!  

And if you're looking for tasty fare that's just a little further, but still South of the river, check out the awesome South Austin Foodie's contribution to the 2016 AFBA City Guide, The Best Restaurants in South Austin.

Breakfast/Brunch

Crema

9001 Brodie Lane, Monday - Saturday, 7 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Solid breakfast/brunch options, delicious pastries & a good cup of joe.  With a large variety of cake balls, cookies & cupcakes that'll sooth your sweet tooth, what more could you need?  They also serve tasty sandwiches, salads & soups.

Crema

Crema

Wholy Bagel

4404 William Cannon, Weekdays 6 a.m. - 3 p.m., Weekends 7 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Incredible, no frills New York style bagels & delicious specialty cream cheeses.  Many claim Wholy Bagel to be best in town.  Few would argue.  Be sure to get there early to nab your favorite!  Very limited seating, but lots of parking.

Kerbey Lane

4301 William Cannon, 24/7

Austin weird meets arguably the best breakfast in town.  They have a full menu, but their omelets, varieties of eggs benedict & pancakes are tops.  Plus, it's fun to have breakfast anytime.  With weekly flapjack specials, seasonal menus, lots of vegan options & dang good queso, they've got something for everyone.  Try the baked potato omelet or the buttermilk pancakes with lots of butter.  No syrup needed.

Kerbey Lane

Kerbey Lane

River City Donuts

1945 William Cannon, 7 days a week, 5 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Simple, tasty, consistent donuts & sausage kolaches.  Strike up conversation with the older men drinking coffee while you're waiting in line & make sure you get at least a few of the Bavarian cream donut holes.  They're worth the calories.


Quick Bites


Tino's Greek Cafe

9905 Brodie Lane, Monday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Sunday, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.
You'll find all of your Greek favorites with quick service.  I usually go for the Vegetarian Platter which includes 5 sides of your choice.  The falafel & hummus are always among my picks.

Tino's Greek Cafe


Torchy's Tacos

4301 William Cannon, Monday - Thursday 7 a.m. - 10 p.m., Friday 7 a.m. - 11 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. - 11 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Killer queso, inventive tacos & fried deep fried chocolate chips cookies.  Bonus: real sugar sodas from Maine Root.  There's lots of seating, but be prepared...it will be packed if you go around standard meal times.  Try whatever the taco of the month is.  The Scarecrow, a frequent October pick, is my favorite taco.  Ever.

Torchy's Tacos

ThunderCloud Subs

3601 William Cannon, Monday - Friday 10:30 a.m. - 9 p.m., Saturday/Sunday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

1807 Slaughter Lane, Monday - Friday 10:30 a.m. - 9 p.m., Saturday 10:30 a.m. - 9 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.

True Original Austin, ThunderCloud Subs, embraces Austin weird, friendly service & boasts a large list of above average sandwiches that are always fresh.  Thundercloud is one of my husband Andrew's favorite go-tos for a quick meal.  Say yes to the Thunder Sauce.


PhoNatic

9900 S IH 35 (Southpark Meadows), Monday - Sunday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Tasty Vietnamese fare including build-your-own Pho, vegetarian goodies & a wide variety of drink choices.  Try the bahn mi sliders as an appetizer to share or a light lunch.




Bamboo Bistro

6818 Westgate, Monday - Sunday 10:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.

Dependable Asian food available for delivery, dine-in or drive-thru.  The service is always friendly & quick & their Cantonese Crispy Noodles are the perfect comfort food.

Bamboo Bistro

Green Mesquite

9900 S IH 35 (Southpark Meadows), Sunday - Thursday, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Friday/Saturday 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Traditional Texas BBQ, Southern favorites & daily specials.  The meat is good & the sides are tasty.

Brooklyn Pie Company

9500 S IH 35 (Southpark Meadows), Monday - Wednesday 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Thursday - Saturday 11 a.m. - 11 p.m., Sunday 12 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Pizzas, calzones, salads & more made with natural & preservative-free ingredients.  Available for delivery, carry out or dine-in, but their seating is very limited.

Macho Taco

12110 Manchaca Rd., Monday - Thursday 6:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Friday 6:30 a.m. - 7 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m. - 7 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Inexpensive traditional Tex-Mex known for their breakfast tacos, lunch specials & more.

Rosa's Cafe & Tortilla Factory

509 W. Slaughter Lane, Sunday - Thursday 10:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m, Saturday 10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.

I am super-biased, as Rosa's is a West Texas staple & that's where I'm from, but it is a Texas based chain, so I think it's worth mentioning.  Solid, standard Tex-Mex dishes done quick & most importantly, drive-thru friendly.  If you're looking for an enchilada & queso fix but don't want to go to a sit-down restaurant, Rosa's is your new best friend.  Tip: pick up hearty, cheap taco dinners on Taco Tuesday & try the nachos; it's just the right amount of chips & queso for two. 


Dinner


Billie Jean's

6501 S. Congress Ave., Monday - Thursday, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Saturday, 12 p.m. - 10 p.m., Sunday, 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Starting out as a food truck & moving to brick & mortar recently, Billie Jean's has been a welcome & much needed addition to our burger rotation.  Hearty, unique burgers fill the menu & they locally source, which I love.  My current favorites are the Brunch Burger topped with Canadian bacon, cheddar, hashbrowns & an egg on top and the Moroccan Burger piled with creamy goat cheese, housemade Harissa sauce & an egg on top.  We always order the crispy fries & the golden onion rings.  Both are delicious & worth it. 

Billie Jean's


Flores

4625 William Cannon, Monday - Thursday 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. - 12 a.m., Saturday 9 a.m. - 11 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.

This new location of an old favorite is very nice, with a large bar & plenty of seating.  Typical, but tasty Tex-Mex with an exceptional La Flor margarita that's got a squeeze of orange juice & a maraschino cherry for kicks.



Hao Hao

1901 W William Cannon, Tuesday - Friday 11 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., 5 p.m. - 9:30 p.m., Saturday 12 p.m. - 9:30 p.m., Sunday 12 p.m. - 9 p.m.

All of your favorites, plus an extensive list of vegetarian options, this family-owned Chinese/Vietnamese restaurant has been a Mullins family favorite for years.  They also offer quick delivery.

Hao Hao


Mandola's Italian Market

4301 William Cannon (Arbor Trails) 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. daily

A wide selection of pastas, thin-crust pizzas, small bites, desserts & coffees.  They have two large dining areas, a small market full of Italian goods & bocce ball on the patio.  Try the parma pizza, calamari & zucchini fritti as a quick nibble, or the lemon ricotta cookies with a fresh coffee for dessert.



Mandola's Italian Market

Mandola's Italian Market

Independence Fine Foods

1807 Slaughter Lane, Monday - Saturday 7 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.

A variety of salads, soups, desserts, coffees & other offerings available from the deli counter as well as a rotating carving-station meal for evening service.  Their meats are locally sourced & as your taste buds will confirm, everything is made fresh.  Sandwiches, burgers & breakfast options served daily.  Try the juicy burger with truffle fries or anything from the bakery case.

Independence Fine Foods


Amaya's Taco Village

9900 S IH 35 (Southpark Meadows)   

Tex-mex usuals, but the crispy beef tacos are the stand-out on the menu.  Sometimes I get enchiladas too, but I always have a taco.  Always.  Puffy, hearty corn tortillas take these old favorites to a new level.

Amaya's Taco Village


Via 313

6705 Hwy. 290, Sunday - Thursday, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Friday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Detroit style pizza that is one of our favorites in town.  Large square slices with crispy, cheesy edges & sauce on top, these unique slices are perfection every time.  I have a soft spot for the Rocket, with Soppresatta, Arugula & Shaved Parm, but I also love a good slice of The Stooges, bar style (thin, crispy crust) with Artichokes, Spinach, Shallots & Parm Crisps.  

Via 313