Austin

Winery Explorers are no strangers to Austin, TX. Dave’s trip here last week sparked off our “Best of Austin” list. Our good friends Adam & Jules live here and when we visit they are always the perfect tour guides and have introduced us to some of the really cool things Austin has to offer.

The Salt Lick Hands down our favorite BBQ ever! The first time we went here, we lost our minds! The smell of delicious tri-tip and brisket being slow roasted in the open barbecue pit is amazing. The “fixins” served on the side complete the meal. So ridiculously good! And don’t forget to pick up some of their famous BBQ sauces to take home. The Salt Lick is located about 30 miles outside of Austin in Driftwood, TX. Not quite the same as going to the actual restaurant, but Austin Airport does have a Salt Lick in their food court. Also in the airport at Ray Benson’s Roadhouse Bar is a Salt Lick taco stand. Mmm, Mmm, good!!

Peche A hip absinthe bar serving up hand crafted prohibition style cocktails. Check out the spicy Texas Mule or the Flowery French 77. Actually, all the drinks are worth checking out! Owner Rob seriously knows his mixology and so much more. This guy needs to be on TV. Anthony Bourdain needs to meet Rob!

Magnolia Cafe South Migas (technically Tex-Mex Migas) are breakfast tacos consisting basically of scrambled eggs and crispy corn tortilla strips with your choice of a corn or flour tortilla. They are very popular in Austin. Magnolia Cafe’s version is soft scrambled eggs, corn tortilla strips, tomato, onion, jalapeños, bell pepper and cheddar/jack cheese. The best!

Summermoon Coffee A little neighborhood coffee shop that brews hand roasted wood-fired coffee. The Summermoon latte is sweet and extremely addicting, ask my friend Adam! The key ingredient here is their “moon milk mix” they put in. A secret blend, of what we’re guessing consists of  milk, whipped cream, vanilla, hazelnut, white chocolate and a few others we haven’t quite figured out yet. For half the sweetness, try the Half Moon Latte. In the mood for a cold drink?  Try the 007 it is a palate pleaser as well! If you want to step up the 007, try the triple shot Sean Con or the quadruple shot Moonraker. These last two are local insider tips, you won’t find them on the menu. All 100% organic.

Torchy’s Tacos This is Tex-Mex taco heaven! Ranging from green chile pork tacos to fried avocado tacos. So many different delicious options to choose from. We try something different every time we come and the flavors always explode in our mouths. These tacos are big and the flavors are bigger. Aside from your taco order, don’t forget to get the green chile queso & chips or the street corn. So damn good! In the mood for breakfast? Their Migas with scrambled eggs, green chiles, tortilla strips, avocado, pico de gallo and shredded cheese is a winner too.

Crow Bar Nice local beer selection on tap and some very unique mixed drink options as well. Adam’s favorite is the Bull Rider, where Jules prefers the spicy Devil’s Tongue. What put this place over the edge was the eclectic jukebox randomly selecting some loud 80’s metal songs. Brought us back to our high school days. Fun times for sure!

Next time: Barley Swine Adam & Jules claim this is their number two dinner experience ever and they have tried some of the best. Also on the list is Salty Sow.

 

Cheers!

 

 

The Salt Lick 18300 FM 1826  Driftwood, TX 78619 (888) 725-8542

Peche 208 West 4th Street  Austin, TX 78701 (512) 494-4011

Magnolia Cafe South 1920 S. Congress Avenue  Austin, TX 78704 (512) 445-0000

Summermoon Coffee 3115 1st St S, Suite 1B  Austin, TX 78704 (512) 804-1665

Torchy’s Tacos 2809 South 1st Street  Austin, TX 78704  (512) 444-0300

Crow Bar 3116 South Congress Avenue  Austin, TX 78704 (512) 465-2982