6 Best Restaurants in Central Austin and the University of Texas, Austin

A tried-and-true destination for homemade Indian cuisine, Clay Pit has developed a devoted following in Austin since 1998. Wash down some of their signature curried mussels with garlic and red wine sauce with one of their sweet lassi drinks. The historic (and maybe haunted) Bertram Building (a favorite on downtown ghost tours) is romantic and stately and just a few blocks from the Capitol, so lunch crowds attract everyone from state workers to tourists. 

This greasy spoon just north of the UT campus has been satisfying the guilty pleasures of students (and those from all walks of life) since 1926. There might not be dirt floors and open-flame grills anymore, but the burgers and sides are still classically unpretentious (with no grass-fed menu descriptions) but with plenty of flavor (and grease). Sit at the counter to watch the longtime short-order chefs at work at the grill, flipping hundreds of burgers, patty melts, and chicken-fried steak sandwiches for hungry diehards. The outdoor patio tables fill up fast during UT home games, when the football game is broadcast on large HD TVs. The O.T. Special is a signature, and the draft beers seem to taste best in their icy schooners.

This Austin classic is a refreshing change of pace from the trendy hot spots and long lines downtown and on the east side. The relaxed counter service and down-home decor at the charming cottage-turned-café matches the classic handmade offerings of sandwiches, soups, and salads. An expanded breakfast menu (served from 8 to 11:30 am) is popular with locals, and the front patio is usually bustling. 

Now Hotel Ella, the historic Goodall Wooten mansion still retains its stately, old-world charm, and Goodall’s occupies the main floor. The romantic setting screams special occasion, with a concise (and pricey) menu. Service is first-rate, but the cuisine gets inconsistent reviews from patrons who think the lackluster flavors of dishes like fish and chips and seared strip steaks aren’t worth the prices. Seasonal ceviches are popular, however. Breakfast and lunch are served on weekdays, replaced by brunch on weekends. Snag a table on the wraparound porch if the weather is nice.

This campus-adjacent hangout has been the preeminent destination to meet with friends and fellow sports lovers, knock back brews, and eat burgers on game day since 1971. The patio can be packed to the gills on weekends or just dotted with casual groups of friends on slow weeknights, but the kitchen is always serving its pub-grub menu of sandwiches, burgers, and wings—and the flat-screen–covered walls are always flickering. 

In 2014, executive Chef Josh Watkins left the Carillon—a stylish New American concept he helped launch in 2008—but the highly regarded fine-dining destination in the heart of the UT campus has retained its dedicated team of in-house chefs and fleet of exceptional servers. The four-course tasting selection ($50) is an artfully presented, well-proportioned sampling of any four dishes on the menu, diner’s choice. Menus fluctuate month to month, with seasonal standouts, like a creamy carrot risotto, Thai-cured hamachi, and crispy pork belly with peach butter and fennel slaw.