4 Best Restaurants in Austin, Texas

This clever nouveau Vietnamese-French concept from chef-restaurateur Larry McGuire—of Lamberts and Clark's fame—sits on the corner of South First and Elizabeth Streets as a cozy little café serving a delectable menu of banh mi and pho as well as a fantastic array of French pastries, including daily macaron specials. Fresh shrimp spring rolls, pork meatball banh mi (served on fresh baguettes), and spicy beef and pork buns with thick, soft, airy noodles are safe bets. In addition to sake, beer, and creative punch offerings, the wine list is short and sweet, brimming with French-only wines that pair beautifully with this cuisine. Brunch is offered on weekends.

Hyde Park's iconic neighborhood bakery has been a local staple for over 40 years, serving scratch-made breakfast pastries, cupcakes, cookies, and various seasonal and custom creations. The friendly vibe of the bustling coffee shop attracts a loyal tribe of locals, usually seen hanging out on the outdoor patio tables throughout the day, as well as streams of UT students, families, and fans of the house-made chai.

Austin’s favorite over-the-top doughnut destination, born out of food-truck fame, is now a brick-and-mortar café, where diners can get their favorite perforated pastries topped with everything from chicken-fried steak to beer-battered oysters. Salads (served with garlic doughnuts) and sides like creamed corn and fried brussels sprouts, plus a full bar and rotating selection of local beers, round out the extensive menu. A weekend brunch features doughnut French toast and savory-sweet egg sandwiches, along with Bloody Marys and pitchers of mimosas. But plenty of folks still show up for the giant-sized coffee and dessert doughnuts, like the “Sin-A-Bomb,” with melted cinnamon butter drizzled over cream-cheese icing. A food-truck location is on nearby South 1st Street.

This longtime Clarksville institution (formerly known as Sweetish Hill) got a facelift and overhaul in 2019, and the bougie bakery and café came back in full force with updated interiors, more inside seating, and an expanded all-day menu. The stunning pastry case–lined counter is still filled with homemade pastry, bread, and bagel selections, but now there's more room to enjoy standout classics from their housemade coffee and breakfast buns to a deli case of hot and cold bites and a rotisserie-chicken menu. It's an ideal pit stop for a sweet treat, a glass (or bottle) of wine, or a quick pastry on the run.