Our Favorites
Where to Eat
BREAKFAST
Paperboy
All day brunch with delicious pastries! Wait time can be long on a weekend, though, so plan ahead.
Taco Joint
Our absolute favorite breakfast taco in Austin. Don't forget the salsa: Hannah's pick is chipotle; Kyle's is avocado (warning: spicy!).
Sawyer & Co.
Classic, no frills diner-style breakfast with biscuits you can't miss.
Proud Mary Coffee
Australian-style all day breakfast and top-tier coffee.
LUNCH
Foodheads
You may not expect the sandwich shop right off campus to be one of Kyle's nearest and dearest spots, but there's something about that Chicken Caesar Sandwich that keeps us coming back!
La Barbecue
We know we're having BBQ on Friday, but if you haven't had your fill, this is Kyle's favorite BBQ spot in town. Beware: line starts early! (Not as early as Franklin though!)
Elizabeth Street Cafe
Vietnamese cafe and french bakery, which translates to banh mi on fresh baguettes. There's also nothing like a big bowl of pho in the winter.
DINNER
Este
Happy hour has an awesome margarita, with even better fish tacos! (Honorable mention: Suerte, Este's sister restaurant)
Eberly
Great menu, fun atmosphere, and speakeasy bar in the back!
Intero
Fresh-made pasta with a rotating seasonal menu... and an in-house chocolatier.
Dai Due
Texas farm-to-table from the beef to the olive oil to the wine. Inventive menu.
Neighborhood Sushi
Great rolls and sashimi, with a unique cocktail menu!
DESSERT
Zed's Real Fruit Ice Cream
Not your typical ice cream. Hannah loves the strawberry with chocolate drizzle and rainbow sprinkles; Kyle goes for the blackberry.
Amy's Ice Cream
An Austin staple! You have to try the Mexican Vanilla (though Hannah's favorite is Belgian Chocolate, and Kyle usually gets one of the rotating flavors).
Milk & Cookies
The Houstonians will laugh at this inclusion, but you can't deny it's an unbeatable chocolate chip cookie.
COFFEE
Desnudo Coffee
Desnudo has taken over the city as Austin's favorite coffee... or at least Hannah's favorite coffee.
Better Half Coffee & Cocktails
Great spot to sit and sip some coffee... or a cocktail.
Cosmic Saltillo
Large outdoor patio. Good spot for a big group.
Fleet Coffee
Wide variety of single source coffees and teas.
Jo's Coffee
Have you seen the iconic "I love you so much" sign? That's here!
COCKTAILS
Nickel City
Our favorite neighborhood bar. Kyle recommends checking out the "Easy Decisions" section of the menu (beer + a shot).
Boni's Bar Nextdoor
The bar attached to the restaurant where we got engaged! Short creative menu with all the classics available, too.
Cape Bottle Room
Our friend, Ally, loves it there and highly recommends!
Uptown Sports Club
Another Aaron Franklin original. Can't go wrong with a shrimp cocktail and a martini.
Where to Drink
Where to Play
Swim at Barton Springs
It may be too cold for a dip, but (a) you never know with Texas and (b) it wouldn't be a proper list of our favorite things to do without it!
Visit The Blanton Museum of Art
Fun fact: the Blanton is one of the largest university art museums (just behind Harvard and RISD)! We love visiting the Ellsworth Kelly Austin Building.
Walk around Lady Bird Lake
10-mile loop with plenty of spots to hop on the trail.
Shop around South Congress
Lots of shops, bars, and cafes. If you're looking for boots, this is the spot!
Visit the LBJ Presidential Library
Another stop on the edge of UT's campus.
Grab a drink on Rainey Street
Walkable area with outdoor bars and food trucks.
Live Music at C-Boys Heart & Soul
Or Continental Club. Or Antone's. Or Elephant Room. Just not ACL Live at Moody Theatre - there's a wedding happening!