Guidebook for Austin
Food Scene
Epoch is my favorite local coffee hangout. Plays great music, friendly staff, indoor and outdoor seating, and open 24 hours a day. It's on North Loop close to fun vintage and funky shops.
151 locals recommend
Epoch Coffee
221 W N Loop BlvdEpoch is my favorite local coffee hangout. Plays great music, friendly staff, indoor and outdoor seating, and open 24 hours a day. It's on North Loop close to fun vintage and funky shops.
Casita Guanajuato
1519 W Anderson LnAuthentic, good, inexpensive Mexican food. Small restaurant. Friendly staff.
Has a nice bar, too. Really nice steak and seafood restaurant. You can make reservations, but you don't have to. Bar has booths you can have meals at, too.
34 locals recommend
Bartlett's
2408 W Anderson LnHas a nice bar, too. Really nice steak and seafood restaurant. You can make reservations, but you don't have to. Bar has booths you can have meals at, too.
Four blocks from the house. Great sandwiches and NY style pizza. Friendly place. Has picnic tables. Is in a small shopping center with a small independent grocery store that's been there since the 50s. BYOB.
133 locals recommend
Little Deli & Pizzeria
7101 Woodrow AveFour blocks from the house. Great sandwiches and NY style pizza. Friendly place. Has picnic tables. Is in a small shopping center with a small independent grocery store that's been there since the 50s. BYOB.
Within walking distance from the house. Good ramen with a Texas twist on some menu items.
68 locals recommend
Michi Ramen
6519 N Lamar BlvdWithin walking distance from the house. Good ramen with a Texas twist on some menu items.
Four blocks from house. Great BBQ. Best ribs in town. Indoor and outdoor seating.
126 locals recommend
Stiles Switch BBQ
6610 N Lamar BlvdFour blocks from house. Great BBQ. Best ribs in town. Indoor and outdoor seating.
The original Threadgills on North Lamar. Easy walk from the house. Great homestyle southern cooking. Everything is good. Drinks and beers, too. (This is where Janis Joplin performed when she was in college at UT in the early 60s.)
28 locals recommend
Threadgill's
6416 N Lamar BlvdThe original Threadgills on North Lamar. Easy walk from the house. Great homestyle southern cooking. Everything is good. Drinks and beers, too. (This is where Janis Joplin performed when she was in college at UT in the early 60s.)
Local homemade ice cream store. Locations around town. This one on Burnet Road is a short distance from our house. Great ice cream. Friendly staff. Has a burger joint (Phil's Ice House) attached to this location. And a kid friendly playground. Has indoor and outdoor seating.
397 locals recommend
Amys Ice Creams
1301 S Congress AveLocal homemade ice cream store. Locations around town. This one on Burnet Road is a short distance from our house. Great ice cream. Friendly staff. Has a burger joint (Phil's Ice House) attached to this location. And a kid friendly playground. Has indoor and outdoor seating.
Shopping
Funky vintage shop. Fun things to look at and great finds to pick up and take home with you! Other funky shops and vintage along same block.
71 locals recommend
Room Service Vintage
117 N Loop Blvd EFunky vintage shop. Fun things to look at and great finds to pick up and take home with you! Other funky shops and vintage along same block.
Very Austin. Funky. Hides, horns. Taxidermy stuff and other strange finds. Check it out!
11 locals recommend
The Corner Shoppe
8425 Burnet RdVery Austin. Funky. Hides, horns. Taxidermy stuff and other strange finds. Check it out!
Funky thrift store that supports an important local charity, Project Transitions. Has some great finds in the store. Next door to the LIttle Deli and Pizzeria, so it can be a fun all-in-one-location afternoon. Four blocks from the house.
Top Drawer Crestview
7101 Woodrow AveFunky thrift store that supports an important local charity, Project Transitions. Has some great finds in the store. Next door to the LIttle Deli and Pizzeria, so it can be a fun all-in-one-location afternoon. Four blocks from the house.
Funky vintage shop on North Loop along a block with other fun, funky shops. The proprietor of this shop has a great eye for good vintage clothes. Not to be missed.
7 locals recommend
Ermine Vintage
106 N Loop Blvd EFunky vintage shop on North Loop along a block with other fun, funky shops. The proprietor of this shop has a great eye for good vintage clothes. Not to be missed.
Drinks & Nightlife
"The Best Little Beer Joint in Texas!" Great bar and live music spot. Small dance floor. Don't miss Chicken Shit Bingo on Sunday afternoons. Starts at 4pm. A classic.
166 locals recommend
Ginny's Little Longhorn Saloon
5434 Burnet Rd"The Best Little Beer Joint in Texas!" Great bar and live music spot. Small dance floor. Don't miss Chicken Shit Bingo on Sunday afternoons. Starts at 4pm. A classic.
Fun and funky. Has an outdoor patio out back. Check it out. Along the neat North Loop block with vintage and funky shops.
105 locals recommend
Workhorse Bar
100 N Loop Blvd EFun and funky. Has an outdoor patio out back. Check it out. Along the neat North Loop block with vintage and funky shops.
It's Christmas 365 days a year at Lala's. Check it out! Great neighborhood bar.
93 locals recommend
Lala's Little Nugget
2207 Justin LnIt's Christmas 365 days a year at Lala's. Check it out! Great neighborhood bar.
Parks & Nature
The jewel in the violet crown that is Austin. The best public pool in the world. It's a natural spring fed creek that's been made into a pool. Cold water year round. Open year round. Beautiful place to rest on the hill for an afternoon and take a cold dip to cool you off.
2454 locals recommend
Barton Springs Municipal Pool
2201 William Barton DrThe jewel in the violet crown that is Austin. The best public pool in the world. It's a natural spring fed creek that's been made into a pool. Cold water year round. Open year round. Beautiful place to rest on the hill for an afternoon and take a cold dip to cool you off.
Lovely. Great place to spend an afternoon. Barton Springs is on the edge of Zilker Park. Very nice park.
1533 locals recommend
Zilker Metropolitan Park
2207 Barton Springs RdLovely. Great place to spend an afternoon. Barton Springs is on the edge of Zilker Park. Very nice park.
Lovely park. Quiet getaway. Peacocks roam the yard. Pretty for pictures.
178 locals recommend
Mayfield Park and Nature Preserve
3505 W 35th StLovely park. Quiet getaway. Peacocks roam the yard. Pretty for pictures.
Essentials
Small specialty grocery store for most anything. Has a good wine selection, sweets, artisan ice creams. 10 min walk from house. (The store is owned by my neighbors, so I like to promote their business.)
15 locals recommend
Dia's Market
812 Justin LnSmall specialty grocery store for most anything. Has a good wine selection, sweets, artisan ice creams. 10 min walk from house. (The store is owned by my neighbors, so I like to promote their business.)
Small independent grocer who's been in the neighborhood since the 50s. (It used to be a Minimax, but has recently changed hands and is now an "Arlan's." They have a beer cave with a very large selection of beers and wine.
44 locals recommend
Arlan's Market
7108 Woodrow AveSmall independent grocer who's been in the neighborhood since the 50s. (It used to be a Minimax, but has recently changed hands and is now an "Arlan's." They have a beer cave with a very large selection of beers and wine.
Barbershop and hair salon for both women and men. Great staff and fun little throwback in a great little shopping center. Check out the neighborhood mural along Woodrow Ave behind the shopping center. In same center as Little Deli and Top Drawer Thrift Shop.
Crestview Barber Shop
7113 Woodrow AveBarbershop and hair salon for both women and men. Great staff and fun little throwback in a great little shopping center. Check out the neighborhood mural along Woodrow Ave behind the shopping center. In same center as Little Deli and Top Drawer Thrift Shop.
H-E-B
5808 Burnet RdNice large grocery store and pharmacy. Has anything you need.
It's a good one. Uses "wet clean" process, not drycleaning solutions. Better for fabrics and YOU.
9 locals recommend
EcoClean
4012 N Lamar BlvdIt's a good one. Uses "wet clean" process, not drycleaning solutions. Better for fabrics and YOU.
Sightseeing
Nice hike up a lot of steps to see a lovely view of the city and Lake Austin. Requires climbing a lot of steps, so be prepared. Totally worth it. Great view and can be a nice romantic spot for couples. Friendly family spot, too.
1082 locals recommend
Mount Bonnell
Nice hike up a lot of steps to see a lovely view of the city and Lake Austin. Requires climbing a lot of steps, so be prepared. Totally worth it. Great view and can be a nice romantic spot for couples. Friendly family spot, too.
Arts & Culture
Great exhibits. Nice space. Downtown. You can take the 801 bus (at corner of Lamar and Justin Lane) downtown and be there in about 30 minutes.
173 locals recommend
The Contemporary Austin - Jones Center
700 Congress AveGreat exhibits. Nice space. Downtown. You can take the 801 bus (at corner of Lamar and Justin Lane) downtown and be there in about 30 minutes.