South Austin Restaurants
Austin is home to many fine restaurants that tempt the palate and quench the thirst. Everybody has a favorite restaurant, but three of the most popular places to wine and dine are highlighted below. These restaurants are very different from each other and offer Mexican, Continental and American styles of cooking. These hot spots are all located near the South Austin townhomes in the Ravenscroft development, so even newcomers to the area should have an easy time finding them. If not, ask a neighbor. There’s a good chance that they are regular visitors to the restaurants.
Local Flavor with a Dash of Elvis
Chuy’s is a hopping Tex-Mex restaurant located a short drive northwest of the Ravenscroft development of South Austin townhomes. The food is good and the people are even better. Happy hour specials include beer, margaritas and martinis. The menu offers a wide selection of appetizers, salads, huge burritos and tacos. Meatless dishes are available and kids who order from the children’s menu are treated to a free dessert. Dress is casual and the restaurant is open late. It’s a fun place to meet your friends with live music and an Elvis shrine at every location.
Scrumptious Brunches
South Congress Café is located northeast of Ravenscroft at 1600 South Congress Avenue. Patrons rave about the brunches that are served every day until 4:00. Carrot cake french toast is a perennial favorite with the brunch crowd, although omelets, seafood, steak and wild game dishes earn praises as well. The dinner selections are creative and extensive with many meat and seafood entrees. Jalapeno-venison meatloaf is one of the more unusual and popular items on the menu. Reservations are limited, but the lively bar scene is enjoyable if you need to wait for a table. Diners love to comment on food and service but they don’t always take the time to write down their remarks. The South Congress Café has elicited over 500 favorable reviews on Google.
Dancing Diners
A large neon cowboy greets visitors as they pull into the parking lot of Nutty Brown’s Café. That’s the first sign that this place is much more than a typical restaurant. The focal point of the café is a large shaded patio situated in front of a stage and underneath a canopy of live oaks. The locals know this as a place to dine and dance under the stars while listening to some of the biggest country singers in the industry belt out their songs from the stage of the amphitheatre. Professional singers take the stage weekend nights while the rest of the week is devoted to amateur acts, including Thursday night karaoke. The food is great with an ample selection of Tex-Mex, sandwiches and southern fried favorites. Sunday brunch features a live jazz band and is a great time to relax with friends and family. The café can accommodate parties from 10-4000, so if you’ve always wanted an outdoor wedding, this might be the perfect choice for you.
