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What to eat in Austin? Where to eat in Austin? 40 Traditional Foods You Have To Try in Austin

The best traditional dishes in Austin and the best authentic restaurants that make them, recommended by industry professionals.
Last update: Sun Apr 20 2025
40 Traditional Foods You Have To Try in Austin
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01

Breakfast

TEXAS, United States of America
3.8
Breakfast Tacos
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This Lone Star culinary treasure is quite simple – a tortilla stuffed with traditional breakfast ingredients, depending on personal preferences: processed yellow cheese, pork, and eggs are just some of the most common ingredients used in the preparation of breakfast tacos.


However, there is a huge food fight regarding this taco variety, with Austin and San Antonio both claiming the dish as their own. It is speculated that breakfast tacos were a staple in San Antonio a long time ago, but locals used to simply call it breakfast, while Austin had given the dish its current name. 

MOST ICONIC Breakfast Tacos

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02

Meat Dish

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
4.3
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Originally an American invention, succulent and smoky barbecue ribs have become one of the most famous dishes in the world. The dish is typically prepared with pork ribs, usually spareribs or the tender, leaner baby back ribs. Pork is the obvious choice for the dish since it tends to be juicier on the bone, allowing the meat to come right off after the grilling process.


It is one of the barbecued dishes which leans on the American-style grilling, in which the meat is cooked long, slow, and at a low temperature. To give the ribs their distinct taste and texture, they are always treated before grilling. Two most common ways include marinating and dry-rubbing. 
VARIATIONS OF Barbecue Ribs

MOST ICONIC Barbecue Ribs

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03

Sandwich type

TEXAS, United States of America
4.4
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The practice of smoking brisket has a long tradition in Texas, and this juicy, fatty treat also works great as a flavorful sandwich filling. Texas brisket sandwiches can be considered more of a concept than a recipe - various toppings and sorts of bread can be used, but the undisputed star remains the slow-smoked brisket, whether chopped or sliced.


It can be tucked between slices of bread or piled on a toasted bun, served on its own or drenched in sauce, and garnished with toppings such as cheese, pickles, and onions - whatever the combination, the fatty brisket meat with a smoky crust guarantees a mouthwatering perfection in each bite.

MOST ICONIC Texas Brisket Sandwich

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04

Barbecue

TEXAS, United States of America
4.5
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Texas-style barbecue is an American barbecue style that can be divided into 4 separate subcategories: Central Texas, East Texas, South Texas, and West Texas barbecue.

The best-known variety is the Central Texas-style that originated in the Czech and German meat markets in the late 19th century.


This barbecue style is typically associated with cooking brisket (the fattier portion is called point, while the leaner portion is called flat) low and slow, usually over post oak fire. The meat is seasoned with salt, pepper, and maybe a bit of cayenne or garlic powder. 

MOST ICONIC Texas-style barbecue

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05

Barbecue

TEXAS, United States of America
4.6
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Central Texas-style barbecue originated in the Czech and German meat markets in the late 19th century. This barbecue style is typically associated with cooking brisket (the fattier portion is called point, while the leaner portion is called flat) low and slow, usually over post oak fire.


The meat is seasoned with salt, pepper, and maybe a bit of cayenne or garlic powder. It is then cooked in offset smokers, while the heat and smoke from the fire go across the meat, adding an irresistible smoky flavor to the brisket (although shoulder clod, chuck short ribs, and larger short ribs are also popular). 

MOST ICONIC Central Texas-Style Barbecue

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06

Snack

SOUTHERN UNITED STATES, United States of America
3.8
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Frito pie is a cheap, hearty, and highly caloric dish consisting of chili, crunchy corn chips (especially the Fritos brand variety), cheese, and onions. It is a popular meal in Southern and Midwestern parts of the United States, and can be found at numerous state fairs and high school football games.


Although it can be made in a casserole dish, unusually, it is most often prepared in a Fritos corn chip bag, with a number of toppings. The origins of the dish are yet unclear, but it is believed that it was invented in Mexico as a popular food at fiestas before it spread to the United States. 

MOST ICONIC Frito Pie

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07

Breakfast

SOUTHERN UNITED STATES, United States of America
4.0
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A popular breakfast dish throughout the United States of America, especially in the Southern parts of the country, biscuits 'n' gravy consists of tender dough biscuits that are covered in a thick gravy, usually made from the drippings of pork sausages, flour, and milk.


Although the word biscuit usually refers to twice-baked bread, the American version of a biscuit is more reminiscent of a European scone. The dish originated in the South just after the Revolutionary War, before the United States was even a country. 

MOST ICONIC Biscuits ’n’ Gravy

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08

Beef Dish

SOUTHERN UNITED STATES, United States of America
3.9
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One of the staples of the Southern U.S. cuisine called chicken fried steak contains no chicken at all, contrary to what one might think upon seeing the name of the dish. It consists of a thin, breaded, and fried cut of beef that is traditionally served with a side of mashed potatoes and drizzled with cream gravy.


The dish got its name due to the fact that the method of preparation is very similar to that of fried chicken. Originally, the first recipes for batter-fried steaks had appeared in Southern cookbooks during the early 1800s. In the old days, the cut of beef was inexpensive and tough, usually round steak, but today many restaurants use more expensive cuts such as tenderloin and rib-eye. 

MOST ICONIC Chicken Fried Steak

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09

Sandwich

MAINE, United States of America
4.4
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Lobster roll is a Maine specialty consisting of cooked lobster meat that is, ideally, drizzled with melted butter and placed into long hot dog rolls. Additionally, the sandwich might include lettuce, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Traditional accompaniments include potato chips or french fries on the side.


Some claim that lobster roll first appeared at Perry's in Milford, Connecticut, while others claim it was first prepared at Red's in Wiscasset, Maine. Regardless of the origins, the entire state of Maine continues to honor the tradition by offering more version of lobster rolls than the first inventor could have possibly imagined, starting an endless debate over how it should be made and who makes the best rolls. 

MOST ICONIC Lobster Roll

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10

Stew

SAN ANTONIO, United States of America
4.1
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Although some may think that chili con carne is an authentic Mexican dish, it is actually an original American dish, made only in a few places in Mexico in order to cater to the tourists. If the dish were Mexican, it would still be a staple on the Mexican menus throughout the country, since traditional dishes do not go away that easily in Mexico.


Chili con carne is a meat-based stew consisting of finely chopped beef, hot chiles, seasonings, and water, although the ingredients that go in a chili are a subject of endless debates. Purists insist that there are no tomatoes or beans in a real chili, although many others beg to differ. 

MOST ICONIC Chili con Carne

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11
Porridge
SOUTHERN UNITED STATES, United States of America
3.6
12
Sweet Pastry
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
4.0
13
Rice Dish
SOUTHERN UNITED STATES, United States of America
4.0
14
Dessert
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
4.0
15
Pudding
SOUTHERN UNITED STATES, United States of America
4.1
16
Corn Bread
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.9
17
Pizza
NEW YORK CITY, United States of America
4.1
18
Sandwich type
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
4.1
19
Ice Cream
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.9
20
Sandwich type
MAINE, United States of America
4.1
21
Pasta
VIRGINIA, United States of America
3.9
22
American Beef Cut
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA  and  one more country
4.5
23
Hot Dog
TEXAS, United States of America
3.5
24
Burger
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
4.1
25
Pancake
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
4.0
26
Dessert
LOUISIANA, United States of America
3.8
27
Sweet Pie
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
4.0
28
Bread
TEXAS, United States of America
3.9
29
Pork Dish
NORTH CAROLINA, United States of America
4.3
30
Side Dish
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.4
31
Pizza
DETROIT, United States of America
4.0
32
Sandwich
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA  and  one more country
3.9
33
Snack
SOUTH CAROLINA, United States of America
3.6
34
Poultry Dish
LOUISIANA, United States of America  and  one more country
3.6
35
Wrap
CIUDAD JUÁREZ, Mexico  and  one more region
4.3
36
Breakfast
SANTA FE, United States of America
3.9
37
Crab Dish
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
4.1
38
Snack
SOUTHERN UNITED STATES, United States of America
3.9
39
Fried Chicken Dish
SOUTHERN UNITED STATES, United States of America
4.4
40