Guidebook for my neighborhood
Food Scene
There's so much in my area! These are just a few of my favorites!
Bouldin Creek is incredible! The food is healthy & delicious vegan/vegetarian, great coffee, the atmosphere is fun & colorful, the waitstaff are really themselves! A true neighborhood favorite!
565 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Bouldin Creek Cafe
1900 S 1st StBouldin Creek is incredible! The food is healthy & delicious vegan/vegetarian, great coffee, the atmosphere is fun & colorful, the waitstaff are really themselves! A true neighborhood favorite!
Open 24 hours, this excellent restaurant has been around for a very long time. Large portions, great service, good vibes, exceptional food! It's one of my favorite places to eat & I never get tired of it...their menu is huge!!
478 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Magnolia Cafe
1920 S Congress AveOpen 24 hours, this excellent restaurant has been around for a very long time. Large portions, great service, good vibes, exceptional food! It's one of my favorite places to eat & I never get tired of it...their menu is huge!!
Fresa’s is absolutely high quality & delicious, specializing in wood-grilled chicken. Best Brussels sprouts ever, seasonal specials, fairly priced tacos & plates, plus a huge outdoor patio!
79 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Fresa's South First Dine-In
1703 S 1st StFresa’s is absolutely high quality & delicious, specializing in wood-grilled chicken. Best Brussels sprouts ever, seasonal specials, fairly priced tacos & plates, plus a huge outdoor patio!
This is my favorite restaurant in the area, highly recommended to sit on the patio. The food & drinks are high quality without being overpriced. It’s located on Barton Springs Rd with a view of downtown.
170 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
El Alma
1025 Barton Springs RdThis is my favorite restaurant in the area, highly recommended to sit on the patio. The food & drinks are high quality without being overpriced. It’s located on Barton Springs Rd with a view of downtown.
Super delicious Thai food, cool hangout for coffee or wine, fair wage paid to employees (no tipping), large selection of desserts including gluten-free & vegan options, vegan ice creams!
189 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Thai Fresh
909 W Mary StSuper delicious Thai food, cool hangout for coffee or wine, fair wage paid to employees (no tipping), large selection of desserts including gluten-free & vegan options, vegan ice creams!
Funky vibe & delicious fried chicken & more! Old Pearl beer signs & retro feel with a large outdoor area full of picnic tables. I recommend the chicken strips with BBQ sauce!
208 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Lucy's Fried Chicken
2218 College AveFunky vibe & delicious fried chicken & more! Old Pearl beer signs & retro feel with a large outdoor area full of picnic tables. I recommend the chicken strips with BBQ sauce!
Family owned interior Mexican restaurant, a neighborhood favorite! Cheap food, colorful surroundings, excellent frozen margaritas, salsa bar & homemade tortillas! Cerveza fajitas are a favorite!
277 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Polvo's Mexican Restaurant
2004 South 1st StreetFamily owned interior Mexican restaurant, a neighborhood favorite! Cheap food, colorful surroundings, excellent frozen margaritas, salsa bar & homemade tortillas! Cerveza fajitas are a favorite!
Juiceland is phenomenal & also super fun, plus the one on my street (down near Live Oak St.) also has a record store inside of it! The place is colorful & creative, offering juices, smoothies, bowls, healthy snacks, & many vegan preprepared dishes!
519 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
JuiceLand
1625 Barton Springs RdJuiceland is phenomenal & also super fun, plus the one on my street (down near Live Oak St.) also has a record store inside of it! The place is colorful & creative, offering juices, smoothies, bowls, healthy snacks, & many vegan preprepared dishes!
Jo's Coffee
1300 S Congress AveGreat coffee, people watching, shopping nearby
Once Over Coffee Bar
2009 S 1st StOutdoor back patio overlooking the creek.
I love this place so much!! Excellent juices, smoothies & soups to go, plus a walk-up fridge containing all sorts of pre-made meals, drinks & snacks.
133 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Soup Peddler Real Food & Juice Bar
501 W Mary StI love this place so much!! Excellent juices, smoothies & soups to go, plus a walk-up fridge containing all sorts of pre-made meals, drinks & snacks.
This new restaurant is delicious & cozy, with a very creative menu. It's still mostly undiscovered, so you can still get in & out easily.
36 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Phoebe's Diner
533 W Oltorf StThis new restaurant is delicious & cozy, with a very creative menu. It's still mostly undiscovered, so you can still get in & out easily.
Cute bakery with the best murals on both sides!
132 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Sugar Mama's Bakeshop
1905 S 1st StCute bakery with the best murals on both sides!
Dolce Neve Gelato
1713 S 1st StCute little gelato place!
Gourdough's Public House
209 W 5th Stspecialty donut trailer!
Extremely special & magical macrobiotic vegan restaurant. I can't begin to describe the beauty & peaceful vibe of this place! You walk through a bamboo forest full of hammocks, sitting areas & wind chimes to get to the restaurant. Pay $14 up front then help yourself to a large plate of salad & a bowl of soup, then a server will bring you a plate of food! There are two types of cold tea & a hot kukicha tea (good for digestion & delicious) also included. Tables are communal (both indoor & outdoor seating), but there's usually room to sit by yourself if you want to. You bus your own table & there's no tipping.
They even have a small store up front for books & specialty items & you can buy a vegan dessert if you're still hungry. All meals are made using whatever local organic foods are fresh in season & the daily menu is listed online.
163 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Casa de Luz Village
1701 Toomey RdExtremely special & magical macrobiotic vegan restaurant. I can't begin to describe the beauty & peaceful vibe of this place! You walk through a bamboo forest full of hammocks, sitting areas & wind chimes to get to the restaurant. Pay $14 up front then help yourself to a large plate of salad & a bowl of soup, then a server will bring you a plate of food! There are two types of cold tea & a hot kukicha tea (good for digestion & delicious) also included. Tables are communal (both indoor & outdoor seating), but there's usually room to sit by yourself if you want to. You bus your own table & there's no tipping.
They even have a small store up front for books & specialty items & you can buy a vegan dessert if you're still hungry. All meals are made using whatever local organic foods are fresh in season & the daily menu is listed online.
I love this place! They have t-shirts that say "horrifying vegetarians since 1988", lol. The neon bull photo is from here. Everyone who works there has been there forever. I particularly love the end-cut brisket, but it's also a great place for a Shiner on draft or a slice of pie! The inside is full of memorabilia (old concert posters from Austin, framed photos) or you can sit outside on a picnic table out back under the trees. Free live music several days a week. This place still feels like "old Austin".
68 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Green Mesquite BBQ
1400 Barton Springs RdI love this place! They have t-shirts that say "horrifying vegetarians since 1988", lol. The neon bull photo is from here. Everyone who works there has been there forever. I particularly love the end-cut brisket, but it's also a great place for a Shiner on draft or a slice of pie! The inside is full of memorabilia (old concert posters from Austin, framed photos) or you can sit outside on a picnic table out back under the trees. Free live music several days a week. This place still feels like "old Austin".
Everything Else
Great walking area, full of restaurants & unique shops!
650 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
South Congress
Great walking area, full of restaurants & unique shops!
It's amazing! 68-72 degrees all the time, spring-fed natural swimming hole. No food or drink allowed in except water. No amplified sound, just peace & quiet & the occasional musical instrument. One of the best things about Austin!!
2454 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Barton Springs Municipal Pool
2201 William Barton DrIt's amazing! 68-72 degrees all the time, spring-fed natural swimming hole. No food or drink allowed in except water. No amplified sound, just peace & quiet & the occasional musical instrument. One of the best things about Austin!!
Cute little pocket park right behind my house. There’s a short trail from Gibson St at S. 1st St over to James & S. 3rd. East Bouldin Creek runs through it (not swimmable but really beautiful with unique limestone features) & there are swings in the park area closer to S. 3rd. Look for the amazing mural (the cover for this guide) by local artist Niz, her work can be seen all over town!
Nicholas Dawson Neighborhood Park
704 W James StCute little pocket park right behind my house. There’s a short trail from Gibson St at S. 1st St over to James & S. 3rd. East Bouldin Creek runs through it (not swimmable but really beautiful with unique limestone features) & there are swings in the park area closer to S. 3rd. Look for the amazing mural (the cover for this guide) by local artist Niz, her work can be seen all over town!
Arts & Culture
Great spot for photos! Just a few blocks down the street!
85 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Greetings from Austin Mural
1720 S 1st StGreat spot for photos! Just a few blocks down the street!
Art For The People Gallery
2801 S 1st StSuper cute art gallery & gift shop!
Drinks & Nightlife
Most of these places are walking distance from my home!
Historic live music venue...often country, folk, rockabilly, blues, & rock.
815 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
The Continental Gallery
1313 S Congress AveHistoric live music venue...often country, folk, rockabilly, blues, & rock.
Small, cozy bar with great music! This is upstairs & just to the left of the historic Continental Club.
815 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
The Continental Gallery
1313 S Congress AveSmall, cozy bar with great music! This is upstairs & just to the left of the historic Continental Club.
Excellent bar, excellent music, funky decorations. Same owner as the Continental Club just down the street.
242 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
C-Boys Heart and Soul
2008 S Congress AveExcellent bar, excellent music, funky decorations. Same owner as the Continental Club just down the street.
Colorful spot to have a drink. They have a small patio out front & a larger patio out back with a playscape for the kids. They sometimes have live music shows indoors. Food is only average, but it’s a great place to have some chips & salsa.
42 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
El Mercado
1302 S 1st StColorful spot to have a drink. They have a small patio out front & a larger patio out back with a playscape for the kids. They sometimes have live music shows indoors. Food is only average, but it’s a great place to have some chips & salsa.
Elephant room is an underground (literally) & historic jazz club. You won’t be disappointed! It’s just in the other side of the river at 3rd & Congress.
224 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Elephant Room
315 Congress AveElephant room is an underground (literally) & historic jazz club. You won’t be disappointed! It’s just in the other side of the river at 3rd & Congress.
Shopping
This magical place is one of a kind! No cell phones allowed, zen space to buy fresh herbs (lavender, chamomile), teas, essential oils, crystals, statues, tinctures, books, gifts & so much more!
The Herb Bar
200 W Mary St