If this place could be more Texan it would be riding a horse and brandishing a six shooter.
Chunky cuts of steak in tasty chili sauce (choose hot, spicy or mild). Good enchiladas too. Not a great beer selection but the atmosphere and quirky service makes up for this.

www.txchiliparlor.com
1409 Lavaca Street, Austin, TX, United States
+1 512 472 2828
Google map: bit.ly/TDgA26

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Great cocktails and good food in a speakeasy style atmosphere.

www.pecheaustin.com
208 West 4th Street, Austin, TX, United States
+1 512 494 4011
Google map: bit.ly/TONxsO

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Like the larger and more popular Barton Springs pool, Deep Eddy pool is a beautiful natural water swimming pool providing an ideal place to wallow or swim in cold water during the intense heat of summer. Formally a natural swimming area in the Colorado River, Deep Eddy is now a stand-alone swimming though it is still fed
by natural spring water. The riverside location means that it is ideally located for anyone seeking a cool down while on the Lady Bird Lake trail, that follows the river on both sides. The pool is a twenty-minute stroll from the part of the trail starting at South Congress Bridge, Downtown.
The pool is as a paradise for fitness fanatics, families and those seeking cool relaxation. It is divided in half with about six lanes for swimming lengths in one half, and in the other half there is a blissful open water space for kids and adults to wade, play and lounge. There is also a lush grass area around the pool to soak up
some rays, while pecan trees provide perfect natural shade. The best activity on offer at Deep Eddy, however, is the Splash Party Movie Nights, with films shown on a floating movie screen at night as people sit in the cool water or swim lengths. Wow!
The pool is cheap at $3 entrance during the summer months, and the swimming lanes are free for swimmers during the winter months.

www.deepeddy.org/
Google map: bit.ly/R2cZOf

* Mark Sheaves is our Been there local for Austin. You can read his profile and about Austin here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/austin-local-mark-sheaves.jsp and you can follow his tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/MarkSheaves. Check out other locals here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/trails/been-there-locals.jsp

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Burritos, Tacos, Fajitas, and enchiladas. Since moving to Austin Texas I have finally learnt the difference between these delicious belt-loosening meals. I can recommend a great number of excellent Tex-Mex places, but for a touch of class then look no further than Papi Tinos on the hipster end of East Sixth Street. Sit out under the stars on the front garden of this beautiful white craftsman’s houses, as candles
flicker on intimate simple white tables and a Mexican acoustic guitar sets a calming rhythm. The menu is small, but each dish is intricately constructed in a way that dispels the common myth that Tex-Mex dishes are simply stogy mush. I particularly recommend the Cerviche de Pescado served with Mango and the Camerones a la Diablo (Grilled shrimp tossed in a spicy peanut salsa on a bed of diced avocado and mango with a splash of lime juice). Chicken, veggie or cheese enchiladas are served with red salsa, green salsa or de mole and they really are homemade. Unlike many places, the margaritas are made from fresh ingredients and are perfect
accompaniments to the spice. I advise you to keep room for pudding. While the Churros are tempting, I fully recommend the Helado de Mazapan (Peanut ice-cream with a puff cruller and seasonal fresh fruit – it is a bit like eating a classy Snickers bar. The Brunch menu is also excellent, particularly for egg lovers. Papi Tinos is ideal for a romantic evening, but the back yard also contains large tables for groups looking for a delicious meal before a trendy night out in one of the neighboring dive bars.

www.papitinos.com/
A la antiguita, 1306 east 6th Austin, TX 78702
+1 512 479 1306
Google map: bit.ly/WgBKcD
* Mark Sheaves is our Been there local for Austin. You can read his profile and about Austin here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/austin-local-mark-sheaves.jsp and you can follow his tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/MarkSheaves. Check out other locals here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/trails/been-there-locals.jsp

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As gig venues go this is pretty slick which is good or bad depending on how grungy you like them to be. Big chandeliers provide cool lighting and the sound is excellent. We saw a band here during SXSW a couple of years ago the name of which totally escapes me but it was definitely a venue that stood out.

www.theparishaustin.com
214 e. 6th St. Austin, TX 78701
+1(512) 478-6372
Google map: bit.ly/V1ry2I

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Not exactly a beautiful restaurant but the ribs are frankly amazeballs and the brisket just great. It's a real BBQ institution. The meat is smoked and the portions are massive (by British standards.) We shared a peach cobbler for pudding but our eyes were much too big for our stomachs and we had to leave most of it. For a real taste of Texas I don't really think you can find anything more authentic.

www.benslongbranchbarb.ypgs.net/
900 E 11th St, Austin, TX. 78702
+1 512 477 2516
Google map: bit.ly/Qn8wnE

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While ACL may have painful connotations for many people, the ACL festival is really worth checking out. We were there this weekend and the line up was fantastic (The Black Keys were awesome and Alabama Shakes superb) but it still maintained that low key festival feel. Plus the sun shone and it was October so Gllastonbury could learn a thing or two ...

www.aclfestival.com

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Among the burgers and burritos that dominate much of Austin’s eating out landscape, the Whip In’s Indian food with a Texas twist is a welcome alternative. The Whip In is ominously located just off the interstate highway that dissects the city, but the service station exterior should not put you off from experiencing the imaginative dishes and remarkable range of drinks on offer. Creativity and fresh organic ingredients combine to make the many mouthwatering offerings available on the menu. At six to seven dollars, the vegan rice bowls are not only a bargain and an escape from the meat centric diet of Texas, but they are also palate pleasing mixtures of intricate spicy Indian flavours that will fill you up too – I particularly recommend the Zambian corn and pepper masala in
spicy coconut curry. The combination of Chutneyfied eggs, corn tortilla, black bean masala and spiced basmati rice that constitute Mumbai migas offer the visiting breakfaster an unusual Indian- Mexican dish, which is very tasty and a great way to start the day. Indeed a core aim of the Whip In’s new chef, Claudia Alarcón, is to “Whip Indianze comfort food classics” and her curried ratatouille builds upon the project started by the general manager Dipak Topiwala, the inventor of such delights as the South Asian Frito Pie: Beef, beer-curried chili, fritos, black bean masala, shredded cheese, sour
cream, and cilantro chutney. I must stop myself from further lyrical waxing about the food, because the Whip In is much more than just a place to eat. Run by the friendly and ever present members of the Topiwala family, the Whip In has been evolving since day one, back in 1986: starting as a convenience store and gas station the space now remarkably accommodates a café, pub, liquor store, music venue, and grocery market selling organic locally produced ready meals and other snacks. They have over 60 beers on tap, but if none of these satisfy your curiosity then just wander to the open fridges and select something exciting from the astonishing number of beers and wine available in the store (they will open it for you at the counter). The interior café is intimate and comfortable with a small stage for music, wooden bar stools line the length of the extensive bar, and there is also a large outdoor seated area, which gets packed on Friday and Saturday nights as people gather to relax, chat, and be entertained by bands playing on the Mariposa Music Garden stage. The number of services offered at the mighty Whip In makes it a nightmare for a reviewer to condense – unbelievably an onsite brewery is being added in 2012 - but the sheer diversity also serves up something for everybody in a lively, relaxed and extremely fun atmosphere.

www.whipin.com/index.html
1950 S Interstate 35 Austin, TX 78704
+1(512) 442 5337
Google map: bit.ly/HkXIWo

* Mark Sheaves is our Been there local for Austin. You can read his profile and about Austin here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/austin-local-mark-sheaves.jsp and you can follow his tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/MarkSheaves. Check out other locals here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/trails/been-there-locals.jsp

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Over the past few years, glistening trailers have colonized vacant parking lots and flat open spaces across Austin, offering innovative and delicious cuisine from all around the world. Playing on traditional Texan trailer parks, these kitchens on wheels pride themselves on quality, value, innovation, ethical produce, and providing an unpretentious eating experience. The trailer park located on trendy South Congress Avenue is no exception. One of the founding fathers of the trailer park eating movement is restaurant owner and chef Jeff Blank who was approached by the Austin City Limits Festival to provide local quality food for the festival goers in 2002, and in 2009 opened The Might Cone. Not to be confused with an ice-cream van, the Might Cone sells tortilla cones filled with chicken, avocado, or shrimp, coated in the special Hot and Crunchy batter of Chilies, Almonds, sesame seeds and corn flakes. Look out for specials as these guys like to experiment by putting their batter on everything: “If it sits still long enough, we'll put Hot 'n' Crunchy on it”. For the most exotic German Sausage you could conceive of then visit Wurst Tex next door; I recommend the Predator and Prey which is rattle-snake and rabbit with a hint of jalapeño, but the El Wursto (Chicken and Turkey, with mild habenero, green chilies and Tequila) may be a safer bet for those of you seeking something more familiar. If you have space, or even if you don’t, you shouldn’t leave without trying the “decadent goodness” of Hey CupCake! The creamy fluffy infusion embodied in the signature cupcake Vanilla Dream must be tried, but so too should the chocolate, carrot, and strawberry flavours – to be inspired I recommend that you watch their promotional video at www.heycupcake.com/. If you are too stuffed to try a cup cake first time, look out for their super shiny trailers at four other locations across the city and their café.
Closing times vary and can be erratic, as they are often determined by the moment that daily provisions have been devoured, which is something I have always found reassuring. Picnic benches are laid out alongside the trailers and these offer a convenient spot for those seeking to watch the cool people making their moves up South Congress.

1600 South Congress Avenue, Austin, TX 78704
+1 (512) 383-9609 _
Google map: http://g.co/maps/2sm8v

Wurst Tex: www.wursttex.com
Opening Times: Wed 11am – 7pm. Thurs 11am – 8pm. Fri & Sat 11am – 9pm. Sun: 11am – 6pm
Hey Cup Cake: www.heycupcake.com/
The Mighty Cone: www.mightycone.com/index.html
Opening times: 11am – 9 pm every day except Monday


* Mark Sheaves is our Been there local for Austin. You can read his profile and about Austin here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/austin-local-mark-sheaves.jsp and you can follow his tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/MarkSheaves. Check out other locals here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/trails/been-there-locals.jsp

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Barton Springs swimming pool is a back-to-nature paradise for those seeking to escape the city, and especially the heat. This three acre pool is replenished continuously by cool water from the largest of four natural springs flowing into Zilker Park, and is a magnet promising reinvigoration for everyone in Austin, welcoming families, school children, tourists and locals of all persuasions. It is also the place to be seen for the super trendy musicians and creative technology workers who lounge amongst the grassy banks and shady Pecan trees surrounding the pool, topping up their tans, networking for gigs, and nonchalantly designing the latest smart phone apps. A diving board is conveniently located for those wishing to dive to the bottom of the pool and experience the sensation of water pumping at 31 million US gallons per day, which is like hearing and feeling a heart-beat at the same time. Located in Zilker Park, home to the Austin City Limits festival and an attraction in itself, Barton Springs Pool is easily accessible by car and there are some of the best outdoor restaurants nearby (such as Shady Grove) – there is also a café and bar just outside the pool. At only $3 to get in, the pool does get busy at the weekend, so it is best to visit during the week in the day. I recommend going for an early morning swim, the pool opens at 5am, or going late at night (between 8pm and 10pm there is no entry fee).

austintexas.gov/department/barton-springs-pool
2201 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX 78746
+1 512 994 9952
Google map: bit.ly/V1nAHe

* Mark Sheaves is our Been there local for Austin. You can read his profile and about Austin here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/austin-local-mark-sheaves.jsp and you can follow his tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/MarkSheaves. Check out other locals here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/trails/been-there-locals.jsp

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I am obsessed with The Magnolia Café, and so is the rest of Austin. The Magnolia café is really a classic all-American diner, and it is common knowledge this is simply the best diner in Austin: as their slogan states, “Everybody knows, Everybody goes”. And you must go! Pulling into a diner one would always expect to order a huge burger with mountains of chips or, given that we are in Texas, tacos, enchiladas or fajitas smothered in melted cheese: you will not be disappointed by the giant size of the Magnolia’s freshly prepared plates of these classic dishes. But there are plenty of places to have good burgers and fajitas in Austin, so I really would not look any further than the Breakfasts which are served 24 hours a day! I love Eggscape which is two eggs over “a mini mountain of seasoned home fries and sausage, topped with cheddar/jack cheese”, although the Flaco Taco (scrambled egg, avocado, cheese and bacon in a tortilla) is potentially a healthier option. A breakfast at the Magnolia Café would not be complete without at least one pancake with a selection of toppings of your choice – I have Buttermilk pancake with chocolate, pecans, bacon and lashings of maple syrup every time, but they also come with a variety of fresh fruit. As you would expect from an American diner, your coffee cup is replenished the minute you finish the last drop so if you do make a visit at 4am, you won’t need to worry about falling asleep at the table. There are two Magnolia cafes in Austin, but the one I know best is on South Congress Avenue, and is dangerously located just one block from my house. The food is served by a team of good humored and relaxed staff and the atmosphere is very relaxed and unpretentious, “kind of like your favorite aunt’s giant kitchen” as they claim. The Magnolia Café gets very busy on Saturday and Sundays, and it is common to queue, in fact I have even queued at 3am on a Tuesday, but it is totally worth the wait.

www.themagnoliacafe.com/
1920 S. Congress Avenue, Austin, TX 78704
+1 512 445 0000
Google map: http://g.co/maps/n8n4d

* Mark Sheaves is our Been there local for Austin. You can read his profile and about Austin here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/austin-local-mark-sheaves.jsp and you can follow his tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/MarkSheaves. Check out other locals here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/trails/been-there-locals.jsp

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The Austin Motel has quirky themed rooms - for instance we stayed in the Mexican Room with kitschy cactus plants and colourful walls. It's a fabulous location so once you park up you can walk to most places - ideal as Austin has a great bar scene with live music on every night. It has a 50's style kidney shaped pool if you are there in the summer to cool down in. For breakfast I recommend El Sol y La Luna

www.austinmotel.com/
1220 S. Congress Ave., Austin, Texas 78704
+1 512 441 1157
Google map: bit.ly/WnGk7l

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These are three of the best barbecue places on the planet, all within about a four-mile radius in East Austin. Beef brisket and sausage are always excellent, but try the mutton if you are feeling adventurous, as it is tender and superb.

Sam's is open very late on weekends and features lots of music memorabilia. All three places are treasures of our local culture.

Sam's: 2000 E. 12th St. Tel:478-0378
Ben's Long Branch: 900 E. 11th St. Tel:477-2516
Lewis's: 1814 Harvey St. (corner of M.L.K., just west of Airport Blvd.)
Tel:473-2225
(All phone no's are in area code 512.)

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For vegetarians and vegans, Mother's offers wonderful food in a charming garden atmosphere. It was just rebuilt after a devastating fire, to the great relief of its many aficionados. Located in the heart of Hyde Park, Austin's first suburb, just north of the University of Texas area.

www.motherscafeaustin.com/
4215 Duval Street Austin, TX 78751, United States
+1 (512) 451 3994
Google map: bit.ly/RKR244

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Try the pancakes. They are heavenly.

There are several around Austin. The one near UT on Guadalupe is perhaps the easiest to get to and comes equipped with Austin's wonderful vernacular art...

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Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, this is the place to go if you want yummy pancakes and great vegan options in a funky, upbeat atmosphere. Locally grown ingredients all over the menu and pretty socially conscious. We just found it a cool place to eat, with that Austin vibe.

www.kerbeylanecafe.com/
3003 South Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
+1 512 445 4451
Google map: bit.ly/OB8lqn

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One of Austin's best and funkiest coffee house, cafes, and hang out places.

North of UT in Hemphill. 2908 Fruth

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The music festival held in the middle of September. This is the most relaxed festival of it's kind i have ever attented, everyone brings a chair and just sits around drinking wine and watching fantastic live music. Right in the middle of Austin the transport is organised with millitary precision. The grounds are clean, grassy and have plenty of shade - perfect for people of all ages.

www.aclfestival.com

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The best damn hamburgers in town, this place is an Austin institution. The decor is quirky diner with mementos from the restaurants 50+ years of service on the walls, seriously though, for a piece of genuine American culture, this is the only place to go.

The malts are awesome too...

6th st, 2 blocks down from Lamar, (you can walk from Whole Foods Market).

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A fantatic, quirky, diner with a retro feel. They even sell alcohol - a blessing after spending time in 'dry' counties. You can walk to the thrift shops from there.

1624 Barton Springs Road
Austin
Texas 78704

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