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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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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