Tucked away in north-central Austin and hidden away from tourists (for now), North Loop is hiding some of the best, most varied dining in Austin. The densely packed, fully walkable area has a true neighborhood feel, with chef-owned restaurants, eclectic coffee shops, a vegan food truck park, longtime local institutions, and nary an out-of-town restaurant group in sight.
Keeping with the Austin tradition of streets with multiple names, East 53rd Street/North Loop Boulevard is the main drag. It is home to one of the city’s best restaurants (Foreign & Domestic), one of the city’s best cocktail bars (Drink.Well), one of the city’s best dive bars (Workhorse), and one of the city’s best coffee shops (Epoch), all within a four-block range.
A bit further down the road, vegan food truck park Possum Park has several options that will appeal to all diets with a cute pavilion to sit down. Wasota Vegan Paradise serves hearty West African fare, complete with fried plantains and black-eyed peas, while bakery Zucchini Kill dispels any myths about vegan desserts with decadent cupcakes.
Below is the map of can’t-miss restaurants, food trucks, and bars in North Loop (which, quite frankly, is most of them).
For the purposes of this map, North Loop is defined as south of Koenig Lane, north of 51st Street, east of North Lamar Boulevard, and inclusive of Airport Boulevard down to 45th Street. Check out Eater Austin’s other neighborhood dining guides too.
The latest CDC guidance for vaccinated diners during the COVID-19 outbreak is here; dining out still carries risks for unvaccinated diners and workers. Please be aware of changing local rules, and check individual restaurant websites for any additional restrictions such as mask requirements. Find a local vaccination site here.
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