Tucked away in north-central Austin and unfamiliar to 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 bakery, 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. 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.
Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission. The latest CDC guidance is here; find a COVID-19 vaccination site here.
Read More