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A white circular plate with bread, a knife, ham, cheese, and spreads.
Charcuterie from Drink.Well.
DrinkWell/Facebook

16 Can’t-Miss Restaurants and Bars in North Loop

From vegan food to New York pizza to fancy cocktails in the north-central Austin neighborhood

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Charcuterie from Drink.Well.
| DrinkWell/Facebook

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.

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Titaya's Thai Cuisine

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Long-standing Thai restaurant Titaya’s has solid options for traditional dishes from pad see ew to curries to sticky mango rice. The restaurant is open for dine-in and takeout services. Order online.

A square bowl of noodles and nuts and bean sprouts.
Pad Thai from Titaya’s.
Titaya’s/Facebook

Nervous Charlie's

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One of Austin’s best bagel shops, Nervous Charlie’s uses dough imported from New York City. Those magical rings are the basis for hearty breakfast and lunch sandwiches, lox, or one of several kinds of cream cheese schmears. The shop is open for takeout and indoor and patio dining. Order online.

Someone holding up a bagel sandwich with strips of bacon hanging off.
A lunch bagel from Nervous Charlie’s.
Nervous Charlie’s

Epoch Coffee

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Cozy coffeeshop Epoch sits in a small shopping center with a record store and a vintage shop. Open until midnight, it has excellent coffee drinks, a variety of snacks from tamales to pastries, and general good vibes. The shop features art from a different local artist each month. The cafe is open for dine-in and to-go.

Coffee with a heart latte art at Epoch.
Coffee at Epoch.
Epoch Coffee/Facebook

Quality Seafood Market

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Quality Seafood opened in 1938, and has been serving some of the city’s best seafood ever since. Both a fish shop and a restaurant, it has become the go-to source for oysters, crawfish, fish, and other seafood items both simply prepared or ready to cook. The restaurant and market is open for indoor dining and takeout. Order online.

A plate of halved oysters with slices of lemon and containers of red sauce in the middle.
Oysters at Quality Seafood.
Quality Seafood/Facebook

Workhorse Bar

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Workhorse is one of the best examples of classic Austin: an absolutely solid dive bar with cheap margaritas and great burgers. Plus, there’s a great patio for hanging out. The bar is open for dine-in, patio dining, and takeout. Order online.

A wooden picnic table in front of a bar.
The patio at Workhorse Bar.
Workhorse Bar/Facebook

The Tigress Pub

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This intimate little bar on 53rd Street is a friendly place to try some interesting cocktails (including low-ABV and mocktail options) or just grab a beer. The bar is open for indoor seating, outdoor seating, and takeout. Order online.

A red tall drink and an orange drink in a martini glass on a bar with fresh flowers on it
Cocktails from the Tigress.
The Tigress/Facebook

Tacos Yo Soy

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Despite its small size, this Mexican food truck on 53rd Street has a massive menu that encompasses tacos, tortas, quesadillas, breakfast sandwiches, and tasty daily specials. The salsas have a nice spicy kick to them. The truck offers takeout and patio dining. Order online.

Drink.Well

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One of the city’s best cocktail bars, Drink.Well serves expertly crafted, well-balanced drinks (try the daiquiri) alongside classy pub fare like crispy Brussels sprouts and a great burger. The bar is open for indoor and outdoor dining and takeout. Order online.

A dark bar room.
Drink.Well.
Drink.Well/Facebook

Foreign & Domestic

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Chef-owned nose-to-tail restaurant Foreign & Domestic is consistently rated as one of the best in the city. Nathan Lemley and Sarah Heard have creative dishes that become instant classics like indulgently buttery Parisian gnocchi with mushrooms, tomato leaf casarecce, and mushroom crème brûlée. The restaurant is open for indoor and outdoor dining and takeout. Order online.

A restaurant front with the words “Foreign & Domestic” on it and a flying pig.
Foreign & Domestic.
Raymond Thompson/Eater Austin

Home Slice Pizza

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The smell of garlic permeates the entire block around the second location of the popular local New York-style pizzeria. The North Loop location of the South Congress original has a larger menu with wings, thick Sicilian-style pies, and a full bar, in addition to slices and whole pies. The pizzeria is open for indoor and outdoor dining and takeout. Order online.

A pizza slice with pepperoni slices on it on a paper plate.
A pepperoni slice from Home Slice.
Home Slice/Facebook

Bistro Vonish

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Fancy vegan food truck Bistro Vonish has everything from mac and cheese to a barbecue sandwich to a truly excellent chocolate pie. There are also kolaches and cinnamon rolls for weekend brunch. The truck requires online ordering for takeout or patio dining services.

Three plates of food, one with a sandwich and pickle slices, another with a sandich, and another with food.
The tofu sandwich at Bistro Vonish.
Bistro Vonish/Facebook

Zucchini Kill Bakery

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Vegan bakeshop Zucchini Kill is known for its many flavors of cupcakes, from chocolate caramel to goji lemon lavender. There’s also a full array of baked goods like doughnuts, coffee cake, cookies, and more, plus a rad retail space with cards, tinctures, and witchy goods. Look for the custom hearse outside. The bakery is open for takeout and delivery. Order online.

Three cupcakes with white frosting with pink spots.
Cupcakes from Zucchini Kill Bakery.
Zucchini Kill Bakery/Facebook

Okay, so the casual sushi restaurant Komé is technically temporarily closed right now as it gears up to reopen its dining room, but it has a reputation as one of the best in the city, with both traditional and creative rolls, like the Stardust Cowboy roll with hanger steak, shrimp tempura, asparagus, spinach, candied jalapeños, tomatoes and avocado. Komé also serves bento boxes and donburi bowls, and is currently home to Daruma Ramen. Takeout only, order online (but reopening for dine-in very soon).

Jewboy Burgers

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Jewboy chef and owner Mo Pittle uses his Jewish and El Paso heritage to create a comforting menu with burgers topped with hatch chili queso, latkes, crispy onion rings, and more. The restaurant is open for indoor and outdoor dining and takeout. Order online.

Vamonos

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The Tex-Mex restaurant from local hospitality group Parkside Projects has great enchiladas, margaritas, and skirt steaks grilled over Texas oak. The restaurant is open for indoor and outdoor dining and takeout. Order online.

A plate of cheesy enchiladas and rice.
A dish from Vamonos.
Hayden Walker

The Omelettry

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This old-school diner is the place to go in the neighborhood for fluffy pancakes, a bacon-filled BLT, omelettes, and other brunch options. The Omelettry is the kind of place where sandwiches are less than $10, thick with filling, come with soup, and taste great. The restaurant is open for indoor dining and takeout. Order online.

Titaya's Thai Cuisine

Long-standing Thai restaurant Titaya’s has solid options for traditional dishes from pad see ew to curries to sticky mango rice. The restaurant is open for dine-in and takeout services. Order online.

A square bowl of noodles and nuts and bean sprouts.
Pad Thai from Titaya’s.
Titaya’s/Facebook

Nervous Charlie's

One of Austin’s best bagel shops, Nervous Charlie’s uses dough imported from New York City. Those magical rings are the basis for hearty breakfast and lunch sandwiches, lox, or one of several kinds of cream cheese schmears. The shop is open for takeout and indoor and patio dining. Order online.

Someone holding up a bagel sandwich with strips of bacon hanging off.
A lunch bagel from Nervous Charlie’s.
Nervous Charlie’s

Epoch Coffee

Cozy coffeeshop Epoch sits in a small shopping center with a record store and a vintage shop. Open until midnight, it has excellent coffee drinks, a variety of snacks from tamales to pastries, and general good vibes. The shop features art from a different local artist each month. The cafe is open for dine-in and to-go.

Coffee with a heart latte art at Epoch.
Coffee at Epoch.
Epoch Coffee/Facebook

Quality Seafood Market

Quality Seafood opened in 1938, and has been serving some of the city’s best seafood ever since. Both a fish shop and a restaurant, it has become the go-to source for oysters, crawfish, fish, and other seafood items both simply prepared or ready to cook. The restaurant and market is open for indoor dining and takeout. Order online.

A plate of halved oysters with slices of lemon and containers of red sauce in the middle.
Oysters at Quality Seafood.
Quality Seafood/Facebook

Workhorse Bar

Workhorse is one of the best examples of classic Austin: an absolutely solid dive bar with cheap margaritas and great burgers. Plus, there’s a great patio for hanging out. The bar is open for dine-in, patio dining, and takeout. Order online.

A wooden picnic table in front of a bar.
The patio at Workhorse Bar.
Workhorse Bar/Facebook

The Tigress Pub

This intimate little bar on 53rd Street is a friendly place to try some interesting cocktails (including low-ABV and mocktail options) or just grab a beer. The bar is open for indoor seating, outdoor seating, and takeout. Order online.

A red tall drink and an orange drink in a martini glass on a bar with fresh flowers on it
Cocktails from the Tigress.
The Tigress/Facebook

Tacos Yo Soy

Despite its small size, this Mexican food truck on 53rd Street has a massive menu that encompasses tacos, tortas, quesadillas, breakfast sandwiches, and tasty daily specials. The salsas have a nice spicy kick to them. The truck offers takeout and patio dining. Order online.

Drink.Well

One of the city’s best cocktail bars, Drink.Well serves expertly crafted, well-balanced drinks (try the daiquiri) alongside classy pub fare like crispy Brussels sprouts and a great burger. The bar is open for indoor and outdoor dining and takeout. Order online.

A dark bar room.
Drink.Well.
Drink.Well/Facebook

Foreign & Domestic

Chef-owned nose-to-tail restaurant Foreign & Domestic is consistently rated as one of the best in the city. Nathan Lemley and Sarah Heard have creative dishes that become instant classics like indulgently buttery Parisian gnocchi with mushrooms, tomato leaf casarecce, and mushroom crème brûlée. The restaurant is open for indoor and outdoor dining and takeout. Order online.

A restaurant front with the words “Foreign & Domestic” on it and a flying pig.
Foreign & Domestic.
Raymond Thompson/Eater Austin

Home Slice Pizza

The smell of garlic permeates the entire block around the second location of the popular local New York-style pizzeria. The North Loop location of the South Congress original has a larger menu with wings, thick Sicilian-style pies, and a full bar, in addition to slices and whole pies. The pizzeria is open for indoor and outdoor dining and takeout. Order online.

A pizza slice with pepperoni slices on it on a paper plate.
A pepperoni slice from Home Slice.
Home Slice/Facebook

Bistro Vonish

Fancy vegan food truck Bistro Vonish has everything from mac and cheese to a barbecue sandwich to a truly excellent chocolate pie. There are also kolaches and cinnamon rolls for weekend brunch. The truck requires online ordering for takeout or patio dining services.

Three plates of food, one with a sandwich and pickle slices, another with a sandich, and another with food.
The tofu sandwich at Bistro Vonish.
Bistro Vonish/Facebook

Zucchini Kill Bakery

Vegan bakeshop Zucchini Kill is known for its many flavors of cupcakes, from chocolate caramel to goji lemon lavender. There’s also a full array of baked goods like doughnuts, coffee cake, cookies, and more, plus a rad retail space with cards, tinctures, and witchy goods. Look for the custom hearse outside. The bakery is open for takeout and delivery. Order online.

Three cupcakes with white frosting with pink spots.
Cupcakes from Zucchini Kill Bakery.
Zucchini Kill Bakery/Facebook

Komé

Okay, so the casual sushi restaurant Komé is technically temporarily closed right now as it gears up to reopen its dining room, but it has a reputation as one of the best in the city, with both traditional and creative rolls, like the Stardust Cowboy roll with hanger steak, shrimp tempura, asparagus, spinach, candied jalapeños, tomatoes and avocado. Komé also serves bento boxes and donburi bowls, and is currently home to Daruma Ramen. Takeout only, order online (but reopening for dine-in very soon).

Jewboy Burgers

Jewboy chef and owner Mo Pittle uses his Jewish and El Paso heritage to create a comforting menu with burgers topped with hatch chili queso, latkes, crispy onion rings, and more. The restaurant is open for indoor and outdoor dining and takeout. Order online.

Vamonos

The Tex-Mex restaurant from local hospitality group Parkside Projects has great enchiladas, margaritas, and skirt steaks grilled over Texas oak. The restaurant is open for indoor and outdoor dining and takeout. Order online.

A plate of cheesy enchiladas and rice.
A dish from Vamonos.
Hayden Walker

Related Maps

The Omelettry

This old-school diner is the place to go in the neighborhood for fluffy pancakes, a bacon-filled BLT, omelettes, and other brunch options. The Omelettry is the kind of place where sandwiches are less than $10, thick with filling, come with soup, and taste great. The restaurant is open for indoor dining and takeout. Order online.

Related Maps