We know that out-of-town visitors arrive in Austin with visions of brisket and tacos dancing in their heads, and so for our first SXSW restaurant guide, we present our quick-and-dirty guide to downtown restaurants that will scratch that itch.

We're going to be honest with you: you're not going to find the holy grail of Texas barbecue within walking distance of downtown SXSW venues (until March 12 when Franklin Barbecue opens their brick-and-mortar, at least). You've got to drive out into the country for that. However, there's decent barbecue downtown, and if you stick with our guide, we can guarantee your barbecue craving will be satisfied.

Mexican/Tex-Mex/tacos downtown are a little easier to come by, and we've thrown in a few East Side joints for those venturing to the non-official venues on the other side of 35. Stay tuned for later in the week as we dig a little deeper and venture a bit farther out.