The Best Restaurants In Downtown Austin Texas

When you think “downtown”, you probably think “business district,” but this certainly isn’t the case for Austin. Downtown Austin houses a lively culture and many fine dining and unique restaurants. Check out our selection of its best restaurants here.

Roaring Fork

Roaring Fork is an American cuisine restaurant in the InterContinental Hotel. Located in the middle of downtown Austin, Roaring Fork provides an atmosphere that unites both the city’s business life and its night life. On the menu is another union of cuisine that leads to a combination of upscale yet rugged American cuisine. Roaring Fork uses both wood ovens and open flame grills to give their food the same great American spirit of the Old West.

Second Bar + Kitchen

Lambert’s Downtown Barbecue

Lambert’s Downtown Barbecue offers an upscale BBQ experience in a relaxed, laidback, and historic Texas environment. Lambert’s serves as both a bar, restaurant, and music venue, using a refurbished general store as their space. On the menu is slow-cooked barbecue and modern Texas cooking for lunch, dinner, and brunch.

Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill

Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill serves the southern comfort food that your grandma would make but with an upscale and contemporary twist that can only be found in downtown Austin. Like Lambert’s, Moonshine is also a refurbished shop from the 1800s, but the two provide completely different experiences. Moonshine makes you feel like family, and so does the classic food with an innovative take.

Wink Restaurant

A beloved Austin favorite, Wink Restaurant has upscale American dining that is inspired by local culture. In addition to a daily menu, Wink offers five-course and seven-course chef’s tasting menus, so you try a different dining experience at Wink. Wink also has a vegetarian tasting menu, and even non-vegetarians can appreciate Wink’s pure and flavorful food.

Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.