Discover the Best Things to Do in Austin, Food & Drink deals and more!
A mix of early century charm and modern cocktails await you at The Townsend
(Credit: Andrew Bennett Photography)
When we last left The Townsend bar, we raved about their speakeasy ambiance and clever cocktail list.
Almost one year later, this vintage-inspired lounge has added gourmet, yet accessible, bar bites to their repertoire. The Townsend is now one of the premier spots on Congress Avenue to eat, drink and get your Jimmy Stewart/Barbara Stanwyck on. [Read more…]
Habana’s classic Cuban sandwich with fried yucca and tostones
Thanks to recent policy changes, traveling to Cuba has become a whole lot easier. But Austinites don’t have to travel far to experience the culture and cuisine of the region. Just head down South Congress Avenue and you’ll come across Habana–a hidden gem among tall oak trees where the cultural highlights of Cuba come alive.
The sights and smells will transport you to another world. So do yourself a favor and experience a slice of everyday Cuban life right here in Austin. [Read more…]
Fresh produce from East Austin’s Springdale Farm (Credit: Springdale Farm Facebook)
The topic of food access is a personal one for me, being from the small city of Pueblo, Colo., where half the population is Hispanic and 32 percent lives below the poverty line. Growing up, I consumed a diet heavily based on fast food, sodas, canned vegetables and packaged foods. I had never heard the word “organic” until my sophomore year of college in Boulder, Colo., when I stepped foot into a Whole Foods for the first time.
It was then that I began to question where my food came from and discovered my interest in nutrition. I now know I grew up in what the Department of Agriculture refers to as a “food desert:” an urban area in which it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food.
“Food desert” seems to be a commonly used term nowadays. But beyond the deserts are food swamps, and neither are beneficial to a community’s health. Hilda Gutiérrez, Food Access Manager of the Sustainable Food Center (SFC), informed me that food swamps tend to be of more concern within the city of Austin, particularly in East Austin.
Food swamps are areas saturated with unhealthy food options offered by large corporations that target low-income communities of color. Not coincidentally, this is the population most affected by diet-related, preventable illness, such as type 2 diabetes and obesity. Fast food is cheap food. For families struggling to put meals on the table, the road leading to the drive-thru is often well-traveled. [Read more…]
Recently I found myself wrapped up in one of those fleeting moments of self-empowerment, tickled by a craving for adventure. Interested in re-entering the dating pool, but also daunted by how exhausting the process can be, I decided the only way to start dating was to cannon ball in. So I created a challenge for myself: I would go on 25 dates during my 25th year.
This was invigorating, but when you tell yourself you’re going to go on a date, you have to have some destinations in your arsenal. The problem is that I’m a chronic searcher. I don’t have one favorite place to eat, drink or be merry in Austin.
Add a date to the mix and the decision becomes more complicated. Friends can be forgiving of the loud crowd or a dinner that was too experimental, but dates are often people you don’t know well. With these concerns in mind, I decided the best thing would be to compile a list of fail safe date destinations in Austin. Because when sexual tension and awkward expectations are in the air, you want everything else to be simple.
[Read more…]
Live it up with drinks, eats and sports at Basecamp (Credit: Cultivate PR)
Sports bars can be overwhelming. Bar tops bathed in the harsh light of tightly packed TVs and beer sign neon. Average food options like bland wings, onion rings and the dreaded over-cooked nacho plate. Liquor ads serve as wallpaper, designed to distract you from the real mission: rooting on your favorite team. Sports bars don’t have to be “pinkies up,” but they don’t have to be blaring noise machines either.
With a cut above menu of comfort bar food, inspired cocktails and a modern yet welcoming ambiance, BaseCamp hopes to elevate Austin’s expectations of what a sports bar should be. [Read more…]
Teo Gelato (Credit: Shyla Ray)
Having built a tidy gelato empire in central Austin, fourteen years ago and counting, it would be reasonable to assume Teo Gelato owner Matthew Lee would want a few years to sit back and enjoy the fruits of his labor.
But Lee is among the restless culinary artisans who are never satisfied to sit back. Even after his 2014 success at the Gelato World Tour Finals in Rimini, Italy, as the top American-born gelato maestro in North America and, more recently, being the recipient of H-E-B’s Best In Texas award, Lee is throwing his hat in the ring for another Gelato World Tour Competition. This time the event is in Chicago on May 27-29, 2016.
He will be flavorfully armed with a caramel-laced, bourbon-infused [Read more…]
Lick Honest Ice Creams location on North Burnet Road (Credit: Lick)
Amy’s Ice Creams may have ruled small town Austin. But since its opening in 2011, Lick Honest Ice Creams has won the hearts–and bellies–of many. This local icon-in-the-making has two Austin locations and one San Antonio location, with a third Austin location opening in the Mueller division next year. And there’s no sign of Lick slowing down.
A faithful fan myself, I took a moment to chat with co-owner Anthony Sobotik about his company’s recent growth and the inspiration behind Lick Honest Ice Creams. [Read more…]
Guest article by Jaclyn Hubersberger
Dining out is one of my absolute favorite activities. So when I received my celiac diagnosis, I thought my world was ending. No more pizza, pasta or sandwiches. Good-bye to sushi happy hours and baked goods. “Having a beer” was now a thing of the past.
On one hand, it was a relief to know I wasn’t dying, and that by eliminating gluten from my diet I could relieve all the symptoms that had left my life in a state of disarray. On the other hand, I knew future family gatherings and social outings were going to require a certain degree of diligence and abstinence on my part.
For those of us with celiac disease and severe gluten sensitivity, dining out can cause anxiety. Even though we are fortunate to live in a city where almost every restaurant has gluten-free options, cross-contamination and uninformed restaurant staff present a real risk. I had to find this out the hard way while navigating this disease and learning as I went along. Getting accidentally “glutened” isn’t pretty—the symptoms can range from gastrointestinal to neurological, and it can take anywhere from a couple of days to several weeks to recover.
I’m aiming to open your eyes to a world beyond bunless burgers and skimpy salads. Whether you can’t eat gluten or simply choose not to, here are my top ten tried and true gluten-free eats in Austin. [Read more…]
Austin Passbook offers BOGO deals for food trucks and activities
One small book will make your friends want to hang out with you all the time. Austin Passbook is full of buy one, get one free coupons for local food trucks and activities in Austin. The first edition launched in 2014, and this awesome resource is more popular than ever.
Simple, but fabulous! With Austin Passbook in hand, you can treat a family member or friend to a hip and delicious meal or fun activity in our area.
You can even use Austin Passbook to create a fun and hyperlocal date night. 50% off a meal and activity = date that won’t make your wallet spontaneously combust. [Read more…]
Guest article by Angela Bowers
While Austin’s foodie mantra may sing breakfast tacos and queso, cheesecake is some of the yummiest stuff around town. Local businesses such as The Celia Jacobs Cheesecake Experience, Upper Crust Bakery, Capital City Bakery and Stregare Cheesecake Company successfully whip up some of the best cheesecake to be found in the great capital of Texas.
If your fork is ready, let’s dig in. [Read more…]