Red’s Porch savory Cheese Biscuits (Credit: Red’s Porch)
Call it a comeback, a fashionable re-entry, a timely coming of age. No matter what you call it, biscuits are blazing in Austin’s culinary spotlight.
With a multitude of flakey and layered, baked delights to choose from, my current favorites will only make a small dent in the plethora of biscuits the world is offering for the tasting. Nonetheless, here are three delicious choices in town.
Red’s Porch
Texatini on the upper deck at Red’s Porch (Credit: Tokyofortwo via Flicker CC)
Red’s Porch mountainous cheddar biscuits with bacon gravy have had a special place in my heart since I first delved into Austin’s beautifully traditional comfort foods. Maybe it was love at first bite, or maybe it was a greasy spoon emergency (what some might call a hangover, ehem…), but the craving for these biscuits has not diminished over time.
Touting a crunchy, buttered and perfectly golden exterior, Red’s biscuits are steamy and savory on the inside and pair seamlessly with a mimosa at brunch, or as an afternoon snack with a Red’s Texatini.
These biscuits and their gravied partner stand out for two reasons that need no description: Cheese and Bacon. Enough said!
Credit: Bill via Flicker CC
There’s a little something for everyone at Red’s Porch. Find a couple of couches to sit around with friends, walk across the parking lot to play a game of washers or take a seat on the back porch, at one of the two bars or in the dining room. It’s worth the drive no matter your Austin location – you’ll find expansive and dog friendly outdoor seating.
The kitchen is open daily from 11 AM– 11 PM.
3508 South Lamar – Website
Fixe
The biscuits at Fixe are fluffy and buttery, proportionally Southern sized and served with housemade preserves and a smoky blend of spreadable and spiced pork sausage called n’duja. If n’duja sounds like it’s out of your taste wheelhouse, don’t let that stop you from trying it.
There is plenty of Fixe biscuit real estate to experiment with each of the suggested spreads and revel in the pristine baked goodness. Although I prefer using the preserves solo, the House recommends topping their pillowy treats with a combination of the two spreads for max Southern satisfaction.
Layered goodness from Fixe (Credit: Know Photographics)
Pair these biscuits with my cocktail of choice, the Fixe Bees Knees. Don’t’ walk away without trying an order of the Crispy Beef Tendon, a crispy fried, chicharrones-style treat that is light and airy on the tongue. You won’t be disappointed with this trio.
You can experience the exact dining experience you prefer at Fixe. The expansive bar space is open and dimly lit, fashioned for a less intrusive bar dining experience. The dining room glimmers with strings of white bulbs hanging from natural wooden fixtures and chicken wire separation walls and windows. It’s cozy and spacious, directing your gaze toward the central focus of the restaurant and the heart of Fixe, its kitchen. If you enjoy the movement inside an open air kitchen, request a seat near the action when you book your reservation online.
500 W 5th St – Website
Counter Café
Check your dining expectations at the door. Counter Café may be cooking familiar plates, but they’re slinging fresh and locally sourced produce and meats around their kitchen. With an environment that stirs up fond memories of my favorite café around the corner from every place I’ve lived since childhood, you can’t help but feel at home here.
The Counter Café difference is visibly and edibly apparent in each bite. Biscuits play an integral role on the regular breakfast menu, where they make at least five appearances. Your traditional Biscuits and Gravy are dished with a ladle full of creamy sausage gravy. The Counter Café biscuit is also included as a baked accoutrement to three meaty breakfast dishes: Pork Chop & Eggs, Steak & Eggs and Quail & Eggs, as well as various fashions of Benedict items.
Traditional comfort from Counter Cafe (Credit: Found Media Group)
Aside from the biscuit’s many breakfast showings, on occasion you can catch a tasty glimpse halved and made into loaded Sloppy Joe Sliders or other delicious blackboard specials.
At both Counter Café locations, you can order off the breakfast or lunch menu all day. Open daily from 7:30 AM–4 PM.
626 N Lamar and 1914 E 6th St – Website
With each and every biscuit taking on a flavor profile of its own, it’s easy to love them all. My hunt for the best, a search I’m having too much fun conquering, has only just begun. Let them eat biscuits!
@CrisMueller wants to know:
Where can I find your favorite biscuit in Austin?
