Atlanta Good Food category interest

Readers of Eater usually have the same question: Where should I eat right now? As always, the Austin restaurant scene remains as exciting as ever, as new places have continued to open. With all of this in mind, Eater is updating its monthly heatmap (now in its 151st iteration), highlighting a mix of exciting restaurants, trucks, and food services.

This October 2024 update includes Canadian/Japanese restaurant company Aburi’s first American location with takeout/delivery sushi in North Loop, Mexico City coastal Mexican restaurant Con Vista Al Mar’s also first-American location on East Seventh, Filipino restaurant OKO on East Sixth, East Austin modern American Italian restaurant Casa Bianca’s rooftop Bar Alcina, and Austin wine bar House Wine’s South First relocation.

Know of something new and exciting that should be on our radar? Email the Eater Austin team at austin@eater.com. To see which places were previously on the heatmap, visit the archive. For a look at Austin’s outstanding dining destinations, check out the Eater 38 map.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

Austin chef Ling Qi Wu opened the last of her announced restaurants in July, which is this Chinese spot in the Rosedale neighborhood. Much like its sibling restaurants — Lin Asian Bar, Qi, Ling Kitchen, and Ling Wu Asian Restaurant in Lantana Place — Ling Wu Asian Restaurant at the Grove serves up Chinese and dim sum dishes, including so many dumplings, rice, noodles, meats, seafood, and vegetables for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

The dive bar-restaurant trend continues in North Loop, where the new American Chinese restaurant Yellow Ranger opened within the also-new bar Golden Horn in April. It’s where chefs Jeremy Young, Zane Frisch, and Kyle Harris lean into Young’s version of American Chinese food. There is chile crisp queso with broccoli and wonton chips; egg-fried rice; crab rangoons, orange cauliflower; and lo mein. There are lunch, dinner, and late-night menus too. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

A Canadian/Japanese group behind a Vancouver Michelin-starred restaurant (Aburi Hana) brought its signature aburi/oshi-styled sushi to America for the first time in Austin. Aburi Oshi Sushi has been operating as a takeout/delivery restaurant within ghost kitchen hub Cloud Kitchen in North Loop since late September. There’s its signature sushi — the seared (the aburi) and pressed (oshi) pieces, as well as regular rolls. Takeout and delivery orders can be placed online; there are outdoor dine-in areas.

Hooray! Chef Thai Changthong’s fantastic Thai Chinese restaurant is back in a new full-on restaurant space this April after being closed for three months. Now found in North Loop, he’s making his famous Thai-Chinese-style chicken and rice — khao man gai — as well as fantastic noodles, soups, and other specials. However, keep in mind that the restaurant still operating with limited service, menu, and hours for lunch and dinner still as the chef looks for additional staffers. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

Two new Irish-leaning spots opened in the heart of downtown Austin this July. First, there’s New York City-based Irish pub the Dead Rabbit, which debuted its first Texas bar and restaurant in early July. On deck are its Irish cocktails and whiskeys, alongside a pub food menu featuring the classics, such as fish and chips, chicken pot pie, and Irish breakfast plates.

And then, next door is the first American location of Belfast-based restaurant Neighbourhood Café, which opened in late July. The cafe serves up daytime food with Irish and Texan slants, for example, the quesadilla made with Guinness beer-braised beef or the breakfast sandwich with Irish cheddar cheese and thick bacon strips. There’s also coffee and tea, along with pastries from Austin restaurant Epicerie. Both restaurants have indoor dine-in services.

One of Mexico City’s essential taquerias expanded into America for the first time and decided to open in Central East Austin in early September. The restaurant is all about coastal Mexican dishes and seafood, including tacos made with shrimp longanisa and pork rinds; burritos stuffed with smoked swordfish and octopus; and Tostitos served with Sinaloan-styled ceviche. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

Biannual Round Top pop-up Y Comida ventured into downtown Austin for its first somewhat regular Austin location in late August. Chef and owner Nick Middleton took over the kitchen at downtown food hall Fareground’s street-level bar Ellis, where he and the team are serving South Texan-New American dishes in a casual setting. That means Buffalo quail lollipops, brisket confit tacos, and mezcal affagatos. The restaurant will be open through the end of December 2024, with the potential opportunity to stay on beyond that. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

The longtime Austin wine bar shuttered at its original Josephine Street address, but thankfully, relocated and reopened not that far away in Bouldin Creek in late September. Now the bar boasts staffers from shuttered-forever wine restaurant Aviary, which means thoughtful foods and snacks. There’s a short and sweet pizza list as well as cheese and charcuterie boards, and sweets. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

Austin chef Ling Qi Wu opened the last of her announced restaurants in July, which is this Chinese spot in the Rosedale neighborhood. Much like its sibling restaurants — Lin Asian Bar, Qi, Ling Kitchen, and Ling Wu Asian Restaurant in Lantana Place — Ling Wu Asian Restaurant at the Grove serves up Chinese and dim sum dishes, including so many dumplings, rice, noodles, meats, seafood, and vegetables for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

The dive bar-restaurant trend continues in North Loop, where the new American Chinese restaurant Yellow Ranger opened within the also-new bar Golden Horn in April. It’s where chefs Jeremy Young, Zane Frisch, and Kyle Harris lean into Young’s version of American Chinese food. There is chile crisp queso with broccoli and wonton chips; egg-fried rice; crab rangoons, orange cauliflower; and lo mein. There are lunch, dinner, and late-night menus too. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

A Canadian/Japanese group behind a Vancouver Michelin-starred restaurant (Aburi Hana) brought its signature aburi/oshi-styled sushi to America for the first time in Austin. Aburi Oshi Sushi has been operating as a takeout/delivery restaurant within ghost kitchen hub Cloud Kitchen in North Loop since late September. There’s its signature sushi — the seared (the aburi) and pressed (oshi) pieces, as well as regular rolls. Takeout and delivery orders can be placed online; there are outdoor dine-in areas.

Hooray! Chef Thai Changthong’s fantastic Thai Chinese restaurant is back in a new full-on restaurant space this April after being closed for three months. Now found in North Loop, he’s making his famous Thai-Chinese-style chicken and rice — khao man gai — as well as fantastic noodles, soups, and other specials. However, keep in mind that the restaurant still operating with limited service, menu, and hours for lunch and dinner still as the chef looks for additional staffers. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

Two new Irish-leaning spots opened in the heart of downtown Austin this July. First, there’s New York City-based Irish pub the Dead Rabbit, which debuted its first Texas bar and restaurant in early July. On deck are its Irish cocktails and whiskeys, alongside a pub food menu featuring the classics, such as fish and chips, chicken pot pie, and Irish breakfast plates.

And then, next door is the first American location of Belfast-based restaurant Neighbourhood Café, which opened in late July. The cafe serves up daytime food with Irish and Texan slants, for example, the quesadilla made with Guinness beer-braised beef or the breakfast sandwich with Irish cheddar cheese and thick bacon strips. There’s also coffee and tea, along with pastries from Austin restaurant Epicerie. Both restaurants have indoor dine-in services.

The notable Austin farmers market stand-coffee roaster-nixtamalization operation opened its first physical cafe in Holly in early July, making use of its star ingredients for its food and coffee drinks. While there’s still limited service and menus, find great masa foods like masa twinkies, masa biscuits, and masa pancakes, alongside thoughtful coffee, espresso, and masa-based drinks. There are outdoor dine-in areas.

The longtime Austin wine bar shuttered at its original Josephine Street address, but thankfully, relocated and reopened not that far away in Bouldin Creek in late September. Now the bar boasts staffers from shuttered-forever wine restaurant Aviary, which means thoughtful foods and snacks. There’s a short and sweet pizza list as well as cheese and charcuterie boards, and sweets. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.