Barbecue and big Texas flavors: 30 best places to eat lunch in downtown Austin during SXSW

Downtown Austin is home to a surprising number of solid lunch options. You just have to know where to look. There are dozens of choices that range from seafood restaurants to barbecue joints. 

Whether you want a nice piece of grilled fish or a juicy burger, there’s a wide variety for your sit down lunch needs. 

Below are 30 places for daytime dining. Asterisks indicate the restaurant is one of this critic’s preferred spots. (Note: Downtown is packed with hotels, almost all of which have at least one restaurant. None of those are included here.)

For the purposes of this list, downtown extends from Lady Bird Lake to the Texas State Capitol and from Shoal Creek to I-35. Restaurants must be open for lunch on weekdays to be included in the list.

*Bill’s Oyster

One of the classiest ways to enjoy a lunch downtown is at this small spot with some oysters (the martini is up to your discretion). 205 W. Third St. 512-363-5769, billsoyster.com.

Capital Grille

Order the gorgonzola and truffle-crusted, 14-ounce dry-aged sirloin with Cabernet reduction and add to the indulgence with lobster mac ’n’ cheese. 117 W. Fourth St. 512-322-2005, thecapitalgrille.com. 

*Casino El Camino

Dim lighting, rock and roll attitude and fat burgers off the grill have made this dive bar an Austin institution. 517 E. Sixth St. 512-469- 9330, casinoelcamino.net. 

Cooper’s Old-Time Pit BBQ

Pork chops and ribeye offer a change of pace from the standard barbecue offerings (also available here) at this spinoff of the famed original in Llano. 217 Congress Ave. 512-474-4227, coopersbbqaustin.com. 

Fareground

Downtown Austin’s first food hall features standouts like Austin Rotisserie and Jewboy Sliders. 111 Congress Ave. faregroundaustin.com.  

*Favorite Pizza

This McGuire Moorman Lambert property serves up New York-style slices and subs and an 80s NY Mets aesthetic. 801 W. Sixth St. 512-478-4136, favoritepizzaaustin.com.

Flower Child

Salads, grain bowls and healthful proteins highlight the menu at this concept from the Arizona-based Fox Restaurants. 500 W. Second St. 512-777-4132, iamflowerchild.com. 

*Forthright Cafe

All-day brunch menu at this American cafe includes avocado toast, pork belly Benedict and pastrami hash. 35 Brazos St. 512-433-6155, forthright.cafe. 

Gus’s Fried Chicken

Golden-fried comfort with a Memphis pedigree.  117 San Jacinto Blvd. 512-474-4877, gusfriedchicken.com. 

Irene’s

Americana-inspired sandwiches appear alongside tacos and enchiladas and soups and salads. 506 West Ave. 512-298-0853, irenesaustin.com. 

Iron Works BBQ

Barbecue with a creekside view and plenty of nostalgia at this big red building that was once an iron works shop before being converted to a hall of smoked meats in 1978. 100 Red River St. 512-478-4855, ironworksbbq.com.

Jo’s Coffee

Whether you like beef or mushroom burgers this 2nd Street District spot has you covered.  242 W. Second St. 512-469-9003, joscoffee.com.

Koriente

Clean cooking and pan-Asian flavors are the hallmark of this restaurant that serves everything from bibimbap to vegetable curry. 621 E. Seventh St. 512-275-0852, koriente.com. 

*Lamberts Downtown Barbecue

The fanciest barbecue spot in town, Lamberts smokes traditional meats such as pork shoulder and beef brisket and serves some of the best side dishes of any barbecue spot in Austin. 401 W. Second St. 512-494-1500, lambertsaustin.com.

*Local Foods

This bright and airy spot makes robust sandwiches, salads and veggie side dishes with a diverse array of flavor profile inspirations. 454 W. Second St. 512-644-1212, localfoodstexas.com.  

Mai Thai

Pad thai and about a dozen other noodle bowls, along with about a half dozen curries, are the standouts on the menu at one of the few Southeast Asian restaurants in downtown. 207 San Jacinto Blvd. 512-482-8244, maithaiaustin.com.

Moonshine

This restaurant that serves homespun comfort food helped lay the groundwork for a more mature downtown scene when it opened more than 20 years ago. 303 Red River St. 512-236-9599, moonshinegrill.com.

North Italia

Shrimp scampi, pizzas and rigatoni alla vodka are all found on the expansive menu at this chain owned by the Cheesecake Factory. 500 W. Second St. 512-777-5062, northitalia.com.

Numero 28

This Italian restaurant in the Second Street District serves wood-baked panini and about 20 different white and red-sauce pizzas in addition to porchetta, pasta and more. 452 W. Second St. 512-494-5510, numero28austin.com.

*Patika

Bountiful salads and sandwiches with smart flavor profiles served on hearty bread exceed expectations of standard coffee-shop food. 100 Congress Ave. patikacoffee.com.

Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille

Among the many offerings: chateaubriand, a sweet pork chop the size of your head with a side of applesauce and thick-cut steaks topped with herbed garlic butter. 114 W. Seventh St. 512-474-6300, perryssteakhouse.com.

*Ranch 616

Fried oysters, bacon-wrapped shrimp and chicken-fried sirloin — chased with a Ranch Water — will leave no doubt that you are dining in the heart of Texas. 616 Nueces St. 512-479-7616, theranch616.com.

Roaring Fork

Big Texas flavors in dishes such as tortilla soup, blackened redfish and beef short ribs are at the restaurant on Congress Avenue. 701 Congress Ave. 512-583-0000, roaringfork.com. 

Stubb’s Bar-B-Q

Chopped beef sandwich and pork ribs are among the items to order at this restaurant and music venue that has carved out a special place in the hearts of many Austinites and visitors. 801 Red River St. 512-480-8341, stubbsaustin.com. 

Taquero Mucho

Gabriela Bucio's taqueria is all pink walls, pink drinks and tacos, like carnitas, chicken tingas and carne asada. 508 West Ave. 512-291-6867, tqm-atx.myshopify.com.

Taverna

Mussels, meatballs, spaghetti, pizza and other expected Italian staples are at this restaurant with an inviting sidewalk seating area. 258 W. Second St. 512-477-1001, tavernabylombardi.com. 

*Turf N’ Surf

Fresh tuna, snapper, shrimp and mahi are grilled and blackened for great seafood tacos. The spot inside Lavaca Street Bar also serves a killer burger. 407 Lavaca St. 512-276-2763, lavacastreet.com. 

*Walton’s Fancy & Staple

Some of the best sandwiches and salads in town are served alongside a case of fresh baked goods at this charming cafe owned by Sandra Bullock. 609 W. Sixth St. 512-542-3380, waltonsfancyandstaple.com. 

The Well

The menu here is focused on gourmet toasts, salads, broths and entrees centered by healthful proteins, with an emphasis on ingredients that cater to those looking to avoid refined sugar, soy, gluten, peanuts and corn. 440 W. Second St. 737-742-1129, eatwellatx.com.

*Wu Chow

From the soup dumplings to the shrimp and pork shumai, pan-fried chicken bao and egg custard tart, the dim sum dishes here are some of the restaurant's biggest draws. 500 W. Fifth St. 512-476-2469, wuchowaustin.com.