Consider this your official welcome to Austin! This city is bustling with tons of events from music, film, comedy, and don’t even get us started on the food scene. There’s so much to explore in the capital city of Texas. From all the different neighborhoods and natural landscape, we want to share all that Bat City has to offer. Whether you’re just visiting Austin or are a new resident, we’ve curated the ultimate guide on our must-dos for Austin! This is The Ultimate Guide to Austin for Newbies, enjoy.
Stay-Cations are the Best, You Deserve It!
Colton House
Home to gorgeous interiors and an awe-inspiring view of downtown Austin, Colton House does not disappoint. Enjoy stunning spaces to stay with their beautiful rooms that can occupy families or just yourself! Colton House has a sense of design and artwork in mind. Local artists and curators carefully decorate their interiors, you’ll feel like you walked a West Anderson movie set. As a newbie to Austin, feel right at home at Colton House.
Always Open
Canopy By Hilton
Your escape in Austin is here with Canopy by Hilton’s youthful take on their classic hospitality. Whether your visiting or need a quiet place to enjoy a staycation, Canopy is home to phenomenal food and drinks, gorgeous balconies, and generous room amenities. Enjoy the relaxing of a walk-in shower, unlimited closet space, espresso machine, and a beautiful canopy bed aligned with Austin’s natural landscape.
Always Open
Moxy Hotel By Marriott
Plan your next vacation or staycation with this colorful hotel nestled right in the UT neighborhood on Guadalupe Street. Moxy By Marriott is home to eclectic interiors combining aesthetic furniture, artwork, and neon signage all over the lobby you can’t take your eyes off it! You’ll never want to leave this oasis of joy when you experience their range of hotel amenities. Walk-in showers, flat-screen TVs hooked up with YouTube and Netflix, walk-in closets, an in-house bodega, and you can bring your pets!
Always Open
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Home Slice Pizza
Got the hunger for a solid piece of pizza? Austin’s is home to some of the best NY-style pizza around. Home Slice Pizza on South Congress is known for their handmade pies, pizza by the slice, and other traditional sandwiches. We recommend getting a split pizza of margherita and a meaty option, and shareable pear gorgonzola spring salad to go with it. They also have a second location in the North Loop neighborhood in Central Austin!
For complete hours, locations, and takeout ordering, visit their website.
📍 Multiple Locations
Kerbey Lane Café
Easily a popular destination for brunch-goers, Kerbey Lane Café is an iconic spot for breakfast and lunch. It all started in the 1980s in a small central Austin home on Kerbey Lane. Now, this iconic café is known for all its comfort food classics. Made from local ingredients, Kerbey Lane Café strives to send out the best meals chalked full of flavor. They’re famous for their queso varieties, including vegan and gluten-free options.
For complete hours and locations, visit their website.
📍 Multiple Locations
La Barbecue
You can’t visit Austin without trying some authentic Texan barbecue. La Barbecue is home to tons of juicy barbecue meats like half-pound and pounds of brisket, pulled pork, turkey, ribs, jalapeno sausage, chopped beef and a variety of custom sandwiches. Add plenty of sides to make the ultimate bbq feast!
WED-SUN | 11AM-6PM
Honey Moon Spirit Lounge
Feel right at home at in this bungalow style house turned boutique bar. Honey Moon Spirit Lounge is bringing all the garden party vibes with their backyard patio and front yard seating area. Feast on artisanal burgers, both meat and plant-based, and sip on a variety of cocktail infusions. This gorgeous space offers plenty of pleasing aesthetics from their food to their patio space.
Loro
Fall in love with the smoky goodness of this next must-try South Austin spot. Loro’s is home to flavorful Asian fusion cuisine featuring smoky dishes. You can hangout at the bar and enjoy one of their many beers on tap and some of their snack foods that offer a traditional Asian flavor. When you dine-in, choose from tons of flavors from their vegetarian appetizer options and smoked meat selections. The must-try is their range of meaty, smoky sandwiches!
MON-SUN | 11AM-10PM
Lutie’s
Observe the luscious color scheme of Lutie’s emerald and hunter green interior when you come in for your next meal. Just as decadent if not more, Lutie’s carefully curated menus feature fresh ingredients with innovative preparation. Try from a myriad of mixed tapas plates for the ultimate dining experience… and don’t forget dessert!
WED-SUN | 5PM-10PM
Taco Joint
There are so many taco options in Austin it’s hard to keep up with all of them! Taco Joint is one of the best spots in Austin for ALL DAY breakfast tacos among many other tacos, tortas, chips and dips and all sorts of delicious bites. For you Austin newbies, Taco Joint has two convenient locations.
For complete hours and locations, visit their website.
📍 Multiple Locations
Citizen Eatery
If you find yourself in North Austin, you have to stop by Citizen Eatery for breakfast or lunch! Situated nearby plenty of thrift stores and coffee shops, Citizen Eatery is a 100% plant-based eatery offering various dishes that boast with flavor. Try the harvest bowl for an explosion of international flavor and spicy Cajun cauliflower as an appetizer! Grab one of their boozy coffees to if that’s your fancy!
Hangout like a Pro!
Austin’s best natural park is nestled right in the heart of downtown. Across from the expansive Zilker Park is a natural pool fed from Barton Creek. Barton Springs pool is fed from the main Barton Springs giving this area a natural pool flow in the middle of the park! You can lounge on the grassy hills above the spring or work on your pool laps!
Check website for hours
South Congress
Often referred to as “True Austin” or “Real Austin” South Congress is a stretch of street that showcases what we love about Bat City. Lined with tons of boutiques, cafés, vintage thrift shops, trendy bars, and live music drifting through the air, South Congress is a must-see. Take your visitors there and check it out yourself if you’re an Austin newbie!
Always Open
📍 South Congress
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Zilker Park
Open fields to run with your dog or to lounge with a picnic, Zilker Park is Austin’s most accessible metropolitan park. At 350 acres of publicly owned grassy land Zilker Park plays host to many festivals and events, like Austin City Limits. Not only is the space ample, you have a beautiful panoramic view of the Austin skyline.
MON-SUN | 5AM-10PM
Are you a digital nomad? Do you have the luxury to work from anywhere? If you’re new to Austin and looking for a space to hit the books, The Cathedral is Austin’s iconic boutique co-working space. Enjoy expansive church windows that allow natural light in perfect for whatever project you’re working. There are tiered membership levels and day passes that will fit whatever work or art you need to produce in an inspiring co-working space.
MON-FRI | 8:30AM-5:30PM
Enjoy the Views and Grab a Cocktail
P6 at The Line Hotel
Take in the view when you visit this stunning rooftop bar. Located within The Line Hotel, P6 is your watering hole in the sky. Take in the panoramic views of Town Lake while you sip on your favorite beverage. If you’re visiting Austin, book your stay at the Line and check out P6 for a beautiful setting with your friends.
Zanzibar
Escape to this island paradise when you discover a canopy of greenery, foliage, and a lavish Tiki lounge. Inspired by Hawaiian and Polynesian cultures, Zanzibar is a rooftop terrace featuring island-style cocktails that you can indulge in this oasis. The Pool at Zanzibar is their lounge pool, where you can book cabanas for you and all your friends.
Looking to Have a Brew?
Time to turn up with some wine! All you Austin newbies must try the wine selections we have here. The perfect place to have an epic grape tour is at Wanderlust Wine Co., where you can sample a myriad of wine flights. Their concept is a self-pour experience that allows you explore different wine regions and some that are local to our own Texas wineries. Check it out if you’re visiting or if you are officially an Austin newbie.
Not only does Meanwhile Brewing have a fine selection of beers to choose from, they also serve an array of coffee. Nothing beats a thick nitro cold brew on tap! With a rotating draft, you can often find a new cold brew on tap from various coffee purveyors near and far. Need some chill and focus? Grab a lavender latté for the calming aromatics with a caffeine kick.
MON-WED | 8AM-10PM
THURS-FRI | 8AM-11PM
SAT | 9AM-11PM
SUN | 9AM-9PM
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Central Machine Works
This bustling beer hall is a popular destination for Eastside residents and locals from all over. Central Machine Works is home to a beautiful warehouse space full of artwork, a gorgeous bar area, and plenty of outdoor patio space. This brewery features tons of homemade draft cocktails and traditional beers from pilsners, lagers, pale ales, and IPAs. There are tons of popup events hosted at Central Machine Work, so keep an eye out all you Austin newbies!
TUES-THURS | 4PM-12AM
FRI-SAT | 11AM-12AM
SUN | 11AM-10PM
Pinthouse Brewing
If you’ve ever visited Austin, you might have heard of the electric jellyfish IPA. It’s one of the most popular beers in Austin… and maybe Texas! What started as a pizza place (Pinthouse Pizza) Pinthouse Brewing aims to bring the flavors of pub food with their supreme beer products. Enjoy magical pilsner, electric jellyfish, and a range of their popular beers when you visit the new South Austin brewery! Visit their website for a complete list of Pinthouse Pizza locations.
Multiple locations, check website for hours.
Grab a "Pick Me-Up"
Austin Coffee Shop Guide to the Best Brews: Iced or Hot?
With so many coffee shops in Austin, it’s hard to pick. Lucky for you, we’ve created this Ultimate Guide to help you find your perfect coffee spot! Regardless of your location, you’re sure to find something in here!
Codependent Cocktails + Coffee
Nestled within The Independent Condominiums comes Codependent Cocktails + Coffee. Taking boutique café fusions to a whole new level, Codependent is all about celebrating the lavish side of life. Grab an espresso martini and an AM nosh to enjoy on their gorgeous terrace. Or elevate the senses during the evening with their mood-lit interior space featuring lustrous Italian furnishings. For Austin visitors and newbies alike, photo-ops abound at this new, modern social space.
Spokesman Coffee
If you’re ever in Austin, you have to visit Spokesman Coffee. They now have three locations, but the OG is in South Austin in a shipping container-style building, where they also serve local craft beers. As one of the best Austin cafés, they feature tons of different beans for you to enjoy at home too! They will even offer their detailed roasting schedule to ensure optimal freshness. We wouldn’t have coffee any other way.
For locations and hours visit their website:
📍 Multiple Locations
Revival Coffee by Gabriela’s
The recent acquisition by Gabriela’s Group gave this beloved East 6th café a cotton-candy makeover. Revival Coffee’s interior is covered with millennial pink paint, flash illustrations, an old-fashioned locker set (yes, also pink), and peachy pink diner booths. Grab your favorite coffee drink or try one of their signature creations: Abuelita Latté or the Fruity Pebbles. You might stumble upon a popup market outside on the patio!
Medici Roasting
This Austin favorite is home to various roasted coffee beans, which you can enjoy in the comfort of your home. Caffé Medici features delicious coffee classics, a variety of hot teas, and a breakfast taco menu! Their fall menu items come around seasonally and we’re excited to try all these autumnal flavors: cinnamon sugar freddo, the autumn leaves tea, and pumpkin cold brew shake. They also have a fall spice syrup that contains cinnamon, ginger, clove, and brown sugar that can be added to any espresso drink!
For all locations and hours visit their website.
📍 Multiple Locations
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