7 Of Austin’s Most Underrated Restaurants

Austin is a city known for its food and its cuisine. Countless options are available from high-end dining to casual fare. While many of Austin’s offerings are quite famous, this list offers a selection of lesser-known gems that, while flying under the radar, still offer fantastic food and service.

Texas French Bread

This spot is often overlooked due to its location on the campus of Texas University. The restaurant’s sandwiches may seem at first glance nothing to write home about, but you’ll quickly fall in love with this friendly college joint. Their menu includes nightly specials, beloved by local students. Fare includes housemade pappardelle and grilled quail, with a selection from their well-curated wine list. At night, the restaurant is beautifully illuminated by candles, creating a warm and welcoming ambiance.

Texas French Bread
2900 Rio Grande St
Austin, TX 78705
United States

Phone: +1 512-499-0544

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Greenhouse Craft Foods

CLOSED - Updated 2024

This joint located behind a strip mall is easy to miss–however, the ambiance may surprise you with its modern, chic vibes. Greenhouse offers a daily menu of farm-made comfort food, featuring southern and Mexican twists. Try the green chille pork chimichangas, or fried green tomatoes with chimichurri and pimento goat cheese.

Café Josie

CLOSED - Updated 2024

Café Josie has seen a few owners over the years, making it difficult for some to keep track of. However, high quality food and a welcoming ambiance have remained constant throughout the cafe’s numerous evolutions. The food is typically Texan and traditional. Start with the tamarind mole, featuring locally-sourced ingredients.

Andiamo Ristorante

Located a small jaunt from downtown, this hidden gem is just a short trek north. The Italian restaurant features dishes such as homemade mushroom ravioli with green beans and walnuts; and crabmeat-stuffed shrimp wrapped in pancetta and served with brandy sauce.

Andiamo Ristorante
2521 Rutland Dr #325
Austin, TX 78758
United States

Phone: +1 512-719-3377

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Looking for more fine Italian restaurants in Austin? Check this link.

Fabi + Rosi

CLOSED - Updated 2024

There are few German restaurants in Austin, despite a thriving German community. With German-born chef Wolfgang Murber at the kitchen’s helm, Fabi and Rosi showcases the very best of German cuisine. The dishes range from schnitzel with Hasenpfeffer and Bretzelknödel (rabbit stew with dumplings) to Maultaschen (Black Forest mushroom ravioli) and Ich Liebe Tiere (a vegan plate of daily vegetables and grains).

Foodheads

Another offering located on Texas University campus. Though not well-known outside the college grounds, it’s a well-loved spot among UT students. The menu includes special sandwiches such as chicken and eggplant, featuring goat cheese, basil pesto and blackberry vinaigrette. Foodhead offers a simple but satisfying menu, providing the perfect source for great comfort food.

Foodheads
616 W 34th St
Austin, TX 78705
United States

Phone: +1 512-420-8400

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Café Malta

Café Malta is located in another spot located in a strip mall, but the food and service are anything but humble. Malta’s menu includes smoked fish croquettes, pan-seared monkfish and maltagliati–a housemade pasta tossed with bork-peef ragu and roasted vegetables. The cafe also features a bi-monthly tour of European cuisine with a variety of special themed dishes.