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Featured Replies

Looking for suggestions besides KL, central ish

How central?  Why type of breakfast style (American, tex-mex, french, weird?).  I only ask for specifics because it's the one meal I get to still eat out with frequency between little kids and Covid.  And I work/volunteer central so there ain't much I don't know inside and out between Mopac, Ben White, East 183, and 45th

  • Author

I said that to ward off those saying things in Round Rock or cedar park so central ish.

I'm going to in and of Austin over the next few weeks with people who have never been here so a variety is good, no chains like first watch or kl

Central Austin-ish:

The Omelettery

Julio's

Pacha

 

Downtown:

Le Cafe Crepe

 

South Austin:

Magnolia Cafe

 

Arturo's Underground Cafe, off Guadalupe and 17th, in the north section of downtown.

I had no idea this place existed until a few months ago when I was looking for a breakfast spot I hadn't been to and it came up in a Yelp search.  Apparently it's been around since 1996.  Really great breakfast food.  It doesn't serve beer or liquor if you were looking for a bloody or other adult breakfast beverage.

I love Arturo's, although it is still a clusterfuck to get to because of all that construction with that hotel and re-do of El Mercado.  Like you literally have to do an obstacle course to get through the alley onto the sidewalk and into that little front door.  But it's worth it.  Along Tex-Mex lines, I love Mi Madre's on Manor (though pricey).  El Chile/El Chilito in that area as well.  Star Seed's cafe on IH-35 access road still delivers after all these years though it's not the greasy (literally and figuratively) spoon it used to be.  I Red River Cafe is back to its roots by north end of campus and is great tradtional fare.  As is Counter Cafe on north tip of the Drag.  

Downtown, IMO, starts and ends with Biderman's .  But it's closed forever now.  The 1883 cafe (IIRC) inside Driskill is a favorite for breakfast if somebody else is paying and would appreciate the old Texas elegance of the first floor (complete with homeless vomit).  I hate to admit it but other than Phoebe's, most good downtown (proper downtown) breakfast joints are in hotels.  We'll cover near east and near south Austin next...

Biderman's is alive and well on Far West, and is a good choice for a nearly-classic take on a Jewish deli, if the trip NW of downtown isn't an issue.

How have Juan in a Million or Joe's Bakery not yet entered this conversation?

Edited by DalTxHornFan

It's a chain, but I love me some Jim's.

Breakfast at Cisco's is always tasty.

5 hours ago, DalTxHornFan said:

How have Juan in a Million or Joe's Bakery not yet entered this conversation?

I love Juan's, was just there last month.  I consider it relatively central, and easily accessible...but many do not consider that far on Chavez to be central.  The same people of course though who advertise KB Homes developments in Leander as "Just minutes from downtown!"  I was starting, much like Costanza looking for a parking space, in a tight loop around the CBD and working out in concentric circles.  

My most recent go-to’s that are downtown proximate are Sour Duck market, Cenote, and Paperboy.  I eat at Counter Cafe every week but it’s for the burger and not the pancakes (although the latter are good).  

The breakfast at La Cocina de Consuela is so good it makes me forgive the shitty parking. 

 

Cafe Java always slams, they have a location off Metric by the ACC campus.

 

Ultimate migas FTW

Edited by Pam Cummings

On 2/15/2023 at 8:32 AM, hornian said:

The breakfast at La Cocina de Consuela is so good it makes me forgive the shitty parking. 

 

They make good food in general. Love to eat there when they are open. 

On 2/15/2023 at 8:32 AM, hornian said:

The breakfast at La Cocina de Consuela is so good it makes me forgive the shitty parking. 

How are the migas?  I am an unabashed migas fanatic.  I think this just reinforces my gringoness.

On 2/15/2023 at 8:32 AM, hornian said:

The breakfast at La Cocina de Consuela is so good it makes me forgive the shitty parking.

I've only been there for lunch once, and I had the tortilla soup, which was above-average.  The breakfast menu looks good.  I may have to try it since it's in walking distance from my house and I can avoid said shitty parking.

1 hour ago, South Austin said:

I've only been there for lunch once, and I had the tortilla soup, which was above-average.  The breakfast menu looks good.  I may have to try it since it's in walking distance from my house and I can avoid said shitty parking.

The breakfast burritos are the size of 2-3 regular breakfast tacos. Keep that in mind, and don't over order. Or do. Just know what you're doing. 

 

3 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

How are the migas?  I am an unabashed migas fanatic.  I think this just reinforces my gringoness.

They are great, but don't sleep on the chilaquiles. 

 

4 hours ago, Bolero88 said:

They make good food in general. Love to eat there when they are open. 

Truth. I've tried to go a couple of times when they should be open, but were randomly closed. One of them led me to eat at La Mancha - which I posted about on another thread here, which made me decide to never go to La Mancha again. 

11 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

  I am an unabashed migas fanatic. 

giphy(1).gif.f2fd7b70dbbe481f439013b8620cac6a.gif

 

On 2/16/2023 at 10:01 AM, jimmyjazz said:

  I am an unabashed migas fanatic. 

 

19 hours ago, Underdog said:

giphy(1).gif.f2fd7b70dbbe481f439013b8620cac6a.gif

 

What about hot chicks with great tits, you a fan of them, too?

:)

 

On 2/10/2023 at 5:20 PM, utee94 said:

Breakfast at Cisco's is always tasty.

Hellllll, yes. 
Best migas in the world.

fight me

Mama Jack's in Derkaville had my favorite migas, miss that place. 

  • Author
Biderman's is alive and well on Far West, and is a good choice for a nearly-classic take on a Jewish deli, if the trip NW of downtown isn't an issue.
Stopped by here for lunch yesterday, deli melt pastrami and swiss on rye. Not bad, the place was kind of filthy though, makes me miss Kenny and Ziggys in Houston

Thanks to all for the recs, seems my stay in Austin will be extended because of work, good as I haven't been back here except a night or two here and there in about 10 years so I'll be going through this subforum.
4 minutes ago, Smax said:

Stopped by here for lunch yesterday, deli melt pastrami and swiss on rye. Not bad, the place was kind of filthy though,

Well, that sucks.  Haven't run into that problem there.

5 minutes ago, Smax said:

Stopped by here for lunch yesterday, deli melt pastrami and swiss on rye. Not bad, the place was kind of filthy though, makes me miss Kenny and Ziggys in Houston

Thanks to all for the recs, seems my stay in Austin will be extended because of work, good as I haven't been back here except a night or two here and there in about 10 years so I'll be going through this subforum.

Love Kenny and Ziggys -- haven't been there since they moved their shop to the old Luby's in the Galleria area.

On 2/10/2023 at 3:56 PM, DalTxHornFan said:

How have Juan in a Million or Joe's Bakery not yet entered this conversation?

As I was saying:

Joe's Bakery in Austin wins James Beard Foundation 'America's Classics' award

The foundation said one of the reasons that cemented Joe's as an Austin staple is its firm sense of community.

https://www.kvue.com/article/life/food/joes-bakery-austin-james-beard-award/269-e48074f0-a7aa-4ca5-985e-c5eeea9da6d8

  • 2 weeks later...

Counter Cafe is my current favorite but we go to Cafe Java on the weekends as it is far north for me.

  • 5 weeks later...

This thread has grasped my attention.  Although, it also has me conflicted on where to eat first.  Good problem to have.

  • 11 months later...

We're heading over for the Texas Relays tomorrow.  I think I'll give Counter Cafe a go on Saturday morning.

On 3/28/2024 at 7:04 PM, Fudge Nuggets said:

We're heading over for the Texas Relays tomorrow.  I think I'll give Counter Cafe a go on Saturday morning.

Skip the pancakes and order the hamburger, regular fries.  

  • 4 months later...

Dan's

20240731_081909.jpg

Edited by ftf82

  • 3 months later...

Coming in for the UT/UF game this weekend. Best breakfast burrito for a Friday morning would be…? Any help appreciated. 
 

 

And be nice to our undersized third string Ivy League transfer quarterback please 

1 hour ago, Mack Tripper said:

Where are you staying?

North end of Bouldin creek area. Just south of Barton springs Rd

Go to Taco Joint. We do more breakfast tacos here, not burritos. 

13 hours ago, Wile E Gator said:

North end of Bouldin creek area. Just south of Barton springs Rd

If you want a burrito, Taco Xpress trailer at 1210 Barton Springs. Tacos are good too. Taco Joint at 134 E Riverside is great, but they don't do burritos. 

I'd go to Habanero. Other good options are El Primo (but it's a food truck. no seating). Tacorrido (drive through). If you're looking for a fancier place with cocktails, you could check out El Alma. If you're with women, they'll love the place. I think it's pretty good but too expensive. 

1 hour ago, irishtexan said:

I'd go to Habanero. 

This. But don't order a burrito, get the chorizo migas.

I've heard people from other states call just the normal tacos breakfast burritos.

@Wile E Gator just so we can understand - in Austin a breakfast burrito is going to get you one of those oversized California abominations. A breakfast taco will get you something much better - like this:

20230217_093633.thumb.jpg.9ab7d1f69a93cfe08159bdb99e61a3b7.jpg.b4b5ba8c9cbfeb259e259feff6e13072.jpg20240404_180136.thumb.jpg.407e7f86c291ece5b7e7f13ec3ce82cb.jpg.c2bfc7e0e228e0ed6132b7c0ce9ea0b0.jpg

If you want a "burrito" - not judging - but that isn't our game and will likely result in an inferior product. 

If you want a burrito specifically, El Primo is definitely the way to go. 

16 hours ago, ztejas said:

I've heard people from other states call just the normal tacos breakfast burritos.

Yeah this is correct.  Outside of Texas, lots of people call them breakfast burritos, while we call them breakfast tacos, but it's the same thing.

For visitors, just understand that in Austin and much of Texas, the breakfast taco is king, and if you find a place that has a "breakfast burrito" on the menu, it's generally going to be bigger, served on a larger tortilla, and most times not as good.

 

56 minutes ago, utee94 said:

Yeah this is correct.  Outside of Texas, lots of people call them breakfast burritos, while we call them breakfast tacos, but it's the same thing.

For visitors, just understand that in Austin and much of Texas, the breakfast taco is king, and if you find a place that has a "breakfast burrito" on the menu, it's generally going to be bigger, served on a larger tortilla, and most times not as good.

 

The exception to the "most times not as good" rule is La Cocina de Consuela On Burnet just north of 45th. It's a little hole in the wall, and they serve burritos instead of tacos, but the burritos (about the size of 2 regular tacos) are fantastic, the tortillas are homemade, and they are better than most breakfast tacos in town. 

Edited by hornian

On 11/7/2024 at 4:38 PM, ztejas said:

I've heard people from other states call just the normal tacos breakfast burritos.

@Wile E Gator just so we can understand - in Austin a breakfast burrito is going to get you one of those oversized California abominations. A breakfast taco will get you something much better - like this:

20230217_093633.thumb.jpg.9ab7d1f69a93cfe08159bdb99e61a3b7.jpg.b4b5ba8c9cbfeb259e259feff6e13072.jpg20240404_180136.thumb.jpg.407e7f86c291ece5b7e7f13ec3ce82cb.jpg.c2bfc7e0e228e0ed6132b7c0ce9ea0b0.jpg

If you want a "burrito" - not judging - but that isn't our game and will likely result in an inferior product. 

Appreciate the clarification, and yes breakfast tacos is what I was seeking. Taco Joint did us right, the Horns did us dirty. But, as always we had a great time and did our best to boost your local economy. 

On 11/8/2024 at 9:41 AM, hornian said:

The exception to the "most times not as good" rule is La Cocina de Consuela On Burnet just north of 45th. It's a little hole in the wall, and they serve burritos instead of tacos, but the burritos (about the size of 2 regular tacos) are fantastic, the tortillas are homemade, and they are better than most breakfast tacos in town. 

One Sunday, I woke up and went on a pretty long run ~ 8-10 miles.  
Consuelas was one of our favorites, so I went to grab some food since I was starving afterwards.  
 

Decided to go for two this time.  I made it about 1 1/2 burritos and then fell asleep on the couch until half-time in the noon NFL kickoffs.

That place is fantastic, but calorie dense.  

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