6 Best Restaurants in South Austin and South Congress District, Austin

Relaxed and locally sourced, this no-frills café is a staple for lovers of high-quality Thai food in a casual neighborhood setting. Part grab-and-go market and coffee bar, part café, and part cooking-class destination, Thai Fresh is a popular breakfast, lunch, and dinner spot, with a diverse range of curries, stir-fries, and noodle and fried-rice dishes. Homemade breakfast tacos are also available throughout the day. Locals drop by for their iced chai lattes and sparkling Thai basil lime aguas frescas, or stick around to indulge in one of their organic vegan ice creams and kombucha cocktails with sake, sparkling rosé, or white wine. Brunch is served on weekends.

If you're looking for high-quality authentic Mexican food, head to Curra's. Their house-made cochinita pibil is moist and tender and the enchiladas are a cut above most local establishments. Try the enchiladas con chile Colorado, filled with melted Monterey Jack cheese and braised pork-tip, marinated in guajillo and chipotle sauces. Portions are hearty, and the house avocado margarita has a devoted fan base. There's another lively location in the Hyde Park neighborhood just north of downtown.

Austin’s favorite over-the-top doughnut destination, born out of food-truck fame, is now a brick-and-mortar café, where diners can get their favorite perforated pastries topped with everything from chicken-fried steak to beer-battered oysters. Salads (served with garlic doughnuts) and sides like creamed corn and fried brussels sprouts, plus a full bar and rotating selection of local beers, round out the extensive menu. A weekend brunch features doughnut French toast and savory-sweet egg sandwiches, along with Bloody Marys and pitchers of mimosas. But plenty of folks still show up for the giant-sized coffee and dessert doughnuts, like the “Sin-A-Bomb,” with melted cinnamon butter drizzled over cream-cheese icing. A food-truck location is on nearby South 1st Street.

This south Austin landmark has been slinging classic Tex-Mex cuisine since 1952, and while Austin foodie trends tend to overlook this family favorite, you'll hear few complaints from its steady crowd of happy diners. Combination dinners are many and varied, with all the usual standbys: tamales, crispy tacos, and more. Diehards swear by the chiles rellenos, enchiladas, and Bob Armstrong dip (queso with taco meat, guacamole, and sour cream). House margaritas, like the prickly pear, are pleasant palate cleansers. The expansive dining room can get noisy at peak hours, but the large outdoor patio is lovely in good weather.

If any one restaurant defines the laid-back, somewhat goofy Austin aesthetic, it's probably Shady Grove. On any clear day, expect the stone patio here to be packed with folks fighting the heat with schooner-sized frozen margaritas. Visitors to Barton Springs Pool frequent this state park-inspired establishment for its casual, but funky vibe and huge servings of affordable, simple fare. Burgers and hot dogs are big movers here, as are the vegetarian "hippie sandwiches" (roasted eggplant and grilled vegetables) and impossibly large salads. Their live music series, Unplugged at the Grove, draws high-wattage talent to the outdoor stage throughout spring and summer.

A relatively recent addition to Austin’s barbecue scene, its newcomer status is bolstered by generations of pitmasters hailing from the famed BBQ epicenter of nearby Lockhart. The laid-back Barton Springs location and cafeteria-style service keep things casual, with diners picking out their sides (all the classics, from mac 'n' cheese to potato salad) before selecting their cut of meat. The brisket is impeccably juicy and tender, ribs (pork and beef) are colossal, and the jalapeño sausage is a crowd favorite. Prices are higher than the average barbecue joint, but the merit is there. Don’t expect a Franklin-type line, but they do occasionally sell out of meat, so call ahead if you’re hungry for anything in particular near closing time.