3 Best Restaurants in Central Austin and the University of Texas, Austin

This greasy spoon burger joint on the north edge of the UT campus has been satisfying the guilty pleasures of college students (and everyone else in town) since 1926. The original dirt floors and open-flame grills no longer exist, but the burgers and sides are still classically unpretentious with plenty of flavor (and grease). Sit at the counter to watch the short-order chefs at work, flipping hundreds of burgers (including signatures like the O.T. Special), patty melts, and chicken-fried steak sandwiches every day. The outdoor patio tables fill up fast during UT home games and other major sporting events, when games are broadcast on large HD TVs and the draft beers always taste best in their gigantic icy schooners.

Dining at this central Austin classic is like having a warm meal at a friend's home; a refreshing change of pace from the trendy decor and steep price tags found at some of the city's hottest eateries. The relaxed counter service and down-home decor at this charming cottage-turned-café matches its appealing, handmade offerings of sandwiches, soups, and salads. An expanded breakfast menu is popular with locals, and the front patio is usually bustling and is a perfect spot for people watching.

This campus-adjacent hangout, walking distance from DKR Stadium, has been the preeminent destination to meet with friends and fellow sports lovers, knock back brews, and eat burgers on game days since 1971. The patio can be packed to the gills on weekends or just dotted with casual groups of friends on slow weeknights, but the kitchen is always serving its pub-grub menu of sandwiches, burgers, and wings—and the flat-screen–covered walls are always flickering.