The Best Restaurant in Central Austin and the University of Texas, Austin

A tried-and-true destination for authentic Indian cuisine, Clay Pit has developed a devoted following in Austin since opening in 1998. Wash down some of their signature curried mussels with garlic and red wine sauce with one of their sweet lassi drinks. The historic (and haunted) Bertram Building (a favorite on downtown ghost tours) is romantic and stately and just a few blocks from the Capitol, so lunch crowds attract everyone from state and university workers to downtown tourists.