I’ll admit to being a sucker for an elaborately designed restaurant. I love velvet cushions and crystal chandeliers and expensive flower arrangements. Yet I’m also fascinated by venues that keep their decor simple and let their menus have the last word. At Mercado Sin Nombre, a daytime-only cafe recently opened in far-ish East Austin, the kitchen’s laser focus on two ingredients offers a quiet confidence that turns its charmingly ramshackle aesthetic into something very special.

If you’ve ever scrolled Instagram or TikTok and found yourself captivated by a photo of a beautiful burger or a video of a salad being perfectly plated, then you understand the importance of social platforms in the food world these days.

I’m just gonna come out and tell the hard truth about “date night” restaurants: These spots can often get by with less-than-impressive menus as long as the vibes are right. Dim lighting, cozy banquettes, pretty decor, well-chosen music, and a hip location can conceal any number of culinary sins, and plenty of restaurateurs are willing to take the easy way out. But OKO, East Austin’s sexy new dinner spot in the former Ah Sing Den space, has far bigger ambitions.

As any Southerner will gladly tell you, this part of the United States takes enormous pride in its fried chicken. Shatteringly-crisp breading and tender meat are non-negotiables, but chefs also love to experiment with creative seasonings, international ingredients, and varying levels of heat. We asked a group of Southern chefs to recommend their favorite fried chicken spots in the region.

When it comes to starting your day off right in Austin, a breakfast taco is a non-negotiable part of the equation. Our city’s favorite morning meal can be found at countless restaurants, trucks, and cafes, so finding the best of the bunch may feel like a daunting prospect. The good news is that we’re here to share our ten favorite Austin venues for perfectly-crafted breakfast tacos.

After a recent frustrating workday, the only way I could resuscitate my mood was with a stiff gin martini and some premium oysters. I headed to a popular seafood bar where I found an impressive selection of oysters from New England and a few from the Gulf Coast. Alas, there were none of what I craved most: West Coast oysters — rich, sweet, and almost creamy.

It seems like the cost of going out to eat at a restaurant is always a hot topic for debate; between rising prices, gratuity requests popping up at counter-service spots and seemingly random surcharges, many diners now find themselves studying their restaurant bills more closely than ever. One type of extra fee that’s becoming common in the hospitality world is a “service charge.” These line items usually involve a percentage of the final check, but you may be left wondering what these “service charges” cover, why they’re appearing on bills so much more frequently now, and whether you can opt out of them as a guest.

As an adjective, “weird” is having a real moment. It’s an incisive term that draws strength from its vagueness: It means everything and nothing all at once. We’re now seeing it applied to countless real-world situations, but even so, a new restaurant describing its own menu as “weirdo” is a choice that feels, well, weird.

As a Texas resident, let me be the first to admit that, when it comes to our love of H-E-B, we Texans are completely insufferable. This grocery chain headquartered in San Antonio inspires intense devotion from Lone Star denizens (especially those living in Central Texas, where H-E-B is especially widespread) for its high-quality prepared food offerings, its in-store tortillerias, and its shockingly-good “generic” store brand products. H-E-B isn’t just a supermarket. It’s a lifestyle.

Chinese takeout in the United States represents a very special type of comfort food. Salty, fatty, greasy, sweet, sour – the layers of flavor and texture in dishes like chow mein, General Tso’s chicken, and crab rangoon manage to feel both warmly familiar and intriguingly unique, and those of us who grew up with these dishes will never abandon our deep-rooted devotion. Is American Chinese food “authentic”? Depends on who you ask; these dishes might not bear much resemblance to what you’d get in Beijing or Shanghai, but their melding of American ingredients and traditional Chinese techniques tells a completely authentic story of the Asian diaspora in the United States.

Before I begin, dear readers, I must make a confession: When it comes to spicy food, I am definitely one of Those People. I roll my eyes when celebs’ eyes water during Hot Ones and insist that I would handle that level of heat way better. I put XXX hot sauce on absolutely everything and consider sriracha about as spicy as ketchup. I’ve been banned from making chili for potlucks and football watch parties because when my friends take a bite, they immediately cough and reach for their water bottles. So it was with great interest that I headed to North Austin’s newest mobile chicken shack, which includes the phrase “dang hot” right in its name.

The season of sky-high temps, sweat-slicked skin, and stratospheric electric bills is upon us once again. Cranking up the AC and hiding indoors for the next several months might be an option for some, but if you refuse to sacrifice your summer fun to the brutal will of the elements, then it’s time to find other forms of relief. As the mercury continues to rise in Austin, channel your inner child with these elevated spins on icy youthful favorites.

When summer descends upon Houston, there’s nothing better than a cold beverage to temper the heat, especially at the end of a long work week. The next time a Houstonite wants to kick off their Summer Friday (or any day that needs to taste like Friday) with a crisp sipper, there’s a new drink that’s sure to fit the bill: the Bombay Sapphire Sparkling Lemon made with Bombay Sapphire gin, lemonade, club soda, and a lemon twist. Order this bright, refreshing cocktail, or other Bombay Sapphire cocktails inspired by this essence, at one of these 10 Houston-area bars with stylish spaces, comfortable seating, and playful vibes — all perfect for easing you into weekend mode.

Austin takes enormous pride in its reputation as one of the top barbecue cities in the country, and we’re lucky enough to have dozens of excellent smokehouses and BBQ food trucks within our city limits. The Central Texas style of meat smoking–which involves delicate post oak wood and a low-and-slow cooking technique–reigns supreme here, but because each Austin pit chef brings their own creative inspirations to their menus, you’ll get a unique plate at every venue. Aaron Franklin’...

The South Central Texas city of San Antonio is world-famous for its impeccable Tex-Mex cuisine and its vibrant array of taquerias. You can find tacos of all types in San Antonio, but the city takes particular pride in an eclectic version of this handheld dish that’s become a San Antonio signature: the “puffy taco”. Read on to learn exactly what defines a puffy taco, why San Antonians have such deep affection for this native delicacy, and where you can find the best versions the next time you’re in town.

The omakase boom in Austin has been fast, furious, and more than a little overwhelming. How many minimalist tasting counters with $150+ coursed meals of sushi, sashimi, and nigiri can one medium-sized city sustain? It’s honestly gotten to the point where my first reaction to “there’s a new omakase opening this week” inevitably becomes “... really? Another one?” But I’m delighted to report that my eyerolly instincts were no match for the exceptional meal served at Craft Omakase, now open in Rosedale.

Redbud Ice House is the latest Austin project from MaieB Hospitality, the team behind local favorites like Olamaie, Little Ola’s, and Maie Day. MaieB knows how to navigate the sometimes-contradictory vibes of present-day Austin, and their well-honed aesthetic is in full force at Redbud. Ironic yet sincere, trendy yet humble, chef-driven yet unpretentious: It’s a tough balancing act, but it’s one that Redbud Ice House achieves (for the most part).

As it turns out, feral peacocks and peahens aren’t an uncommon sight in Austin. Here’s everything that locals need to know about these apparently-not-so-exotic birds, how they made their way to our corner of the world, and what to do if you encounter a surprise peafowl guest on your property.

When you order a platter of barbecue, you likely expect to see brisket, ribs, sausage, and classic side dishes like potato salad and mac & cheese. But at many BBQ joints–especially if you’re in Central Texas–your plate will also come adorned with a simple slice (or several slices) of plain white sandwich bread. This barbecue add-on can seem superfluous (who’s really craving white bread when they’re eating saucy pulled pork and perfectly-smoked brisket?), but according to the experts, white bread and barbecue have a long and distinguished history together.

When I say that Zoé Tong has big DGAF energy, I don’t mean that the chefs are careless or the front-of-house staff is negligent. Quite the opposite, in fact. But this new Chinese-ish restaurant on Barton Springs Road makes the risky choice to break with any and all easy definitions, to play around with influences and inspirations, and to focus on one central theme: the pursuit of fun.