There are hundreds of cafes in Austin, ranging from cute bistros to funky lunch spots to old-time diners. Over the years I’ve lived in Austin I’ve tried many of these cafes. Some more popular ones tend to have long lines, unremarkable food, and sub-par service. Locals will keep telling you to try these restaurants though because they’re “Austiny” or “part of the culture”. Unfortunately, many of the Austin “institutions” have long ago fallen from the high standards they used to have, leaving visitors at restaurants with rude wait staff and boring food. Instead of listening to those suggestions though, why not eat at one of these wonderful cafes in Austin? These are the ones I consider to be Austin’s best cafes, based on good service and consistent quality of food.
Austin Java Cafe and Coffeehouse
Austin Java has four locations throughout town and one location inside Austin-Bergstrom airport. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner all day, every day. They have traditional favorites like omelets, burgers, and salads as well as vegetarian options such as spinach and goat cheese quesadillas and heart healthy options like the blackened tuna steak sandwich.
The atmosphere at Austin Java is very laid back. You order at a counter and your food is delivered to you. Many of the locations have outdoor seating, perfect for the spring and fall seasons in Texas. The food is basic but eclectic at the same time, using old classics with a new twist. One of my favorites, the toasted sesame chicken sandwich, starts with a classic chicken sandwich. From there, the folks at Austin Java add sprouts, green onions, lettuce, fat free mayonnaise, and a fat-free sesame sauce. They pile it all high on a delicious whole wheat bun and offer you your choice of sides. This sandwich is so delicious, you’d have no idea it’s actually listed as heart healthy! I highly recommend the chips with homemade pico for a side – the pico is a black bean and corn pico that will make you wish you’d ordered a big bowl of it instead of just the side. The pastas are all delicious and well cooked and come with a hunk of very tasty focaccia bread. I’m not typically a big breakfast person, but if their breakfast dishes are as good as the rest of their food, you won’t be disappointed by any choice!
Austin Java is also a coffeehouse, serving delicious coffees, espresso drinks, and baked goods. Their coffee menu includes the typical coffeehouse favorites of lattes and mochas, but they also offer mocha shakes made with vanilla bean ice cream and a few signature creations such as Junior Mint mochas. Their Heath bar cookies are delicious and large enough to share, and their cake selections are always enticing. Any time of day, Austin Java is sure to please.
Mandola’s Italian Market
Mandola’s Italian Market is owned by the same people as Mandola’s Winery in Driftwood, Texas. It is a cross between a market and a restaurant, offering Italian groceries, imports, and wines as well as house-made breads and desserts all in the same room as their restaurant. Again, you order at the counter and grab a seat inside or outside. The staff will bring your food when it’s ready. The menu includes everything from fried zucchini to paninis and pizzas to pastas and salads. You’ll have a tough time making up your mind as all of their offerings are incredibly delicious!
The first time we visited Mandola’s, we tried try some of our Italian favorites as well as some new concepts. We shared the zucchini friti and garlic fries with friends. I had never had fried zucchini, and I was blown away. They simply batter and fry zucchini and serve it with marinara sauce, but wow is it good! The garlic fries were also amazing, with parsley, garlic, and parmesan coating the fries and a pesto mayonnaise for dipping.
For entrees, my husband and I had cheese ravioli and trenette al pesto. Our friends had spaghetti with Mama’s Sunday sugo, a pizza, and a pot roast panino. David’s trenette was smothered in a delicious pesto while my cheese ravioli was perfectly stuffed and lightly sauced. Holly said her spaghetti was probably her favorite ever, the pizza was also delicious, and the pot roast panino was stuffed full of delicious pot roast and onions. On subsequent visits we have tried various pizzas, gnocchi, and fried mozzarella, all of which excellent.
Make sure to save room for dessert, as Mandola’s carries a wide variety of Italian pastries and gelatos as well as coffee. We have had mocha cake, espresso cake, Italian crème cake, eclairs, tiramisu, and various cookies. Unfortunately, they’re all so good we can never make up our mind as to what we want to order and end up standing in front of the huge display cases for way too long each time we’re there
Magnolia Cafe
When my husband and I started dating, Magnolia was the first place he took me. It is one of his “Austiny” restaurants, but thankfully unlike so many others, Magnolia’s food and not just its funky atmosphere earns it the classification. The restaurant is always open and serves breakfast, lunch, or dinner any time of day. Make sure to order the Mag Mud, which is a mixture of black beans, queso, avocado, and pico de gallo. Give it a good stir and dip in! Don’t be disturbed by the color, it is much better than it looks. A great vegetarian favorite is the Flamingo sandwich, consisting of avocado, sprouts, tomato, and Swiss cheese on grilled bread. The burgers are delicious and can be ordered with beef, bison, or a veggie patty. Entrees come with a choice of sides, but I highly recommend the home fries – lightly seasoned, crispy potato wedges instead of thin French fry cuts.
For breakfast, I suggest the gingerbread pancake, a soft, pillowy treat with all the flavors of a gingerbread cookie. For a savory option, try the eggs Zapatino – scrambled eggs on a toasted English muffin smothered in queso.
In addition to the dishes above, Magnolia has tacos, quesadillas, salads, pastas, omelets, French toast, and desserts. Many of the items on the menu are vegetarian, providing multiple options for Austin’s many meat-free residents. Even meat lovers can enjoy the veggie options available on the menu. The restaurant’s atmosphere is very laid back, but it’s extremely popular so expect a little bit of a wait.
Walton’s Fancy and Staple
Walton’s is the second Austin restaurant from movie megastar Sandra Bullock. Located on 6th Street in downtown Austin, this is a perfect place to grab a quick lunch during work or a leisurely weekend lunch with friends. The menu consists of salads, sandwiches, and soups and the prepared foods case includes deli salads, pasta salads, and fruit salads. The Turkey Sweet sandwich has turkey, bacon, caramelized apples and onions with cheddar on a croissant. The mix of savory and sweet ingredients is absolutely fantastic, no matter how strange the combination sounds. Another delicious sandwich is the Caprese – basil, tomatoes, mozzarella, balsamic vinegar and olive oil on white bread. This sandwich is a delicious take on the Italian classic Insalata Caprese.
The bakery case is full of cookies, cakes, and breads, and all of them are so wonderful looking that you’ll have trouble deciding what to order. The chocolate chip cookies are huge, crumbly, and soft with a wonderful, buttery texture. The macaroons are the French kind, consisting of two crisp, airy cookies sandwiching a creamy filling. Walton’s also serves flourless chocolate cake, cheesecakes, salty oat cookies, peanut brittle, and white trash. The store also carries breakfast pastries, breakfast tacos, coffees, and flowers. Yes, you read right – flowers. They offer floral arrangement services and picnic baskets to create a perfect romantic picnic for you and your special someone.
Monument Cafe
Monument Cafe is located just off the historic square in Georgetown, about fifteen miles north of Austin. It has previously been voted one of the best small town cafes in the nation. Monument is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is a favorite with locals, in particular college students at Southwestern University. The food at Monument is always fresh, with homemade biscuits, soups, desserts, and fresh-squeezed orange juice. Vegetables and dairy products are organic, meats are hormone free, and the coffee is a locally roasted fair trade.
Monument is the perfect place for a special weekend brunch, just make sure to get there early as it fills up fast. French toast has a deliciously crispy exterior and soft interior served with whipped butter and warm syrup. The pancakes are large and fluffy, perfect for soaking up plenty of syrup. The migas are also delicious and well seasoned.
At lunch or dinner, the tortilla soup has a delicious blend of spices in a tomato broth with chicken and vegetables. Monument is particularly famous for their juicy burgers served with hand-cut French fries. Of course, you can’t forget the standard diner fare of chicken fried steak served with cream gravy and choice of three vegetable sides.
Finally, make sure to save room for dessert. Monument serves up milkshakes, malts, sundaes, root beer floats, coconut cream pie, cookies, crisps, and their famous chocolate pie. This pie is dense and fudgy with a thick layer of whipped cream on top. Whatever dessert you settle on, you are sure to end your meal full and happy!
For more information on these restaurants, visit their websites listed below:
Austin Java: http://www.austinjava.com/
Mandola’s: http://www.mandolasmarket.com/
Magnolia Cafe: http://themagnoliacafe.com/
Walton’s Fancy and Staple: http://www.waltonsfancyandstaple.com/home.aspx
Monument Cafe: http://www.themonumentcafe.com/
