South Austin

Proud Mary Coffee

Only about a half of a year old, Proud Mary Coffee hails from Melbourne, Australia. Quite busy on a Saturday morning, we enjoyed indoor seating at a long wooden table with little stools pulled up as chairs. The Instagram-worthy cappuccino paired very well with the potato hash, the roasted cauliflower salad, and the avo toast. There are smaller and lighter options such as smoothies, fruit juices and tonics, and, if you’re lucky, they will not have sold out of their chocolate banana bread. If you’re keen to try a sweet dish made famous by the Aussies, try their Lamington paired with coffee. The cream on top is a parking garage located directly behind the coffee shop, making your next brunch date here a breeze. 

Maie Day

On the very hip South Congress, in a spot formerly occupied by Central Standard, is now the adorably named Maie Day. With the interior taking on a “Midsummer” vibe, the community chophouse menu contains shareables, main entrées, and “add-ons”. The stand out appetizer was Maie’s El Rancho- Roberta Armstrong Dip, an elevated queso with sausage, onion, tomato and avocado served with warm biscuit chips. This award winning dish is notable for good reason–definitely a crowd favorite! We also recommend the Afternoon Delight Grain Bowl filled with whole food goodness or the heartier Prime Rib Sliders.

This area of South Congress is quite busy on the weekend, so we recommend a reservation. There’s a parking garage directly behind the restaurant. Don’t forget to bring in your parking ticket for validation, or you will pay $10 per hour.

East Austin

Getting its unusual name from folklore, Vixen’s Wedding is at the bottom of one of the newer East Austin hotels, ARRIVE. This re-gentrified area is full of nightlife on a weekend. Adorably decorated, the restaurant with its Portuguese and Goa roots is meant for family style sharing. With a generous happy hour from Thursday to Sunday (5-7 p.m.), you can enjoy four of their tastiest appetizers to share to include the gunpowder cauliflower and the citrusy brussels sprouts. But what will have you coming back is the warm, perfectly toasted naan bread that you will want to wrap up in like a warm blanket. When asked which spread you would like for the multiple orders of bread that you will order, the fermented chili butter is the clear winner. 

If you would like heartier shareable dishes, you might choose the pan seared fish or roasted chicken. Don’t forget to try a beverage (or two) from their special menu of beer, cocktails, and wines by the glass. Most refreshing is their frozen mango lassi, blended with vodka, cachaca, coconut, lime, and yogurt for creamy perfection in a petite glass that’s just right. A good option for parking is to valet with ARRIVE hotel for only $10. 

Cedar Park

Recently opening in Cedar Park is Spare Birdie for all those who are interested in pairing a game of bowling or indoor golf with dinner or appetizers. An elevated sports bar, we recommend a reservation: Enjoy a one-hour game, followed by dinner in the dining room at a table. You can order from a separate menu while you play games, but there are no proper tables in that area of the destination. We enjoyed the hummus with pita bread as an appetizer during bowling. They have a great craft beer selection from impressive Texas breweries and wine and cocktails aplenty. The highlight of bowling were the 80s videos playing behind the pins. In the main dining room, try the blackened shrimp pasta with pesto covered fettuccine, parmesan, and pinenuts. The braised short rib and gnocchi is another hearty selection. 

Georgetown

We are a sucker for the beautiful and historic Georgetown Square. You can walk around this downtown square and find loads of delicious food and Texas wine or craft beer. Sitting on the corner is Goodfolks, which has been there since 2021 in a restored building with heaps of character. A truly unique interior sets the stage for a delicious meal. Looking at their menu, one can easily tell that they specialize in fried chicken and scrumptious breads, such as biscuits and waffles. Their Sunday brunch features such dishes as chicken and waffles, chicken fried steak and eggs, and a chopped salad topped with fried chicken. You really can’t go wrong with these deep-fried goodies. Save room for dessert and treat yourself with the “cookie of the moment” or the peanut butter pie.

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 Cover Photo Courtesy Carlos Alfonso. 

Marika Flatt, Outstanding Austin Communicator 2021, is the Travel Editor of Texas Lifestyle Magazine. She began her travel writing career in 2002 with Austin Woman Magazine and now writes their “Texas Traveler” section. She can be seen as a contributor on TV shows across Texas, offering travel tips and spent five years as the voice of the “Weekend Trip Tip” on NPR’s Texas Standard.