Austin is a booming city full of life, and certainly a hotspot for some of the best standout restaurants – both old and new. It’s already a challenge picking somewhere to eat, and even more difficult sorting out the best from the mediocre. Let us help you decide with these three foodie hotspots you need on your radar. Whether an out-of-towner asking for recommendations or a local looking for new foodie gems, one of these is bound to catch your attention. Go ahead, see for yourself! 

YAMAS Greek Kitchen and Bar

To say cheers in Greek, you say ” Yamas,” which is short for “Stin Yeia Mas,” which means to our health. 

Greece is all the rage for Americans lately. Want a taste of Greece without an airline ticket overseas?

The owners of YAMAS Greek Kitchen and Bar both hail from Greece themselves and wanted to bring a little OPA! to Austin. Just off of MoPac, you’ll find this brand new, super hip restaurant. Driving up to the building, it looks straight out of Mykonos or Santorini with its white architecture, blue highlights, and pink flowers popping off.

When you walk in, you will be greeted by a mural of a very welcoming Medusa. The interior also speaks Greek. Be ready for an upscale experience. They feature a great Greek themed cocktail menu, including the Medusa Margarita. The mocktail menu is impressive as well. Or you can go with one of their wines imported straight from Greece. They offer 11 white Greek wines (such as the Assyyrtiko from Patras) and 9 Greek reds (such as the Techni Alipias from Drama, Greece).

Start with a mezze of fried feta with mixed sesame, rolled in crumbled roasted walnuts, or zucchini pancakes, shrimp donuts, or keftedakia, Greek meatballs with tomato sauce and crumbled feta. You can also find spanakopita in the lineup.

They also feature an uncommon array of Greek salads, sides, and a raw bar. The beef short ribs, cooked in tomato sauce with Greek spices, served with orzo was a highlight. We also recommend the pricey lobster linguine, with a traditional Greek mizithra.

Enjoy a bit of Greek life right in the ATX! 

El Naranjo

Transport your taste buds to Mexico with traditional Mexican flavors and fresh ingredients that savor the flavor of summer. 

El Naranjo is bringing rich traditions of Mexican cooking from the heart of Oaxaca straight to Austin. Everything is made from scratch – they make their own tortillas with Heirloom Corn (imported from different regions of Mexico), bake their own bread, and use fresh vegetables and herbs. 

The masterminds behind Austin’s traditional Mexican restaurant El Naranjo is 2022 James Beard Award Winning Chef Iliana de la Vega and her partner Ernesto Torrealba. The culinary flavors are reminiscent of their former internationally acclaimed restaurant in Oaxaca. 

El Naranjo’s and Chef de la Vega’s mission is to showcase in-season produce as much as possible, and they do just that with their ever-changing menu. 

Savor the flavor of summer with their new seasonal summer menu. The vibrant summer flavors include blending spice and citrus with savory notes, and features fresh ingredients like the roasted habanero chile, Yucatecan oregano, prickly pear, and more. National Tequila Day may be over but it’s never too late to celebrate for any reason – even for just making it through the day. La Tunita is a special tequila-based cocktail, featuring silver tequila and red prickly pear puree that will surely kick start the summer relaxation you deserve.

We suggest starting with the Queso Oaxaca Fundido – a cheesy dream topped with your choice of mushroom, chorizo, or huitlacoche. 

It’s a must to try their signature dish – The King of The Moles – the Mole Negro de Oaxaca with Duck Breast. This is Oaxaca’s staple, and takes 3 days to make. This Mole was the best we’ve ever had, and certainly lives up to its expectations. I can understand why it’s a best-seller. (You can choose to substitute it with chicken if you’re not feeling the duck). The dish has some smokiness and a little sweetness to it due to the hint of Oaxaca-style chocolate.

The Costillas de Res A Los Dos Chiles had me smiling from ear-to-ear every time I took a bite. The boneless beef short ribs were flavorful and tender, and even more delicious when dipped in the goat cheese mashed potatoes. The spiciness will hit you after a while. 

If you’re super hungry and looking for a heavy protein meal, the Chamorro is the largest protein they have. The bone-in pork shank is slowly cooked for 24 hours.

Another unique item on the menu is the Pastel Azteca. They place a tortilla at the bottom of the dish, layer it with spinach, almonds, raisins and goat cheese, then add tomato chipotle sauce and another tortilla. They repeat the layering-process, add more sauce, then throw it in the oven so it bakes like lasagna. This is a great vegetarian and gluten-free dish, but you could also add chorizo as a topping. 

The cocktails are just as vibrant and unique as the dishes. Try the classics like the El Naranjo Martini or the Margarita. There is no margarita mix, so the drinks aren’t overly sweet. The La Llorona with Union Mezcal tastes smoky, and isn’t too sweet nor strong. You can even pick your favorite agave spirit to create your own margarita or Mexican martini. 

Be sure to ask your server for the daily selection of rotating pastries and desserts. We had the gluten-free Basque Cheesecake, which originates from the Basque region of Spain. The crustless Spanish cheesecake was puffy and jiggly in texture, and had a custard-like, creamy filling. The Basque Cheesecake and Flan are always on the menu. (Sometimes they’ll have Coffee Flan).

Mark your calendars, because Chef de la Vega will be welcoming Chef Christian Bravo from Mexico to Austin for an intimate Yucatecan dinner on August 31st. You’ll enjoy a curated five course dinner celebrating the food and drink inspired by the flavors of the Yucatan Peninsula.

Let your experience do the talking! You’ll soon understand why it’s been recognized as the best Mexican restaurant in the Austin region, and been named among the top 10 restaurants in the city. 

Modern Market

Modern Market is the modern definition of fast food, but the good kind that we all hope for and need. This type of “fast food” is clean, nourishing, and enjoyable. 

Modern Market is where you go for quick and convenient, sustainable fresh food that just makes you feel good overall. I’m talking about made-from-scratch sustainable ingredients that you are actually able to recognize and pronounce. There’s no artificial flavors or colors, hydrogenated anything, trans fat, hormones, antibiotics – none of that. 

Modern Market’s mission is to nourish happiness from the inside out, and personally, I think that mission has been accomplished (at least for me). This is the type of fast food that’s filling, and will give you the energy you need to make it through the day, but also have you feeling great throughout. And when you feel great, it’s an easy road to happiness. 

Not only is it beneficial for our bodies, it’s also better for our planet. Everything is organic and locally produced (when possible). The farmers, ranchers and chefs all work together to bring you nourishing yet tasty food that’s bright and colorful, just as if you were buying the flavorful fare from the farmers market. 

Anyone can fulfill their healthy foodie lifestyle here with the broad menu of scratch-prepared items and limitless customizations. It’s quick and convenient. Inside you’ll find tech-enabled kitchens, super fast wait times, and seamless digital ordering tools that will make Modern Market the new go-to spot- no matter how busy your schedule. 

The Basil Chicken is one of the best-sellers for good reason; it’s deliciously toasted, and has the perfect balance of fresh chicken and basil aioli. This is my favorite from the menu – I’ll certainly be coming back just for this sandwich. Add a side of chips to elevate the dish with saltiness. 

All the fresh ingredients in the Smoky Chicken Bowl – like the organic rice & quinoa and chile sweet potato – bled so effortlessly well together. The cotija, avocado tomatillo salsa, and smoked crema makes it taste more like a Mexican dish. 

This doesn’t seem like a place where you would expect good pizza, but you’ll sure find some deliciousness here that will satisfy all your pizza needs. The Margherita Pizza was very thin (just how I like it) with a sweet and light sauce. Their new summer menu includes a Street Corn Pizza you need to try at least once. These are pizzas you won’t feel bad about eating! 

While you’re at it, don’t be shy about trying some of their other summer menu items, like the colorful Greens & Grains or Summer Garden salads. Craving something sweet? The Strawberry Nutella Waffle should satisfy that sweet tooth. 

The drinks are just as flavorful and healthy as the sustainable food, too. We suggest trying the Cucumber Lemonade that’s super refreshing; this health drink will put any soda to shame. 

You’ll feel good about bringing the kids for a casual night out. They won’t even realize they’re eating healthy!

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Cover photo courtesy Modern Market