east
AUSTIN
We maintain this page with recommendations for great restaurants, hotels and things to do in East Austin. This is our personal neighborhood where we live and work. The guide continues to evolve, as does the area, and we welcome your suggestions as well!! If you visit any of these spots, please tag us on social media for a chance to win $100 donation to your favorite charity.
TOP 3 THINGS TO LOVE ABOUT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD
1. Food. Some of the BEST restaurants in Austin are in this neighborhood. Too many to name, and across dozens of cuisines, price points, and vibes. And the high end spots have the same cool vibe as some of the dives.
2. Location. Proximity to so many things that matter. You can be downtown, UT-Austin, or the airport within 10 minutes. Friends in North Loop or Hyde Park? 10 minutes. You can have a car but would also be completely fine without.
3. Similar to downtown, enjoy popular nightlife, from lively clubs to high-end cocktail bars, or stay active in several city parks or trails. Community gardens, yoga studios, and food parks share space with increasingly expensive real estate.
HIGHLIGHTS - Bars and Happy Hours
Ah Sing Den – Asian-themed bar named after the owner of one of East London’s most famous opium dens
Grackle – Inclusive hipster dive bar with a pool table and jukebox and small outdoor area
Lustre Pearl East – chill hangout spot for drinks, nibbly things and people watching
The Liberty – one of the oldest bars on East 6th with a food trailer in the back
The Vortex – artist owned theatre that shares a lot with Patrizis Italian food truck
Skylark – live blues music in a trailer
Central Machine Works – great people watching in a huge space with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Beer and pizza kind of place
La Holly – Tacos and Margaritas either inside the coldest small house bar or outside in a fairly large dog-friendly patio
HIGHLIGHTS - Lunch / Dinner
Suerte (Upscale Mexican) ***Also great for Brunch
Intero (American / Italian)
Justine’s (UNIQUE French) – French food and cocktails in a bungalow space and light-strung patio
Launderette – upscale New American restaurant in a converted laundromat
Via 313 (Detroit style pizza)
Love Supreme (Pizza / Great Outdoor space)
Nixta Taqueria (Best tacos in Austin IMHO)
La Barbecue – Our favorite bbq spot for its brisket and beef ribs.
HIGHLIGHTS - WHAT TO DO IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD
We rarely do tours but the ones we do (and highly recommend) in Austin it’s the Weird Austin Tour with live music. They make a stop along East 6th Street.
We were members of Thinkery, a great place to go for a bit of nerding it up. And also of the Zilker Botanical Gardens, though embarrassed to admit our membership has yet to actually draw us to a visit. But there is also an Alamo Drafthouse for movies, one of those Hatchet throwing spots (never for us) and lots of tennis and basketball courts all around.
MLK Park and Boggy Creek Trail is huge, beautiful, and not too crowded. Its also home to St David’s Foundation Community Garden, a great spot for amateur gardeners to hone their craft. And of course Lady Bird Lake is great.
If you want shopping, there is not much in East Austin just yet. Stay tuned. We hear there is more to come.
HIGHLIGHTS - NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS
- East Austin is part of the Austin Independent School District, which offers public and private options including:
- – Liberal Arts & Science Academy
- – Blackshear Elementary School
- – Campbell Elementary School
- – Garza Independence High School
- – Govalle Elementary School
- – IDEA Montopolis