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Food tours in Austin: what to eat and which tour to book
Austin eats three things better than almost anywhere: Central Texas barbecue, breakfast tacos and Tex-Mex. Barbecue here means brisket, ribs and sausage smoked for hours over post oak, sold by the pound on butcher paper, often from places that open at 11:00 and sell out by early afternoon. Breakfast tacos (egg, potato, bacon or chorizo in a flour tortilla) are the city's daily breakfast, and food trucks parked behind bars and in lots across East and South Austin do much of the most interesting cooking. The small towns south-east of the city, Lockhart above all, are part of the barbecue story.
Use this page to decide what to order and where. The dishes and areas below say what each place does well and when to go, including when barbecue tends to run out. The tours listed are real GetYourGuide listings, with prices as seen when we checked; prices and schedules change, so confirm on the booking page before you pay.
What to eat in Austin
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoked brisket brisket (by the pound) | Beef brisket rubbed mostly with salt and black pepper and smoked for 12+ hours over post oak, sliced to order. Ask for 'moist' or 'fatty' (from the point) or 'lean' (from the flat). Sides are usually beans, potato salad, coleslaw, pickles, onion and white bread. | Barbecue joints across East Austin and South Austin; Franklin Barbecue on East 11th Street is the most famous and has sold out of brisket every day since it opened, with long lines. Lockhart, about 50 km south-east, has several historic smokehouses. | roughly USD 32–40 per pound; about USD 20–30 per person for a full plate (€17–26) |
| Breakfast tacos | Flour or corn tortillas filled with scrambled egg plus potato, bacon, chorizo, cheese or beans, with red or green salsa. Migas tacos (egg scrambled with fried tortilla strips, pepper and cheese) are an Austin favourite. | Taco trucks and Tex-Mex cafés everywhere, especially East Austin and East Cesar Chavez Street; many open early and serve until late morning or all day. | about USD 3–6 per taco (€2.60–5) |
| Queso chile con queso | Melted cheese dip with chiles and tomato, often with guacamole, ground beef or pico de gallo mixed in ('Bob Armstrong'-style is with taco meat and guacamole), eaten with tortilla chips. | Tex-Mex restaurants and bars across the city. | roughly USD 8–14 a bowl (€7–12) |
| Tex-Mex enchiladas and combination plates Tex-Mex | Cheese or beef enchiladas under chili gravy, crispy tacos, rice and refried beans, with free chips and salsa. The Texas-born style is distinct from Mexican regional cooking. | Long-running Tex-Mex restaurants along South Lamar, South Congress and East Austin. | roughly USD 15–22 a plate (€13–19) |
| Smoked sausage and beef ribs hot guts / beef ribs | Coarse beef or beef-and-pork smoked sausage from the German and Czech tradition of Central Texas meat markets, and huge smoked beef short ribs, often available only on some days. | Austin barbecue joints and the old meat markets in Lockhart, Luling and Taylor. | sausage about USD 6–9 a link; beef ribs roughly USD 35–45 per pound (€30–39) |
| Kolaches kolache / klobasnek | Czech-Texan sweet yeast buns filled with fruit or cream cheese; the sausage-filled version is technically a klobasnek but everyone calls it a kolache. | Bakeries and donut shops in Austin, and Czech-heritage towns on the highways out of the city. | about USD 2–4 each (€1.70–3.50) |
| Chicken-fried steak | Tenderised beef steak breaded and fried like fried chicken, covered in cream gravy, with mashed potatoes. A Texas diner staple. | Diners, cafés and old-style Texas restaurants. | roughly USD 16–24 (€14–21) |
Where to eat: markets and neighbourhoods
East Austin and East Cesar Chavez
The traditionally Mexican-American east side, now mixed: taco trucks, panaderías, barbecue, food trucks behind bars and many new restaurants along East 6th, East 11th, East 12th and East Cesar Chavez.
South Congress Avenue (SoCo)
Busy shopping street south of the river with views back to the Capitol, Tex-Mex restaurants, food trucks, ice cream and bars. Lively but tourist-heavy and pricier.
South Lamar and South First
Long roads with a mix of barbecue, Tex-Mex, Japanese, taco trucks and casual bars, more local than SoCo.
Downtown farmers' market (Republic Square)
Saturday farmers' market run by the Sustainable Food Center: Texas produce, meat, bread, tamales, coffee and breakfast tacos. Other SFC markets run on other days in other parts of the city.
Lockhart
Small town about 50 km (roughly 45 minutes' drive) south-east of Austin, officially named the barbecue capital of Texas, with several historic smokehouses within walking distance of each other.
Food tours in Austin compared
Every tour below is a real listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 2 Oct 2026. Prices move with season and group size, so treat them as a guide and confirm on the booking page.
| Tour | Length | Price* | Group | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From Austin: Hill Country BBQ & Wine Shuttle | 4.5 hours | from €61 per person | max 11 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Austin: Downtown Food Tour with 6+ Tastings of Local Flavors | 3 hours | from €88 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Austin: Live Music Crawl | 3 hours | from €88 per person | max 10 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| From Austin: Half-Day Hill Country Wine Shuttle | 4.5 hours | from €61 per person | max 10 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Austin Small Group Taco Tasting Food Tour | 2 hours | from €88 per person | max 10 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Austin: Street Art and Street Food Tour (Tastings Included!) | 2.5 hours | from €79 per person | — | First-timers on a budget who want to try many cheap dishes in one go. | Check dates |
From Austin: Hill Country BBQ & Wine Shuttle
On GetYourGuide · run by Austin Detours LLC
- Length
- 4.5 hours
- Price
- from €61 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 218 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 11
- Included
- Shuttle from Austin to Salt Lick BBQ Visit two Hill Country wineries Air-conditioned sprinter van Professional guide Cost of lunch Cost of wine tastings Tips
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- 103 E 5th St., Austin, TX 78701, USA
Austin: Downtown Food Tour with 6+ Tastings of Local Flavors
On GetYourGuide · run by Secret Food Tours
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €88 per person
- Rating
- 4.7 ★ from 95 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
Austin: Live Music Crawl
On GetYourGuide · run by Austin Detours LLC
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €88 per person
- Rating
- 4.7 ★ from 80 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 10
- Included
- Air-conditioned sprinter van Cover charges for 2-3 music venues Local entertainer guide Food and drinks Gratuities
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- The Driskill - The Unbound Collection by Hyatt
From Austin: Half-Day Hill Country Wine Shuttle
On GetYourGuide · run by Austin Detours LLC
- Length
- 4.5 hours
- Price
- from €61 per person
- Rating
- 4.8 ★ from 62 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 10
- Included
- Guide Transportation Food and drinks (available for purchase) Tips
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- We will meet up inside the Austin Visitor Center, 103 E. Fifth St., Austin, TX 78701, USA. There is no customer parking directly in front of the new Visitor Center. However, metered street parking is available on 5th Street, alongside the Mexic-Arte Museum and across the street (north side of 5th Street). Additional street parking can be found along other nearby blocks, including Congress Avenue, at a rate of $2.40 per hour. To better accommodate our guests, we have partnered with Frost Bank to offer parking in the Frost Bank Parking Garage at: 401 E. 4th St., Austin, TX 78701 (Garage entrance at 406 Brazos & 112 E. 4th St.) Visitors to the Austin Visitor Center can receive 1 hour and 10 minutes of free parking by scanning a QR code inside the Visitor Center. After the free period, the following rates apply: Monday–Friday: $3 per additional 20 minutes. Saturday & Sunday: $9.00 for up to 12 hours.
Austin Small Group Taco Tasting Food Tour
On GetYourGuide · run by See Sight Tours Inc
- Length
- 2 hours
- Price
- from €88 per person
- Rating
- 4.2 ★ from 12 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 10
- Included
- One Taco Quesadilla (Included in Price) Taquería de Diez Taco Tasting (Included in Price) Veracruz All Natural Taco Tasting (Included in Price) Scratch-made Churros From Torchy's (Included in Price) Small Group Format…
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Merit Coffee
Austin: Street Art and Street Food Tour (Tastings Included!)
On GetYourGuide · run by Austin Detours LLC
- Length
- 2.5 hours
- Price
- from €79 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 3 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Snacks and a beverage from two delicious local eateries and food trucks A comfortable seat on a Luxury Mercedes Sprinter Transportation around the city to hidden gems and neighborhoods that are off the beaten path A g…
- Suits
- First-timers on a budget who want to try many cheap dishes in one go.
- Starts
- Austin Visitor Center
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Street food, sit-down or a cooking class?
Street food
Austin's street food is the food truck (locals say 'trailer'). They park in permanent lots and behind bars, especially in East and South Austin, and range from breakfast tacos to Thai, Korean and barbecue. Most take cards; seating is usually picnic tables, and summer heat makes evenings much more comfortable than midday.
Sit-down meals
Barbecue is ordered at a counter by weight and eaten at shared tables. Tex-Mex restaurants are table service with free chips and salsa. Popular barbecue places run out: arrive near opening time or pre-order where possible. Menu prices exclude 8.25% sales tax and a tip of about 18–20% at table service.
Cooking classes
Cooking classes are not a big part of Austin tourism. What exists includes barbecue and smoking classes, Tex-Mex and taco classes, and cooking schools with themed evening sessions; check whether you cook yourself and whether a full meal and drinks are included.
How much to budget for food
| Style | Per person, per day* |
|---|---|
| Budget (street food, markets) | USD 35–50 (€30–43): breakfast tacos, a food-truck lunch and a casual dinner |
| Mid-range (one sit-down meal a day) | USD 80–120 (€70–105): barbecue lunch, a sit-down dinner with a drink, including tax and tip |
| Splurge (tasting menus, wine) | USD 200+ (€175+): a tasting menu at one of the city's top restaurants with drinks |
Vegetarian, halal and gluten-free
Vegetarian & vegan: Easier than the barbecue reputation suggests: Austin has many vegetarian and vegan restaurants and food trucks, bean-and-cheese and potato-egg breakfast tacos are everywhere, and Tex-Mex has cheese enchiladas. At barbecue joints, the sides are usually the only option, and beans may contain meat.
Halal: Limited but present: there are halal restaurants and food trucks (Middle Eastern, Pakistani, Mediterranean) mainly in North Austin and around the university. Mainstream barbecue is not halal, and pork is common in sausages, beans and tacos.
Gluten-free: Good awareness overall. Corn tortillas and plain smoked meats (salt-and-pepper brisket) are usually gluten-free, but check rubs, sauces and sausages, and note that flour tortillas are the default for breakfast tacos. Shared fryers are common in Tex-Mex.
Food scams and tourist traps to avoid
- Driving across town or queueing for hours at a famous barbecue place, only to find the brisket sold out. Arrive before opening, check the restaurant's social media for sell-out updates, pre-order where offered, or choose a place with shorter lines.
- Ordering barbecue by the pound without knowing how much that is, and paying for far more meat than you can eat. About a third to half a pound of meat per person is plenty; order a little of several meats and add more if needed.
- Prices rising sharply and tables disappearing during South by Southwest (March), Austin City Limits festival (October) and F1 race weekends. Book restaurants early if you visit during big events, or eat earlier and in neighbourhoods away from downtown.
- Tablet tip screens with 20–25% defaults at counters and food trucks, plus restaurants that add a service or 'kitchen' fee to the bill. Read the bill; tip about 18–20% at table service, and choose a smaller or custom amount at counters.
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Staying near the markets saves time and taxi money — most food tours start in the old centre.
Common questions
How long are the lines for barbecue in Austin?
At the most famous places, people start queueing before opening and waits of two to three hours are common, especially at weekends. Many very good barbecue joints have lines of 20–60 minutes. Go on a weekday, arrive near opening time, and remember that brisket and ribs often sell out by early afternoon. Some places take pre-orders for collection.
Is it worth driving to Lockhart for barbecue?
If barbecue is a reason for your trip, yes. Lockhart is about 45 minutes south-east of Austin by car and has several historic smokehouses within walking distance, some with old-style rules such as no forks or sauce. Go at lunchtime and check each place's opening days before you drive, since hours differ.
How much should I tip in Austin?
About 18–20% of the pre-tax bill at table-service restaurants is standard. At barbecue counters and food trucks, tipping is optional and a dollar or two or about 10% is fine. Some restaurants add a service charge, so check the bill. For a food-tour guide, about USD 10–20 per person is usual.
What is the difference between Tex-Mex and Mexican food?
Tex-Mex grew out of Tejano home cooking in Texas: yellow cheese, chili gravy, flour tortillas, crispy tacos, fajitas, queso and combination plates. Mexican regional food, which Austin also has plenty of, leans on corn tortillas, fresh salsas, slow-cooked meats and regional dishes such as mole or cochinita pibil. Try both.
How much should I budget for food per day in Austin?
On a budget, about USD 35–50 (€30–43) covers breakfast tacos, a food-truck lunch and a simple dinner. A comfortable day with a barbecue lunch and a sit-down dinner with a drink is roughly USD 80–120 including tax and tip. Prices rise during big festivals and race weekends.
When is the best time of year to eat around Austin?
Spring (March to May) and autumn (October to November) have the most comfortable weather for food trucks and outdoor tables. Summer is very hot, often above 35°C, so eat outdoors in the evening and queue for barbecue early. Big events such as SXSW in March and ACL in October make restaurants busier and pricier.
* Prices are approximate, gathered on 2 Oct 2026 from menus, markets and the booking pages linked above. They change with season and exchange rates.