South Congress, fondly called SoCo, is a vibrant neighborhood found in South Congress Avenue in between Bouldin Creek and TravisHeights. Once a rural road during the 1850s it has transformed from a capital gateway into a popular cultural and shopping district. Austinites, the younger generation, and tourists are drawn to the lively rows of vintage stores, boutiques, and restaurants lining the avenue with a clear vantage view of Texas State Capitol. Austin’s restaurant trend is modern, chic, and at times eclectic. The menu options range from the typical Tex-Mex food fare, freshest oysters and seafood, to the most exotic oriental dishes always paired with a glass of wine or premium beverage. Explore the best restaurants in Austin South Congress, Texas that we’ve listed below and book a reservation with them now!
1. South Congress Cafe
It’s biscuits and gravy day!!!! 2 homemade biscuits that we charred up on the grill. Topped with sage sausage gravy and...
Posted by South Congress Cafe on Wednesday, 19 December 2018
South Congress Cafe was built on the concepts of a new millennium of local artists and food fare. This former 1940s pharmacy was transformed into a hip and relaxing café with parts of its original structure intact. Dine al fresco under the shade of trees in their outdoor patio. Savor their high-class dishes like the grilled homemade biscuits topped with eggs, sausage, sage and gravy with a side dish of chili-seared tomatoes and potatoes. End your meal with delicious desserts like salted butterscotch crème brulee paired with a glass of premium port wine. They are open for brunch, dinner, and desserts. They have a good selection of wines, drinks, whiskeys, and bourbons.
South Congress Café
Address: 1600 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704, USA
Website: South Congress Café
Opening hours: Saturday to Sunday 9AM-10PM / Monday to Friday 10AM-10PM
Average price for two people: 11-30 USD
2. Perla's
Posted by Perla's Seafood & Oyster Bar on Tuesday, 12 January 2016
Feel like a celebrity when dining at Perla’s. The restaurant has a fresh, laidback, and lively ambiance with its modern interiors and nautical motif. Their shaded outdoor patio is one of those places where you’d like to see and be seen. Perla’s takes dining to a higher notch by serving the freshest seafood and oyster imported daily from the Gulf of Mexico. Their Cape Cod menu is inspired from the East Coast so don’t expect a traditional Texan menu. Try their seared Pacific yellowfin tuna ala plancha paired with any of their signature drinks. For dessert, we recommend the chocolate hazelnut cream taken with coffee or any of their dessert wines.
Perla’s Seafood & Oyster Bar
Address: 1400 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704, USA
Website: Perla’s
Opening hours: Saturday 10:30AM-11PM /Sunday 10:30AM-10PM /Monday to Thursday 11:30AM-10AM / Friday 11:30AM-11PM
Average price for two people: 31-60 USD
3. Central Standard Bar & Grill
TGIT, y'all. Join us for 1/2 off all specialty cocktails, beers & wine by the glass, plus special pricing on apps like our Hot Crab Dip from 4:30-6:30pm. #cstandardatx #barandgrill Photo: IG/thoseatxvibes
Posted by Central Standard on Thursday, 20 July 2017
Central Standard Bar & Grill is a classy restaurant located in South Congress Hotel that serves brunch, dinner, midday meals, and happy hour. It has luxurious interiors with a long, full bar with marble counters and a private dining area with floor-to-ceiling windows with a clear view of South Congress Avenue and downtown. They serve a modern American menu including the best East Coast oysters, appetizers, salads, and main dishes paired with a wide selection of alcoholic drinks, wine, and beverages. Looking for a place to impress your 30 or so guests for your cocktail party or business meeting? Then book a table at Central Standard!
Central Standard Bar & Grill
Address: 1603 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704, USA
Website: Central Standard Bar & Grill
Opening hours: Sunday 11AM-10PM / Monday to Wednesday 3PM-10PM/ Thursday to Friday 3PM-11PM/ Saturday 11AM-11PM
Average price for two people: 31-60 USD
4. Sway
Posted by Sway on Wednesday, 21 December 2016
Sway is a fine dining restaurant that serves modern Thai cuisine with stylish interiors featuring an open kitchen. The owner aims to incorporate his Australian culinary style with Thai cooking and the Tex-Mex culture of Austin. Aside from the great food that includes fresh seafood, curries, and unique desserts, customers are enticed with the attractive Oriental decor of the dining area which includes communal seating. They do catering and pick-up orders.
Sway
Address: 1417 S 1st St, Austin, TX 78704, USA
Website: Sway
Opening hours: Sunday to Wednesday 11AM-10PM/ Thursday to Saturday 11AM-11PM
Average price for two people: 11-30 USD
5. Hopdoddy Burger Bar
Another baesic burger pic. Photo: @bridge_eats
Posted by Hopdoddy Burger Bar on Thursday, 7 December 2017
Where else can you get a mouthwatering burger made from organic and fresh ingredients paired with a delicious mug of hand-crafted beer? Hopdoddy has been serving the community since 2010 providing Black Angus beef burgers that are hormone and antibiotic free sandwiched in their home-baked buns. The lines to grab a seat in the restaurant are often long and winding. Think of their classic burger or Terlingua (Angus beef with sassy sauce, Tillamook cheddar, corn fritos, and chili con carne) washed down with one of their local brews then it’s definitely worth waiting in line for!
Hopdoddy Burger Bar
Address: 1400 S Congress Ave, Ste A190, Austin, TX 78704
Website: Hopdoddy Burger Bar
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 11AM-10PM/ Friday to Saturday 11AM-11PM/ Sunday 11AM-10PM
Average price for two people: 11-30 USD
6. Enoteca Vespaio
Pan seared rainbow trout, house linguine, sugar snap peas, spring onion puree, saffron-tomato butter
Posted by Enoteca Vespaio on Thursday, 8 March 2018
Enoteca Vespaio is the smaller, bistro-inspired sibling of the famous Vespaio Italian restaurant. It was created to provide their loyal customers with a comfortable dining experience and a more diverse menu. The café serves lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch providing the best fine dining Italian cuisine like pizza, pasta, bread and their sumptuous cured meats, dry goods, and deli items made from in-house ingredients.
Entoeca Vespaio
Address: 1610 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704, USA
Website: Entoeca Vespaio
Opening hours: Sunday 10AM–3PM, 5PM–10PM/ Monday to Saturday 11AM-10PM
Average price for two people: 11-30 USD
7. Lucky Robot
Swing by for our new #lunch menu every Monday-Friday from 11-3pm, featuring new #healthy options, including bowls, bentos, and bots! ??? Thanks for the pic, Austin Food Adventures!
Posted by Lucky Robot Japanese Kitchen on Thursday, 17 January 2019
Lucky Robot was a part of Zen, a local food chain. Awarded ‘Restaurant of the Week’ in 2013 by Do512, they offer a traditional Japanese menu with a focus on sushi and other familiar dishes created from their modern Japanese kitchen. They use the freshest seafood and fish sourced from all corners of the world and paired with wine from their in-house sake collection. Each plate is a colorful work of art with a little taste of Tokyo playing on your taste buds.
Lucky Robot
Address: 1303 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704, USA
Website: Lucky Robot
Opening hours: Sunday 10:30AM-10PM /Monday to Thursday 11AM-10PM/ Friday 11AM-10:30PM/ Saturday 10:30AM-10:30PM
Average price for two people: 11-30 USD
8. Guero's Taco Bar
For a semi lighter fare, go with a burrito filled with sautéed veggies. Don’t forget to add on the red and green sauce!
Posted by Guero's Taco Bar on Monday, 14 January 2019
Guero’s, one of the busiest restaurants on SoCo, was formerly a feed store in a warehouse space. The menu is the typical Tex-Mex cuisine leveled up a few notches. The servings are big, ingredients always fresh, and their alcoholic concoctions like the hand-shaken Margaritas are guaranteed to make you tipsy. Indulge in Tacos al Pastor and burritos with salsas and guacamoles in large plates or appetizer sizes. Guero’s is the favorite meet-up place of locals during Sundays after a trip to the lake. Enjoy live musical entertainment from their Oak Garden, the outdoor patio with a seating area shaded by trees. The ambiance reminds you of the old Mexican cantinas.
Guero’s Taco Bar
Address: 1412 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704, USA
Website: Guero’s Taco Bar
Opening hours: Sunday 8AM-10PM/ Monday to Wednesday 11AM-10PM/ Thursday to Friday 11AM-11PM/ Saturday 8AM-11PM
Average price for two people: 11-30 USD
9. Otoko
New mukozuke from #chefyoshiokai: arctic char from Iceland + ayu vinaigrette, mint, unbloomed passion flower, moroheiya beans #omakase #otokoaustin #regram IG/yokaiberry ✌?️
Posted by Otoko on Friday, 16 September 2016
Otoko is a posh 12-seater Japanese restaurant inside South Congress Hotel. It is owned and operated by its head chef Yoshi Okai. He prepares each multi-course omakase (chef’s choice) with at least nine different kinds of sushi right before your eyes. He uses the freshest ingredients depending on the season and availability, then explains the harmony of each one in creating an extraordinary bite-sized dish. His cuisine is a combination of Tokyo’s sushi and Kyoto’s kaiseki which gives his customers an intimate gastronomic experience.
Otoko
Address: 1603 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704, USA
Website: Otoko
Opening hours: Wednesday to Saturday 5PM-10PM / Sunday to Tuesday closed
Average price for two people: 61 USD and above
10. Café No Sé
Pain perdu, brioche french toast. Creamy cheesecake, raspberry jam + fresh berries. ? Happy Monday, indeed. #cafénoséatx
Posted by Café No Sé on Monday, 1 October 2018
Tucked in the corner of South Congress Avenue right inside the South Congress Hotel is the rustic but cozy Café No Se. Its outdoor patio is set away from the sidewalk and away from traffic so it may be tricky to find. There’s lots of indoor solo tables, outdoor seating, and a communal table in the center. Popular for its delicious desserts, it also serves the best bread and baked pastries daily. The café is perfect for a spur-of-the-moment lunch with a western touch.
Café No Se
Address: 1603 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704, USA
Website: Café No Se
Opening hours: Sunday to Saturday 7AM-10PM
Average price for two people: 11-30 USD
Drink and dine in SoCo

The numerous dining options and a variety of cuisines have made Austin’s South Congress the newest food destination aside from being a cultural hub. The diversity of their menus are set to satisfy the most discerning taste buds. If you’re up for a unique and unforgettable food adventure then book a reservation in one of the restaurants in Austin’s South Congress.
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