Top Best American Restaurants in Lake Austin

"Designed to feel more like a Hill Country ranch than a restaurant, Contigo is just north of much of Austin's action, drawing families on the weekends with kids who love to run around its outdoor space. The steaks and burgers are well worth going out of your way for, as are the cocktails, which are mostly seasonal. You'll feel like a real Austinite here, surrounded by locals from the neighborhood at one of the family-style tables and chatting up the staff that seems to know every anecdote about what's served here and where it comes from."

"Contigo is a choice location just outside of downtown for amazing, well, everything. The completely outdoor rustic eating area is true to Texas and very rancho-chic. The food offerings are farm to table and as such, vary often based on ingredient availability."

"Situated on Anchor Lane just by the Southwest Greenway, the first thing diners notice about Contigo is the fantastic open front and huge outdoor dining area. This is because the ow..."

"If there's one restaurant in Austin that wins the eyes-bigger-than-your-stomach award, it's Emmer & Rye. The main menu, packed with heritage-grain pastas like White Sonora Tortellini and Blue Beard Durum Spaghetti, is indulgent enough already, but the kicker is the dim sum tray, a rolling temptation housing small bites like red snapper with peach and prickly pear agua chile, plus the famous Yellow Bolita Corn Johnny Cakes. Each dish is such an elegant composition that it's hard to say no, making eating here one of the most-fun (and filling) dining experiences in the city."

"Emmer & Rye will be offering a pre-fixe, take-home meal kit for two, for $150, as well as a multi-course in-house dining menu for $125 with an optional wine pairing for $60. Enjoy items like Red Snapper crudo, Seared Halloumi, Wagyu Beef, and 7 Layer Devils Cake for dessert. Reservations and pre-orders for Emmer & Rye can be made at emmerandrye.com or by calling (512) 366-5530."

"Emmer & Rye knows how to pair sweets with just a little bit of savoriness to lift the flavor. Their Caramelized Corn Cake features prickly pear, lemon curd, and mushroom miso for a winning combination of sweet, sour, and savory."

"Located in one of Austin’s most charming neighborhoods, inside an even more charming house, Josephine House is ideal if you have one of those jobs where you can “work remote” and start your morning off at a slower pace. Really enjoy that first cup of coffee and sit outside on the patio - especially when the weather is on point. Menu-wise, there’s everything from highly fancy cereal to huevos rancheros, and you really can’t go wrong here."

"Want to feel like you’re in the middle of one of those travel Instagrams you’re fairly certain is not actually a real place, and was just staged for the perfect photo?. Welcome to Josephine House. Everything about this place is perfect, starting with its insanely adorable craftsman house location to the striped straws they put in all their cocktails."

"There’s a good chance that this is not your first time hearing about this place and for good reason. It’s the food you want to eat for every meal married with the coziest spot that you never want to leave. The rice bowl is my favorite, ideally paired with a glass of rosé."

"I have not been to this restaurant yet, but it’s on my list of places to try. According to the website, it has a nice playground, kids menu, and on Tuesdays, kids eat free with the purchase of an adult entree. 4005 W Parmer Ln, silvergrillcafe.com"

"In 2016, Austin restaurateurs Eddy Patterson and John Scott (of popular Stubb’s BBQ) renovated an old print shop into one of the city’s classiest restaurants. Eberly has the corner on swanky, old-timey ambiance, from its leather furniture to crowded bookshelves to the 150-year-old mahogany bar that was purchased from now-closed iconic New York City bar Cedar Tavern and rebuilt right inside the restaurant. But most importantly, executive chef Jo Chan’s menu is a local treasure, with unique farm-to-table offerings, including tagliatelle with forest mushrooms and braised short rib with cheddar polenta and roasted Tokyo turnips."

"Eberly's beautiful concept space—a mixture of new and old—has quickly become one of Austin's top spots for a night out. Dine at the mahogany bar (transported from NYC’s historic Cedar Tavern), in the study (a narrow room boasting steel flying buttresses and lined with books), the open air patio or the beautiful dining room, in which curved booths and shapely wood wall panels serve as a nod to Frank Lloyd Wright’s aesthetic. The New American fare and classic cocktails don’t disappoint either."

"After an eight-month hiatus during the pandemic, executive chef Jo Chan and her team returned in December to bring its taste of midcentury Manhattan. Pair new dishes like Japanese milk rolls and braised short ribs with Tyler Nauman’s cocktail menu, which speaks to the story of its 152-year-old cedar bar, transported from New York via the historic Cedar Tavern Bar, where many of the city’s artists and musicians once drank."

"Craving a sandwich, but want something a little more artisanal than Subway?. Head to Snarf’s Sandwiches, a local deli that handcrafts ridiculously addicted sandwiches. On the menu, you’ll find classics like turkey and swiss cheese, meatball parmesan, and BLT sandwiches as well as specialty offerings featuring corned beef, prime rib, and artichoke and feta subs."

"The Colorado-import prides itself on made-to-order sandwiches with homemade bread. The sandwiches come in varying sizes, which make it perfect for sharing with friends and coworkers or saving halves for later."

"Located on the UT campus, this New American restaurant boosts familiar favorites with a sophisticated touch. The menu spotlights ingredients from local farms and ranches, plus seafood from the Gulf. Entrees such as rack of lamb and grilled ribeye are sure to earn applause."

"The Carillon will be offering a to-go option for pick up on Saturday, February 13 and Sunday, February 14. This 4-course dinner package is for two people and priced at $140. Reservations need to be made by Tuesday, February 9th by calling us at 512-404-3654."

"East Austin Southern Heights might be the eastmost brewery that’s still technically in Austin. It’s a little tricky to find, but once you get there, the ping pong table, dog-friendly space, board games, free wifi and rotating brews mean you’ll likely become regular. Breweries can sometimes feel somewhat sterile, but that’s not the case with Southern Heights; their taproom is playfully furnished with bright colors, a funky wall of magazine covers, and the piece de resistance, a VW bus."

"The first time I walked into Southern Heights, I was blown away by how big this craft brewery is!. It’s pretty far out there in East Austin where space is more readily available than on, say, East 6th Street. Southern Heights is an all-around fun place to hang out with your possy of people."

"This dog-friendly brewery offers eight beers on tap and rotating food trucks. It’s open Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m., Saturday from noon to 10 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 7 p.m."

"Architetto Ruffini, Hopsquad's Italian pilsner is going to blow your boots off into League One. Every time I daydream about Hopsquad, I think first about how delicious that lager is. Then I imagine myself drinking it with a full panoramic of the new Austin FC stadium in the distance and a full weekend slate of English Premier League games above."

"One of Austin’s newer breweries is this North Burnet one, with both indoor and outdoor seating. Expect beers such as the Community Pils and the season-perfect Matador Watermelon Mint summer ale. New food truck Kasey’s serves up sliders and chicken wings."

"Live Oak Brewing Company is located along the picturesque Colorado River among groves of live oaks in Del Valle, just minutes from downtown Austin. Live Oak uses old world brewing methods to produce its lagers and ales, such as the Live Oak HefeWeizen (a classic Bavarian wheat beer). Sip a pint in the shady outdoor biergarten or the indoor taproom.Drive-thru beer-to-go available online"

"AboutMy personal favorite brewery in Austin (partially because it was my first EVER brewery in Austin and houses my favorite beer). Live Oak is pretty new but is already topping the charts. They’re known for more wheatbeers & white beers, which is what I love."

"Located near the Airport and just 8 miles from Downtown, Live Oak Brewery has a HUGE outdoor space complete with firepits and a frisbee golf course!"

"Carpetbagging burger chains like In-N-Out and Shake Shack may have breached Austin's city limits, but locals know that the best quick burger in town comes from P."

"First Wok continues to reign as a classic Austin favorite with big reliable plates of American Chinese food dining in or carrying out."

"Surrounded on three sides by water, Red Bud Isle is an ideal place to let dogs roam without a leash. The 13-acre park is basically one big, wide loop trail with a scrubby forest in the middle. Million-dollar mansions overlook the park, allowing a glimpse into the world of Austin’s rich folk."

"Your canine companion will love this trail road since they can be with you leash-free. Red Bud offers easy access to parking and parts of the Lady Bird Lake outside downtown Austin. If you don’t find yourself hiking or biking within the grounds, take a kayak and paddle away at the waters."

"If parks mean nothing to you unless your pal with four paws can come, head to Red Bud Isle. This is an island in the middle of the Colorado River between Westfield and Westlake Hills. It has a lakefront, off-leash dog park, where your pup can splash and play."