You've heard it said before, but Austin, Texas is indeed the live music capital of the U.S. With its thick concentration of storied music venues and year-round calendar of acclaimed events like Austin City Limits and of course South By Southwest, even those who have never set foot in Austin concede its royal status in the music community. But tunes are hardly the only draw in the state capitol; its food hubs are as serious about their menus as its music clubs are about their gig calendars. If you're lucky enough to make the trip for SXSW, you have the opportunity to experience the best of both worlds. Below are a few go-to Texas-born dishes you'll want to hunt down between sets in Austin.
Dig this list? Click on the Spring It! button below to save it for later. (New to Springpad? We're a free application that makes it easy to save anything you want to remember. Learn more here.) BONUS: Save this list or any restaurant and you'll be entered to win a meal for you and your friends at SXSW, on us! We will choose a winner on March 19th and notify them by email.
Save the entire list: 
1. Chicken Fried Steak at Green Mesquite BBQ & More
Though barbecue is their specialty, this atmospheric juke joint is also a great place to find one of the simple pleasures in the southern food repertoire: fried meat.
Springpad_SXSWFood_01
Springpad_SXSWFood_02
Save this restaurant:
2. Shrimp and Crawfish Gumbo at Cherry Creek Catfish Co.
It's far from coastal, but Austin is home to some pretty spectacular seafood dishes. Check out Cherry Creek Catfish Co., but don't go with the catfish. Instead, get involved with some of the tasty sides and this stew, an acclaimed favorite among Austin foodies.
Springpad_SXSWFood_03
Springpad_SXSWFood_04
Save this restaurant:
3. Frito Pie at Bert's BBQ
If the sound of a Frito pie makes you flinch, you're obviously not from Texas. The dish, which consists primarily of chili and cheese blanketed over a bed of Fritos, is about as emblematic of the Lone Star state as Jerry Jones. In Austin, it's a specialty at Bert's, a comfortable neighborhood joint that adds a blend of brisket, beans and sausage. The restaurant is currently under construction after a fire, but Bert's is now operating out of their Far West store in northwest Austin.
Springpad_SXSWFood_05
berts
Save this restaurant:
4. Brisket with Espresso Sauce at Franklin Barbecue
A highlight of southern barbecue, especially in beef-happy Texas, is beef brisket. Texans are serious about their barbecue, and Austinites are serious about Franklin Barbecue. The local mainstay does the staple dishes to perfection, but also throws in some pleasantly unusual dishes like this espresso-flavored brisket.
Springpad_SXSWFood_07
Springpad_SXSWFood_08
Save this restaurant:
The rest of this post can be found in Springpad's blog.
2 comments