The historic area just north of Downtown Austin is home to some of the most iconic neighborhoods including North Loop, Airport Blvd, North Burnet Road, Allandale, Bryker Woods, University of Texas Campus, Hyde Park, and The Triangle. Full of inventive, small, mom-and-pop-shop restaurants and bars, it’s a fabulous place to live and visit.
North Loop, Highland, and Airport Blvd.
North Loop is a quaint part of town filled with many modest single-family homes erected in the suburban boom following WWII. A funky, pedestrian-friendly stretch of North Loop Boulevard features colorful vintage boutiques, plus record and book stores. There are also easygoing restaurants, stylish bars and a 24/7 coffeehouse. The neighborhood is bordered by freeways and strip-mall heavy thoroughfares.
Eat – Home Slice (pizza), Titaya (Thai), Revelry on the Blvd (elevated kitchen & bar – HH all day Tuesday, Sunday brunch $3 mimosas), Vivo (modern Tex-Mex), Stiles Switch (bbq – smoked prime rib on Wednesdays), Michi Ramen (Japanese ramen – every night reverse HH), Mother’s Cafe (vegetarian & vegan cafe), Komé (home-style Japanese, sushi & ramen), East Side Pies (pizza), Daruma Ramen, Bun Belly (Vietnamese), Sala & Betty (casual new American), Tyson’s Tacos, Quality Seafood (seafood restaurant & market)
Sip – The Brewatorium, Barflys, Drinkwell, Pluckers, Kick Butt Coffee, Easy Tiger, Black Star Coop Pub & Brewery
Stay – Brentwood Guest House
Play – Austin Karaoke, Yahala Hookah Lounge, Vigilante Gastropub & Games
Shop – Tylers, Brazos Trading, The Gaming Goat, Kinokuniya Bookstore, Yarrow & Sage
Workout – Fuerte Fitness, CrossFit City Limits, Golds Gym, East Side Balance Pilates
Burnet Road/Brentwood/Crestview/Allandale
As you continue North on Lamar Blvd, the road will turn into Burnet where you’ll find strips of funky shops, one-of-a-kind restaurants, and local neighborhood bars. Turning off of Burnet will get you into some of the quaint neighborhoods of Brentwood, Crestview and Allandale.
Eat – La Mancha (Tex-Mex , HH brunch Sat. & Sun.), Lucys Fried Chicken (southern comfort food – $4 margs on Mondays), Peached Social House, DipDipDip Tatsu-Ya (Japanese hot pot), Tumble22 (Nashville hot chicken), Top Notch (burgers), Happy Chicks (fried chicken – vegan chick’n available), Haru Ramen (modern Japanese – extended HH Fri. – Sun.), Little Deli and Pizzeria, Pinthouse Pizza, Picnik (gluten + soy + peanut free kitchen & coffee house), Jewboy Burgers (burger food truck), Dawa Sushi (Japanese & Korean – specialty bubble tea smoothies), Citizen Eatery (plant-based cafe & bar), Tiny Pies (small-batch, made-from-scratch sweet & savory pies), Fonda San Miguel (traditional Mexican – Tuesday all-night HH, Sunday hacienda brunch), Barley Swine (farm-inspired bbq), Bufalina Due (artisan pizza), Taco Flats, Monkeys Nest (coffee shop & deli), Hopdoddy (burgers & bar), District Kitchen (contemporary American – all-day HH Sundays), Jack Allens (rustic American)
Sip – Stinson’s Bistro, Billys on Burnet, The Little Longhorn Saloon, Little Woodrow’s, Pour House, Growler Room, Lala’s Little Nugget, The Aristocrat, Cover 3, Night Owl, Waterloo Ice House, Slick Willie’s, Nosh & Bevvy
Play – Yard Bar, Maze Rooms Austin, Dart Bowl, DK Sushi Karaoke, Capitol Bingo, Austin Pottery Studio
Workout – Dancers Shape, F45, Crossfit
Hyde Park/Rosedale/Bryker Wood/Triangle/UT Campus
Hyde Park is a charming residential enclave with tree-lined streets and homes from the turn of the 20th century. Examples of Victorian architecture, including Queen Annes and Tudor Revivals, mix with Craftsman bungalows. The Elizabet Ney Museum, a castlelike residence and studio built in 1893 by a free-spirited sculptor & artist, showcases over 100 of her pieces. Coffeehouses and cafes round out the scene. Just south you’ll find UT Campus and the infamous “Drag” full of restaurants and bars walkable to students. Just west of Campus you’ll find streets filled with 1920’s bungalows, mixed in with new-build McMansions in the neighborhoods of Rosedale & Bryker Wood, complete with the Triangle area filled with upscale strip-mall options.
Eat – Musashino (traditional Japanese & sushi), NeWorlDeli (old-fashioned deli), Uchiko (sushi – daily Sake Social 4-6:30pm), Snooze (breakfast & brunch), Olive & June (Italian), 34th St. Cafe (American cafe & wine bar – daily HH $10 cheese plate), Steeping Room (specialty teas & clean kitchen), Spread & Co.(cheese-centric cafe), Kerbey Lane, Tiny Boxwoods (Upscale garden cafe & bar), Rosedale Kitchen (American comfort food), Kolache Factory (breakfast pastries & kolaches), Hopdoddy (burgers & bar), Mandola’s (Italian – weekday HH $5 snacks & sips), Blacks BBQ, Uncle Nicky’s (Italian – daily HH $6 spritzes), Asti (Italian), Plow Burger (vegan burgers & wings), Dirty Martin’s (burger joint)
Sip – Cain & Abel’s, Hole In The Wall, Spider House, Growler, Hopfields, Back Lot, The Parlor
Stay – Drifter Jacks Hostel, The Otis Hotel, Hotel Ella, Hancock Guest Cottages
Play – Weird Homes Tour, Texas Bike Tours, Shoal Creek Park, Arcade UFO, Haunted ATX Hearse Tours, Antonelli’s Cheese Class, Kasbah Hookah, Squarerüt Kava Bar, Draught House, Stinson’s
Shop – Peoples RX, Central Market, Antonelli’s Cheese Haus
Workout – Pure Pilates, Fight Club, Solidcore, Orange Theory, MOD Fitness