Road Trip Recap (pt. 1): Austin, TX

When I heard the surprise announcement at work that we’d have nearly two weeks’ paid time off for the holidays, my first thought was, “Paris.” But realizing I only had a few weeks to buy plane tickets and how costly they’d be this time of year, my dream was quickly shattered. Rene took the opportunity to not-so-subtly talk me into a road trip - a quest he’s been on for the past three years. Being a road trip veteran, it was a no-brainer to him, and after a little convincing, I was game, too. We headed south, ya’ll.

Prior to this trip, my understanding of the U.S. was limited to just a few northeastern cities. Now, having traveled all the way to Texas, I got to experience so much more. I saw new architecture, heard different accents, and most importantly, tasted regional foods. We traveled through Charlotte, Charleston, Savannah, New Orleans, Austin and Nashville. For the next couple of posts, I’ll be telling you all about the trip (though not in the order in which we traveled). First up, the ATX.

I’d previously had zero interest in visiting Texas, and had no idea what to expect from Austin, but I’m so glad I got to go there. Austin turned out to be really, really cool. One of the first things I noticed was their abundance of food trucks. Unlike in New York, Austin’s food trucks have permanent addresses and are often housed in Airstreams and re-purposed shipping containers. Speaking of Airstreams, many parts of the city seem to be, design-wise, stuck in the 70′s, which gives the city a beautiful vintage feel that I totally fell in love with.

The only downside to Austin for a city gal like me is that it’s a driving city. There are lots of interesting neighborhoods but they’re pretty spaced out, so having wheels is unavoidable.

Austin is famous for its tacos - breakfast tacos specifically - so on our first morning there, I was jumping-out-of-my-pants excited to go try some. We headed to Tacodeli, a small, sustainably-sourced Austin chain. Our breakfast lived up to our expectations, and I am now convinced tacos are the true breakfast of champions. I finally understand all the Southerners I’ve ever met who wouldn’t stop complaining about the lack of good Tex-Mex in NYC.

South Congress is a great neighborhood to stroll through. There are plenty of restaurants, bars, boutiques and cool gift shops. For food, I recommend Wahoo’s Fish Tacos; for drinks, Snack Bar‘s retro-chic patio (note: wine and beer only). And you’ve got to stop by Big Top Candy Shop - they carry oodles of American and imported chocolates and candies, as well as house-made ice cream and milkshakes.

Another food I knew we’d have to try was barbecue. Friends, acquaintances and co-workers flooded me and Rene with recommendations. Franklin BBQ seemed to be a favorite so we headed there. Seeing the massive line of people waiting as we drove by, we quickly rerouted and went for Green Mesquite instead. We shared a 3-meat plate (for only $11!) with brisket, pulled pork and smoked chicken wings, with sides of green beans and cole slaw. It was killer.

The ABGB (Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co.) is a must-try when in Austin. It’s a small brewery located in a warehouse, with cafeteria-style seating and ample outdoor space as well. It’s a great place to kick back and hang out on a lazy Sunday. They also have awesome pizza; it’s no thin crust and not NY-style, but we devoured it.

Stay tuned for more Road Trip Recaps!