Our first trip to Austin was in the early 1990’s and the locals were telling us you should have been here in the 80”s. We started going to Austin regularly in 1996 and moved there in 2000. By then the semiconductor industry had been heavily subsidized to locate there and Austin had a three- legged economy, the University of Texas at Austin, the state capital administrations and tech – mostly chips. The software startups followed and when we moved away in 2004 the tech industry in Austin had diversified.
It has become a legitimate, diversified tech hub, the Silicon Hills.
Or as my hosts describe it, tech frat boy central. Many of the longtime Austin natives clearly do not like some of what Austin has become.
On the other hand, Austin is an exciting place with vibrant nightlife no longer limited to just the country and rock Sixth Street grew up on. Take Parker Jazz Club on Fourth St. Routinely sold out, this club is highlighted by national acts, an expressive sound system and acoustics and an intimacy that reminds one of the best jazz clubs in NYC. Austin also boasts a wide expanse of James Beard Award winning chef driven cuisine not limited to ribs, adding to the natural beauty of the Texas hill country and Town Lake and Lake Travis.
Yes, foodies love Austin. For good reason. Take chef owners Arjav Ezekiel and Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel at Birdie’s Her recipe for linguini with clams, green garlic and ramps just ran in the Wall St Journal (its easy to prepare). Birdie’s is easy to miss at the corner of 12th and Harvey streets but the line out the door is a dead giveaway. Their restaurant takes no reservations or cash and offers a creative menu from small plates to bigger plates to great wines by the glass.
The wood fired Italian cuisine at Red Ash at Colorado and Third St is exceptional. Our hosts swear by the Frutti di Mare but my spaghettini alle vongole was outstanding as well. An ample wine list, exemplary service and a great vibe kind of explains why it is so hard to get a table there.
South on Congress will get you a authentic lunch at Güero’s Taco Bar . It sounds counter intuitive but you have to try the caldo de pollo chicken soup. Jewish mothers would die for this dish. Look left out the door and you will get a great vista of the Texas Capital dome. Modeled after the one in Washington DC, any Texan will be happy to tell you this one is bigger.
The ribs at Franklin Barbecue are so good they warranted national attention. Franklin has become renowned to the point the line starts hours before opening at 11 AM and they are usually sold out by 2 pm. Hours of 11-2. Nice work if you can get it. Looking for a less touristy, old style rib joint? Try Iron Works on Cesar Chavez.
Speaking of old style, Donn’s Depot on Fifth St remains a stalwart location for local music. Austin’s finest, Albert & Gage are there in Mondays. Or go on a Thursday night to hear Murphy’s In-Laws, an Austin legend. Dave Dvorak from Minneapolis band Zoë Says Go sat in while I was there. Or just check the schedule. Look up honky tonk in any dictionary and there is a picture of Donn’s.
Looking to two-step? The Continental Club is still there. So is the Broken Spoke.
And yes, Austin is still the self-acclaimed live music capital of the world.
Beer pubs abound. Two not to miss are St. Elmo’s brewery & beer garden with rotating craft taps & an on-site fried chicken food truck and Lazarus Brewing Co on Sixth St in the heart of East Austin.
Austin used to be known pretty much as a bastion of liberal thinking and college students amidst arguably the only green countryside in Texas. It has become much more. That is a good thing for most. After all, very few things stay the same in life and Austin is deserving of all the attention it gets. It ain’t just South by Southwest anymore.