Fall is knocking on Austin’s door and local restaurants, bars and breweries are spinning out pints, plates and cones showcasing the season’s bounty. Get your fall fill with these 30 picks for local fall food and beverages.

Pumpkin pie from Tiny Pies in austin texas
Tiny Pies. Credit Annie Ray Photography.

Pumpkin Sweets

With autumn comes some of our favorite things: gorgeous patio weather, festival season, rich dishes and all things pumpkin.

1. Stock up on tasty bite-sized (or full-sized) pies from Austin's Tiny Pies, with fall flavors ranging from pumpkin chai and almond delights to peanut caramel bar and more.

2. Check out the seasonal scoops at Lick Honest Ice Creams, where seasonal flavors range from Caramel Corn and Campfire S'mores to Back Porch Iced Tea, Hazel’s Pumpkin Pie and Caramel Apple Cake.

3. Even if it doesn’t yet feel like fall outside, go all in with the fall baked goods from Bakery Lorraine. Try treats like pumpkin spice macarons or a Phantom of the Opera cake and more from the Domain NORTHSIDE bakery and pastry shop.

4. Jeni's Splenid Ice Cream is giving us all the nostalgic flavors for fall with their pumpkin cake roll, cream puff and coffee with cream and sugar ice creams.

5. Get your brunch fix at Rebel Cheese, serving up a seasonal menu featuring The Great Pumpkin special, a pumpkin pie ice cream cheese stuffed French toast topped with maple pecan praline.

Pumpkin Pancakes and syrup from Kerbey Lane Cafe in Austin Texas
Pumpkin French Toast. Courtesy of Kerbey Lane Cafe.

A Harvest Feast

Hearty gourds make their way into autumn-inspired breakfasts, lunches and dinners. And, obviously, ultra-decadent desserts.

8. Breakfast star Kerbey Lane Cafe rolls out a special fall menu loaded with pumpkin classics each year. Order the pumpkin French toast made with their homemade pumpkin bread for breakfast. Indulge in seasonal sweet pancakes like blueberry cornbread and pumpkin cobbler, or try the pastrami hash, made with house-cured pastrami, home fries, green bell pepper and white onion, sautéed & topped with two sunny side up eggs.

9. Meanwhile, at Picnik, the health-conscious crowd can enjoy the harvest hash (made with roasted sweet potato, spinach, Brussels sprouts, poached eggs & more) while they sip on a paleo-friendly, whey protein-filled pumpkin spice latte: a seasonal twist on the cafe’s famous butter coffee.

10. Sushi | Bar is getting peachy this fall with seasonal omakase experiences highlighting Texas Hill Country flavors. Book a table to taste menu items like Japanese Madai with Texas peach and a Texas peach spritz cocktail. 

10. Vintage chic hot spot Honey Moon Spirit Lounge has added fun, festive fall cocktails to the menu. Order the Two-Hand Touch, an autumn-inspired rye whiskey sour, or the No Shade, a mocktail made with hibiscus, grapefruit and jalapeño. Snack on the Texas Fall Salad with roasted beets, sweet white eggplant and a honey apple cider vinaigrette. 

11. For a serious sit-down-and-savor, order the olive butter poached kampachi from Aviary Wine & Kitchen, covered in a rich charred olive soubise, marinated fennel and blistered peppers. It's sure to give you those warm fall feelings!

12. Start your morning off right with a fall brunch at Local Foods. Opt for something sweet like their spiced apple brioche French toast with candied pumpkin seeds, or go savory with the smoked salmon sandwich served with a potato latke.

two bows of ramen at Ramen Tatsu ya in austin texasRamen Tatsu-ya. Credit Kirsten Kaiser.

In a Bowl

Scarves and boots go great with spoonfuls of comfort food. Get your ladle of fall happiness here:

13. Café No Se’s fall menu includes seasonal cocktails like the False Fall Dreamin' (ginger whiskey, apple cider and allspice dram) and dishes like the greenhouse lettuces salad with avocado, goat cheese, kabocha squash, pickled cranberry, radish, sunflower seed cracker and pomegranate vinaigrette.

14. As the weather starts to cool down, turn to Sazan Ramen to keep you warm. Sazan offers creamy paitan ramen, steamies dumplings, curry chicken wings, takoyaki, and more. 

15. Cozy up with a bowl of jambalaya pasta at Revelry on the Boulevard made with bold, flavors of crawfish, andouille sausage, cream sauce and topped with jumbo grilled shrimp.

16. South Congress' original Lucy’s Fried Chicken makes a mean bowl of West Texas-style chili loaded with beef and pork and served with diced onions, cheddar, jalapeno and crackers. (Hint: it’s even better with a side of tequila-butter cornbread muffins.)

17. Warm up over a steaming bowl of ramen on the patio at Ramen Tatsu-Ya, with noodles swimming in pork bone broth alongside chasu, ajitama, woodear mushrooms and scallions.

18. Looking for a quick-but-hearty meal on the go? Stop by The Soup Peddler for a savory soup like chicken and rice (loaded with chicken, veggies and wild rice) or the vegetarian Greek white bean with lemon and Greek herbs.

19. Fall is in full swing at Perry's Steakhouse. Choose from seasonal off-menu features like a white bean pork chili, butternut squash soup, pumpkin cheesecake or New York Strip flight (Texas Kobe-style Wagyu beef, Nebraska Prime Certified angus and true Japanese A-5 Wagyu beef). The menu is only available through December, so make sure to get your fix while you can! 

pumpkin spice latte from Jos Coffee in austin texas
Jo's Coffee. Credit Julia Keim.

Fall Cocktails and Brews

Bourbon, bitters, spice and smoke all take center stage this season.

20. Walton’s Fancy & Staple is taking on everyone’s favorite seasonal sipper with an optional boozy twist. Enjoy the new adult pumpkin spice latte, either hot or iced and made with Frangelico and Kahlua. Pair it with one of their seasonal pastries for the perfect pumpkin spice spread.

21. It’s hard to beat the Good Hearted Old Fashioned (whiskey, orange, drunken cherry and angostura) at Moonshine, but the Bourbon Slush is a pretty great alternative for those warm fall afternoons in Austin. Made with bourbon, sweet tea, lemonade and amarena, this drink will keep you cool, while keeping you warm.

22. For non-alcoholic pumpkin perks, order the caramel apple cold brew or French toast latte from Jo’s Coffee in the 2ND Street District. Find more linger-worthy Austin coffee shops on the Austin Insider Blog.

23. Fill your stein with the Bavarian style Oktoberfest lager from Real Ale Brewing, made with the highest quality German malt, hops, and yeast. Or, try the Coffee Porter, perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

24. Just next door to the University of Texas campus is Lucky Lab Coffee. Stop in for your caffeine fix and try out a special drink from their fall menu. Order a maple cinnamon oat milk chai, harvest sweet cream latte or pumpkin oat milk cold brew. Too many options to choose just one? Taste any four fall favorites with a coffee flight.

Bratwurst waffle fries and beer from Scholz Garten in Austin Texas
Courtesy of Scholz Garten.

Great with a Tailgate

Beer and chili’s best fall friend? Football, of course. Dig into shareable plates of comfort eats at these game-friendly Austin spots.

25. Savor the temperate fall weather in Austin at Scholz Garten, where fans can watch the game from spacious patio tables over tasty, traditional German bites. Enjoy fried, soft-dough pretzels with all the dipping sauces to share; or bratwursts and sides of sauerkraut, rotkohl, and German potato salad.

26. Watching the big game from home? Order fajitas for the group with Trudy's Parillada, including .5 lb fajita chicken, .5 lb fajita steak, six blackened shrimp, jalapeño sausage, fajita veggies, roasted jalapeños, and all the fixin's.

27. Or, go straight to the source and order the classic bratwurst (pork and veal sausage topped with mustard and kraut) or a hot pastrami sandwich on Hill Country rye at the Easy Tiger South Lamar location.

28. Have an early game? Pick up an order of authentic Czech-style kolaches from the new Batch Craft Beer & Kolaches. Don’t miss savory meat kolaches like the jalapeno sausage kolache and special seasonal fruit kolaches, like the apple and sweet cheese kolache. Prost!

29. Take your tailgate to the next level by ordering a custom seafood boil with TLC's Boil Buckets. Choose from five different boils with offerings ranging from lobster, king crab, mussels, littleneck clams, snow crab, andouille sausage, shrimp and more. Insider tip: take advantage of their dairy-free, $5 frozen spiked pumpkin lattes, you'll sure be glad you did.

30. Irish enthusiasts and alumni unite at B.D. Riley's to cheer on Notre Dame and New England teams with perfectly poured pints of Guinness.

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