Come spring 2025, patrons visiting the Blanton Museum of Art can enjoy French food. Austin restaurant Justine’s Brasserie is opening a second location in the museum on The University of Texas at Austin campus. The new space will resemble an unrushed Parisian cafe and include an elegant bar, counter bakery and a shaded deck for alfresco dining. The daytime cafe will offer classic French dishes.

Renovation work is concluding at the Mexic-Arte Museum, Austin’s premier showcase of Mexican, Latino and Latin American art, with the museum expected to reopen by summer 2025. The four-story building, originally built in 1869 at Congress Avenue and Fifth Street, required an extensive $24 million interior renovation, while preserving its historic facade. Plans call for new exhibit spaces, a museum store, increased accessibility, a library, offices, public meeting rooms and more. Museum events and exhibits are currently taking place at alternate Austin locations.

Courtesy of Austin Parks Foundation.

Hop aboard the Zilker Eagle mini train as it chugs along the tracks through Zilker Park, giving riders new views of both the picturesque park and Austin’s skyline. Buy individual tickets the day of your ride at the train depot on William Barton Drive. The new train continues a tradition that started in 1961. The Zilker Eagle is the park’s third train, replacing the Zilker Zephyr that was decommissioned in 2019.

Fans of the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center can look forward to a grand reopening in fall 2025 at the beautiful River Street setting along Lady Bird Lake. Site improvements include expansion and renovation work to better accommodate classes, educational sessions, and visual and performance art programs focused on Mexican American, Native American, Chicano and other Latino cultures.

The UMLAUF Sculpture Garden + Museum is making good on an idea hatched over 20 years ago. The late sculptor Charles Umlauf and his wife, Angie, gave their mid-century modern house and many pieces of his work to Austin to create a gallery that would be open to the public. Plans are now underway for the bluff property overlooking Barton Creek. They call for a 4,700-square-foot building that will complement the existing home, studio and sculpture garden.

Visit Taano House to sip flavorful beverages made without a drop of alcohol. The bar, housed in a trailer parked on East Sixth Street, features alcohol-alternative cocktails made with legal psychoactive botanicals like Amanita muscaria, blue lotus, kanna and kava. No hangovers produced here, but patrons will likely feel dreamy, euphoric and relaxed.

The Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Sporting Club (or WTF for short) keeps sports fans happy with 18 TV screens, craft beers, cocktails and pub food like burgers, flatbreads, brisket ends and cinnamon roll churros. When sports aren’t the focus at the West Sixth Street bar, WTF offers live and DJ music nights plus barbecue, smash burger and brunch parties.

Batch cocktail concoctions made with the agave plant are a specialty at Kramer’s, opened by Hopsquad Brewing Co. behind its location on Kramer Lane. Kramer’s also offers classic drinks like the Bramble, French 75, gimlets and the Manhattan. An assortment of snacks and small bites are available to munch as you drink. Your well-behaved pooch is welcome to join you inside the air-conditioned bar.

Lala's South Pole. Credit to Madison Richards.

Get double the holiday spirit year-round at Lala’s Little Nugget dive bar and its new offshoot, Lala’s South Pole. Lala’s sleigh traveled about 16 miles to South Austin to duplicate the vibe, drinks and pizza from Brooklyn Pie Co. in its new surroundings. Specialty cocktails and funky, festive decor makes every day feel like Christmas.

Second Rodeo offers the Bouldin Creek neighborhood a bar, restaurant, sausage shop and deli all under one roof, opening in spring 2025. The carefully curated craft cocktail and roasted coffee programs are as important as the food. Diners will find menu items like the brisket smash burger, a pulled smoked chicken sandwich with barbecue sauce and sharp cheddar, and spicy all-beef sausage on Texas toast. Pair a stacked-high sandwich with Buffalo chicken pasta salad or the potato salad flavored with miso, onions, sour cream and dill.

Craving a tamale? Head to La Mapachita, where the stone-ground staples are made in small batches using farm-fresh ingredients and authentic Mexican masa. Even the salsa and apple butter masa, smoked cajeta and pickled apples are handmade. The tricycle cart concept comes from chef Allie McMillan, a Food Network Chopped champion, who takes it to hot spots and events all around Austin.

The founders of Italian eateries Intero and Poeta celebrated the creation of a new venture, Piccola Gelateria, which means “small ice cream shop” in Italian. The gelato truck is parked outside Poeta at The Frances Modern Inn. Order a refreshing gelato or sorbet in flavors like pistachio, amaretto and cinnamon. Add a pizzelle for some sweet crunch.

Courtesy of Atlas Sandwich Company.

Greek family heritage plays a defining role at Atlas Sandwich Company. Owner Joey Polychronis’ food truck, located on 23rd Street behind Cain & Abel’s bar, offers Greek and Mediterranean fare such as roasted lamb, gyros, cold hoagies, grilled eggplant and lemon potatoes. Signature ingredients like tzatziki, red onion, green cabbage and feta figure prominently. End your feast with loukoumades — warm doughnut balls drenched in baklava syrup and coated with honey and cinnamon.

Enjoy a seafood breakfast or lunch at The Marylander food truck, parked on Webberville Road. Delicious offerings include crab Benedict or crab quiche for morning meals, with Old Bay chicken wings and a crabcake sandwich among lunch items. From Friday through Sunday, the popular Baltimore pit beef sandwich is available. It features top round beef cooked sous vide for 24 hours, finished over charcoal, then sliced thin and piled on a bun with onion, horseradish and barbecue sauce. 

Pick up a cup of coffee and tasty pastry at Rockman Coffee + Bakeshop in East Austin. Owner and pastry chef Amanda Rockman, a James Beard Foundation Award semifinalist, loaded her menu with both sweet and savory items. Try a variety of flavored croissants, such as churro, chocolate fudge or lemon meringue, along with bagels, focaccia sandwiches, cookies, cheesecakes and more. Beer, wine and cocktails are also available. Rockman debuted her new East Chavez Street business in October 2024.

Rockman Bakery. Credit to Chad Wadsworth.

The fare served at OKO on East Sixth Street reflects a fusion of Asian and Texan flavors. Filipino owner Harold Villarosa polished his chef skills in the Bronx, New York. Order a rum, gin or agave cocktail while perusing the menu. Villarosa’s expertise shines in traditional Filipino dishes such as whole fish, lumpia, crispy wings, pancit (noodles), oxtail soup, garlic rice and pork belly. End the night by ordering a slice of calamansi (lime) pie, nestled in a graham cracker crust and topped with meringue.

In spring 2025, Austin favorite Fonda San Miguel will expand beyond dinner-only options with the opening of its sister restaurant in Allandale. Owner Tom Gilliland’s new venture, Tzintzuntzan (pronounced zin-zoon-zhan), will serve authentic Mexican breakfast and lunch fare, as well as selections from an on-site panaderia (bakery) and an ice cream menu. The new space will be built next to 50-year-old Fonda San Miguel. The two restaurants, one traditional and the other contemporary, will be connected by a courtyard.

Follow the Linx food truck, based on West Fifth Street, for delectable low-and-slow-cooked artisanal sausage sandwiches and sides like beans, slaw and spicy potato salad.  The barbecue food truck recently added more sausage styles and an assortment of toppings, including onions, various peppers, tomatoes, pickle spears and more. The types of sausages offered include beef frank, hot Italian, Polish kielbasa and Creole-style pork. The business is staffed by folks with a pedigree. Pitmaster Graham Penninger runs the food truck and is a member of the acclaimed Distant Relatives food truck’s pit team.

Courtesy of Casa de Luz East.

The respected Casa de Luz vegan kitchen and community center, open since the early 1980s, is duplicating its concept on Austin’s east side. Casa de Luz East offers takeout, or patrons can opt for communal-style dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner, just like the original Toomey Road location. Buy an adult meal with tea, salad, soup and an entree for one price, then add a fresh-made dessert to your order. The menu changes often, depending on the seasonal organic ingredients that are available. 

Terrible Love — an Austin favorite for terrific coffee formerly served up from a horse trailer — has opened a brick-and-mortar space at the same Hyde Park location. With its new cafe space in the Baker Center, Terrible Love introduced an expanded menu. Fresh baked goods from Texas French Bread and tacos from El Xolo are available, in addition to cold brews, espressos, matcha and signature lattes with house-made syrups.

At the friendly Loudmouth, sip a cocktail or local craft beer while snacking on a wood-fired pizza. Diners can sit inside the Victorian building or at picnic tables in the beer garden of the Rosewood Avenue restaurant. Menu items also include sandwiches, chicken wings, salads and desserts. Fun fact: Loudmouth comes from the owners behind popular Paperboy, known for its tasty Austin brunches.

Eight Austin hotels were awarded prestigious 2024 MICHELIN Keys, bestowed on outstanding hotels throughout the United States. Commodore Perry Estate earned two Keys. The properties that received one Key were ARRIVE Austin, Austin Proper Hotel, Fairmont Austin, Hotel Saint Cecilia, Hotel ZaZa Austin, Soho House Austin and Heywood Hotel.

The esteemed MICHELIN Guide has selected Texas as its 11th dining destination in North America. Texas’ culinary offerings of barbecue, locally sourced seafood and steaks, and Tex-Mex cuisine were cited as some of the reasons the MICHELIN Guide chose to expand to the Lone Star State. Seven Austin restaurants received One Star status including Barley Swine, Craft Omakase, Hestia, InterSteller BBQ, la Barbecue, LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue and Olamaie. Dai Due and Emmer & Rye each received Green Stars for their commitment to sustainable practices and were the only two restaurants to receive this designation in the state. A mix of fourteen restaurants and food trucks were designated Bib Gourmand, noting their MICHELIN quality offerings at an approachable price point. Chef Edgar Rico of Nixta Taqueria received the coveted Young Chef Award and an additional 23 Austin restaurants were designated as MICHELIN Recommended. Restaurants were judged on five criteria: quality products, harmony of flavors, mastery of cooking techniques, voice and personality of the chef reflected in the cuisine, and consistency between each visit and on the menu.
See the full list of MICHELIN Awarded Restaurants in Austin.

LeRoy & Lewis. Credit to Jessica Attie. 

Several Austin chefs and restaurants received accolades during the annual James Beard Awards. Tracy Malecheck-Ezekiel of Birdie’s was one of five finalists in the Best Chef: Texas category. The other four Best Chef: Texas semifinalists from Austin were Tavel Bristol-Joseph of Canje, Geoff Ellis of Mum Foods Smokehouse & Delicatessen, Joseph Gomez of Con Todo and Fermín Nuñez of Suerte. Three more Austin locals making the semifinalist cut were Ramen Del Barrio for Best New Restaurant, Mariela Camacho of Comadre Panadería for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker and Bufalina for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program.

The New York Times dropped its list of Austin’s 25 Best Restaurants, reflecting the city’s diversity, from celebrated barbecue joints to a wine bar, tacos, Asian and Caribbean flavors, and bakery treats. Receiving mentions were Birdie’s, Canje, Comadre Panadería, Cuantos Tacos, Dai Due, DEE DEE, Discada, El Naranjo, Este, Ezov, Franklin Barbecue, InterStellar BBQ, Joe’s Bakery & Coffee Shop, Kemuri Tatsu-Ya, LeRoy and Lewis, Micklethwait, Mum Foods, Nixta Taqueria, Olamaie, Ramen Del Barrio, Suerte, Uchi, Underdog, Veracruz All Natural and Wee’s Cozy Kitchen.

Austin proudly ranked No. 8 on Southern Living’s The South’s Best Cities 2024 list. According to the magazine, Austin combines the best of Texas barbecue with great live music, secret swimming holes, and plenty of trails for hiking and biking. The magazine also called out The Loren at Lady Bird Lake hotel, goods made by local artisans, breweries and, of course, breakfast tacos.

The Loren at Lady Bird Lake. Credit to Erin Woods. 

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) earned the No. 10 spot on AirHelp’s list of the Top 10 Best U.S. Airports in 2024, and ranked No. 44 in the world. The scoring was competitive and close — Austin’s score was 7.95 out of a possible 10 points. The three main factors the passenger rights service considered were on-time performance, customer opinions, and food and shops.

You’ll have the choice of more flight times to jet off to London Heathrow (LHR) from Austin in 2025. Starting in March, British Airways will increase its nonstop service to Heathrow from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) to twice a day, Monday through Saturday. New flights on the Boeing 787-10 will depart Austin at 10:15 p.m. and arrive in London at 1:40 p.m. Return flights will depart London at 4:05 p.m. and arrive in Austin at 8:30 p.m. The extra flights complement the one-a-day flights now offered — departing Austin at 6:05 p.m. seven days a week and arriving in London at 9:35 a.m., then departing London at 11:50 a.m. and arriving in Austin at 4 p.m.

Delta Air Lines will begin five nonstop U.S. routes this spring departing daily from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS). In addition to resuming flights to Memphis, Delta is adding daily service to Panama City, Tampa, San Francisco and Indianapolis. Aircraft used will be Embraer 175s to Panama City, Indianapolis and Memphis, and Airbus 200-300 to Tampa and San Francisco.

Air Canada is offering nonstop flights between Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) and Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) in Quebec, Canada. The four-times-a-week route operates from May to October. Airline and airport officials noted that the new flight is expected to bring economic, cultural and tourism benefits to both cities. Air Canada also offers nonstop flights from Austin to the Canadian cities of Vancouver and Toronto.

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) continues to reach milestones in the airport’s Journey With AUS expansion program. In September 2024, the Austin City Council approved several projects to join those already underway. Construction is beginning on the 20-gate Concourse B, expanding ticketing and check-in areas in the Arrivals and Departures Hall, replacing the Red Garage with a new parking garage, adding new taxiways on the airfield, and upgrading utilities like heating and cooling. For construction updates, travelers can visit flyaustin.com.