The Best Austin Restaurant Meals of 2024, According to Local Food Writers

As is the tradition when the end of 2024 is coming up, Eater asked a trusted group of friends, industry types, and local bloggers for their takes on the past culinary year in Austin. All answers will be revealed before the year ends — cut, pasted, (mostly) unedited, and in no particular order. Question number two:

What was your best restaurant meal of 2024?

H. Drew Blackburn, former interim associate editor of Eater Austin and columnist of The Barbed Wire

I made the mistake of trying to do a walk in at Justine’s on a Friday night in July. I pulled into the parking lot and immediately confirmed that I made a dumb choice. What followed was sticking my head in at least half a dozen restaurants along Cesar Chavez looking for an open table for two. Hours long waits. Some say they were fully booked even though… it didn’t really look like it. Anyhow, it doesn’t matter. I rolled up to Casa Bianca, its neon lights beckoning my name. Impishly, I ask if they have space. They do. I proceeded to have one of the best meals and cocktails ever since I’ve lived in Austin. On a whim. It’s really the best when it happens that way.

Cat Cardenas, freelance writer and photographer, contributing Eater Austin photographer, and writer-at-large of The Barbed Wire

Loro has been one of my favorite neighborhood spots since it first opened, so I jumped at the chance to preview the new spring menu earlier this year. They’ve always been so good at serving up familiar dishes with exciting flavors, so I came away loving the wedge salad with burnt ends and miso-blue cheese, which made a perfect pairing with the oak-smoked beef back ribs in pineapple tamarind sauce. They’ve also spiced up the cocktail and nonalcoholic drink options, and I’ve kept coming back for the frozen piña horchata and their spicy cucumber drink.

Darcie Duttweiler, freelance writer and Eater contributing writer

From start to finish, cocktails to dessert, Tare is the best omakase I’ve had in Austin — not just this year, but ever.

I also went on my honeymoon this spring, and Restaurant De Kas in Amsterdam was the best meal I ate in 2024. It’s in a gorgeous greenhouse-style building in the middle of a park, where they grow many of their own ingredients. De Kas has both a Michelin star and a Michelin Green Star and is the most delicious and beautiful plant-to-plate dinner. I bought the cookbook after my meal, and I, sadly, can’t make a single recipe from it.

Madeline Hollern, editor-in-chief of Austin Monthly

I had an incredible meal at Lao’d Bar. The Lao restaurant uses so many amazing flavors and ingredients like lemongrass and caramel fish sauce and jeow bong aioli. It blew me away.

Ali Khan, content creator of @alikhaneats

Endo

Jane Ko, blogger of A Taste of Koko

I had a lot of amazing restaurants this year but one that tops the list is the uni pasta at Kane. The sushi is really good too.

Nicolai McCrary, Austin staff writer at The Infatuation

I’ve been fortunate enough to have a lot of great meals this year. But a few that stand out, in particular, are OKO (one of Infatuation Austin’s Best New Restaurants of 2024), the summer tasting menu at Fabrik, and the omakases at Tsuke Edomae and Craft.

Erin Russell, former associate editor of Eater Austin, Eater contributing writer, and freelance writer

Le Cowboy always hits — we loved the crab pasta, fresh stracciatella, and meaty agnolotti. I believe Le Cowboy’s pasta could bring us together as a nation. Also, I went to Nancy’s Hustle in Houston and had this incredible summer dish of fish on polenta with vegetables.

Taylor Tobin, restaurant critic at Austin Chronicle and Eater contributing writer

Craft Omakase, hands down. I have a hard time feeling price-justified where omakases are concerned, but Craft is worth every penny. Gorgeous preparations, daring flavors, genuine and warm hospitality.

​​Nadia Chaudhury, outgoing editor of Eater Austin and forthcoming editor at Eater Northeast

I know I’ve recounted my favorite meals and dishes on a weekly-then-monthly basis on the site, but of those, my absolute favorites are:

• The Persian brunch pop-up Friendlys at Nixta Taqueria — where co-owners Sara Mardanbigi and Edgar Rico lean into Mardanbigi’s Iranian roots and create such flavorful, inventive Middle Eastern dishes
• Custard Prison’s ridiculously fun pączki
• An Nyeong K Tofu & BBQ — the best comfort is a bowl of bubbling tofu soup (even in the summer)
• The first time I had Lao’d Bar — it’s so nice to experience a meal where the chef isn’t afraid to lean into legit spices.
• Bistro Remy at Birdie’s — the annual French pop-up is one of my recent can’t-misses
• Craft and Tare and Tsuke Edomae’s omakases — each offer such beautiful omakases with different intentions that work well for each experience