The Best Austin Restaurant Neighborhoods of 2024

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 seven:

What neighborhood were you most excited to dine in this year 2024?

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

While I mostly stick around South Lamar and Bouldin Creek, I’ve also really enjoyed venturing over to East Austin for Cuantos Tacos, Discada, Bird Bird Biscuit, and Love Supreme.

Madeline Hollern, editor-in-chief of Austin Monthly

It wasn’t a particular neighborhood, but this year, incredible restaurants stretched beyond the center of the city, from Lao’d Bar in far east Austin to LeRoy & Lewis in South Austin and Tare in North Austin.

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

East Austin. If you are willing to shell out the hefty price tag to live in the neighborhood, it would behoove you to touch around every nook and cranny with ease.

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

I’ve enjoyed eating in Rosedale a lot this year! Between Craft Omakase, the new happy hour menu at Uchiko (with a tasting menu for $60 per person... yes, please), Teddy’s, Asado’s Taqueria, and Dumpling World, I’ve been making my way up there a lot more often this year than I have in the past.

Jane Ko, blogger of A Taste of Koko

East Austin — so many incredible restaurants with newcomers like Bambino, OKO, NADC, Poeta, Casa Bianca, Lao’d Bar, and excited to see what the Este does with that new spot on Manor Road.

Ali Khan, content creator of @alikhaneats

I found myself daring to venture into South Austin — LeRoy & Lewis and Knuckle Sandwich are opening my eyes to a world south of the Colorado River

Nicolai McCrary, Austin staff writer at The Infatuation

If you had told me at this time last year that the Triangle would become an Austin hot spot for good Chinese food — dumplings in particular — I would have thought you were dehydrated from your CorePower class next door and talking nonsense. But here we are, with both Dumpling World and Mian & Bao about as far apart as one long, stretched-out noodle, turning the Triangle into a new Austin hot spot.

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

I think I have said “North Loop best loop” for three years straight, but it’s still true.

Darcie Duttweiler, freelance writer and Eater contributing writer

Normally, I would say North Loop because I am inherently lazy and it’s close to home — or I’d say the East Side because it has probably THE MOST delicious restaurants. But, I feel like 2024 has been the year I’ve been ALL OVER town for good food. There’s the amazing omakase Tare in a medical building off Parmer Lane, beautiful French/Texan upscale fare at Serenade in the heart of downtown, inventive canapes and libations in West End with Prelude, and Lao’d Bar is so waaaaaaaay east that I don’t even think its neighborhood has a name.

Long story short, this has been a great year for Austin diners, and I think it’s safe to say we’ll drive anywhere for some great eats.

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

I’ve always been a general South Austin dweller since we’ve moved here over 10 years ago, and it’s been so nice to see so many amazing/delicious/great places open up on my side of the river. I’m counting Lao’d Bar in this because — yes — it’s south of the Colorado. And then there’s Matsuba Ramen, Sightseer Coffee, Daisy Lounge, Eggman ATX, LeRoy & Lewis the restaurant, Toasty Badger, and much more. I’m curious to check out Tancho and Day Maker.

But also, North Loop continues to be the best north-of-the-river dining neighborhood, especially with new additions this past year like P Thai’s and Yellow Ranger.