Austin, TX has an impressive food scene, and a food tour with Austin Eats is the perfect way to explore it!

Follow along with Jason as he took a food tour that celebrated barbecue, beer…and brunch!?

Our Tour Manager, Jason, had the chance to hop on a food tour with Austin Eats. This post is him sharing the highlights as well as why you should add them to your itinerary the next time you’re in Austin, Texas!

In Jason’s words:

I feel incredibly lucky that my family lives in the greater Austin, TX area, so I get the chance to visit one of the top 10 foodie cities in the country (according to US News Travel)! I love getting to spend time with family while enjoying the amazing food this city has to offer. 

The “BBQ, Brunch, and Breweries Tour” by Austin Eats explores the “funky” side of downtown Austin and features some of the most notable BBQ, breakfast tacos, and local breweries. I opted into the drink pairings, so I was excited to eat and drink my way through downtown! 

Stop #1: Zilker Brewing Co.

Our group met at Zilker Brewery Co., which is the product of two brothers, Patrick and Forrest, and their friend, Marco. The three “founding fathers” (as they call themselves) started off brewing in a garage in 2008, and it grew into a full fledged taproom in East Austin in 2015. Their goal is to brew great beer while contributing to the local community.

We were invited to select tasters from their current on-tap menu, or we could also get a canned non-alcoholic beverage. My “beertenders” recommended their coffee milk stout and pale ale, so I naturally obliged. 

We took our seats and our tour guide, Joe, explained to us how we will be “speed dating” restaurants and will experience five different tasting over the course of four stops.

Tasting #1: la Barbecue

Joe had previously purchased and brought with him pulled pork turkey and brisket made by the first female pit master in all of Texas. There are seven restaurants in Austin that have the distinction of a Michelin Star, and la Barbecue is one of them! To no one’s surprise, this tasting was spectacular! Their tender meat and phenomenal sauces will not soon be forgotten.

While we were a ways from the restaurant itself, I made a mental note to return one day if only to check out their disco-themed bathroom. 

Tasting #2: Spicy Boys Fried Chicken Food Truck 

Zilker Brewing Co. hosts food trucks that offer yummy savory pairings to their beer. Our second tasting came from the Pan-Asian Food Truck: yellow curry and roti bread (a bread that is flakier than a typical naan). 

Although they’re famous for their fried chicken, their curry and bread shines and is one of their bestsellers! The rich flavors of the curry with the soft and flaky bread might have been my favorite tasting on the tour! Spicy Boys is added to the list of foods I need to have the next time I visit Austin! 

Stop #2: Lazarus Brewing Company

Originally a pastor from Montana, the owner of Lazarus Brewing Company started growing barley and brewing beer to raise money to support his non-profit that supports the local community. His passion for beer grew until he finally moved to Austin and opened his own brewery. Lazarus Brewing Company now has two locations, and their unique brews have been serving Austin for almost a decade! 

My selections were the Prodigal Pilsner and Horchata Milk Stout! I can never pass up anything horchata, and can you tell yet that I’m a fan of pilsners?  

Tasting #3: Breakfast Taco

Lazarus is not only a brewery, but it is also a restaurant and coffee shop. Our food tasting was a famous Austin breakfast taco! The chorizo and egg street taco was paired with their red + green sauce. It really won me over! I definitely prefer my breakfast sweet, but I’d gladly have this taco over and over! 

Stop #3: Via 313 Pizzeria 

Did you know that one of Austin’s most popular pizza restaurants offers Detroit-style pizza? Two brothers moved to Austin from Detroit, Michigan (which has a 313 area code) and started a pizza food truck in 2011 serving up the iconic rectangle-style pizza.

Tasting #4: Detroit-Style Pizza

Our tasting included two pizzas! The first pizza was their most popular, “The Detroiter,” which had smoked pepperoni under the cheese along with natural casing pepperoni on top. The second pizza was their pizza of the month, which in our case was the Chicken Tikka Masala pizza. It reminded me of the time I had it on my London Food Tour! 

Our drink pairing included our choice of wine or beer, an old fashioned, a ranch water cocktail, or a Detroit Soda Pop: Faygo Pop.

My favorite part of pizza is the crust, so their thick and flaky crusts were delicious! Tasting their traditional pizza along with their speciality pizza was a fantastic mix of flavors. I understand why this pizza has become a staple in town. 

Stop #4: Dulce Neve Gelato

A quick walk had us ending our food tour in a quaint gelato shop. Dulce Neve Gelato was started by a woman raised in Italy where she attended a gelato university (yes, those exist apparently!) and went on hone her craft in Milan. Her skills continued to grow until she qualified for the national championship of gelato, where her gelato ranked in the top 10 in the world! 

Tasting #5: Gelato

With a colorful case of gelato before me, I had to do the impossible: choose just one flavor. They ranged from salted caramel to pistachio and even cantaloupe sorbet. I ended up choosing the goat cheese and pecan, which was a perfect sweet treat to end this tour! 

Austin Eats showcased some of the most popular foods of Austin and gave me a list of places to continue to visit! This tour had so much variety and pushed me to try things that I would never have normally picked out for myself. Thank you, Joe, and thank you to Austin Eats! 

Even though food tours are my job, I cannot think of a better way to explore any city! Hop on one the next time you travel, or you can take one in Colorado Springs with us! 

Cheers, Jason at Rocky Mountain Food Tours

(So, what’s a food tour, anyway…?)

EXPLORE MORE TOPICS

attractionseditor's pickevents & holidaysgift ideashistorylocal diningtours we've takentravel