SXSW is a monster of an event that turns all of Austin into a nonstop party for ten days. It’s a marathon, so to get through it you’ll need to make some pit stops to recharge. Whether you’re downtown, on Soco, or by UT, good eats are never far away!
Juiceland
When your days kick off with boozy brunches followed by traipsing around town from event to event in the hot sun, you’re gonna need something to keep you going. Luckily Juiceland has your back—they sell smoothies, juices, shots to cure any ailments (a.k.a. your killer hangover), and food. The Big Dada shot is great after a night of drinking and if you’re looking to hydrate, have the crew crack you open a fresh coconut!
Address: 120 E 4th St
Via 313
Via 313 slings up Detroit style pizza all around town. What makes it Detroit style is its square shape and the sauce being served on top of the cheese—wild, I know, but don’t knock it till you try it. They’ve got two locations in the thick of SXSW: one on Rainey Street and one on East Sixth. Both are trailers parked on the property of a bar, so you can hang out and drink inside and they’ll bring the pizza right to you.
Address: The Violet Crown Social Club 1111 E 6th and Craft Pride 61 Rainey St
Arlo’s
Arlo’s is drunk food at its best. It’s a vegan food truck located on the lot of Cheer Up Charlie’s, Austin’s only vegan gay bar, but if I hadn’t told you that you would probably never know it’s vegan. When a Bac’n Cheeze Burger tastes that good, you don’t question its spelling or ingredients. You just scarf that bad boy down and thank the food truck gods for their contribution to your SXSW.
Address: 900 Red River St
Italic
Italic is a great place to escape the SXSW madness for a few hours to just relax and unwind. They have an incredibly knowledgeable staff, killer happy hour (half off pizza!), and food that will delight your taste buds. Plus they offer late night pies Fridays and Saturdays from 10:30-12:30. Eating at Italic is truly an experience, so go experience it.
Address: 123 W 6th St
Spiderhouse
Spiderhouse is a SXSW hotspot in UT territory that’s part bar, part cafe, part tattoo shop, part venue, and home to a plethora of food trucks (including another Arlo’s). There’s nowhere quite like Spiderhouse, and it’s sure to be poppin’ all of SXSW. Head over there for happy hour and take it all in.
Address: 2906 & 2908 Fruth St
Snap Kitchen
Do you ever get annoyed that you have to take the time to eat when there are so many other cool things you could be doing? Enter Snap Kitchen. They’ve got prepared foods made with grass-fed and organic ingredients in their stores, but to make it even more convenient they have their own app you can use to have those goodies delivered or packed for pickup. The cherry on top is that they have a pop-up trailer downtown that’s handing out free snacks like Beanito chips, La Colombe coffee, and RX Bars.
Address: 102 W 3rd St and 1014 W 6th St
24 Diner
When you need chicken and waffles stat after all the regular late night places have closed, get yourself to 24 Diner. True to their name, 24 Diner is open 24 hours, but unlike the typical 24 hour diner this-only-tastes-good-because-I’m-trashed-and-it’s-5am-food, 24 Diner offers farm-to-table and organic dishes that are out of this world—and won’t make you hate yourself the next morning. Especially when you find leftovers in your fridge.
Address: 600 N Lamar Blvd
Vinaigrette
Often overlooked because it’s not right on South Congress, Vinaigrette is an amazing farm to table restaurant with a positively glorious back patio on a side street of Soco. If you wanna feel better about fully embracing the drunchies last night, chow down on a salad with Vinaigrette’s version of a bloody mary, Kale Mary, on the side. It is SXSW after all.
Address: 2201 College Ave
Forthright
Brunch, brunch, brunch. The best way to kick off the day. Located right on the Colorado River, Forthright’s menu has something to offer for every diet, be it vegan, gluten-free, or eat-everything-in-sight. Go sit on their deck with a thick slice of avocado toast and cup of cashew milk with cold brew iced coffee cubes and bask in the glory that is your life.
Address: 35 Brazos St
Houndstooth Coffee
Unless you’re superhuman, you’re gonna need caffeine to make it through a full day of SXSW. That caffeine typically comes from coffee. There are a ton of options in Austin, but if you want a simple yet perfectly brewed cup of joe, head to Houndstooth. Their clean-cut aesthetic and no-nonsense pours are sure to impress.
Address: 401 Congress Ave
Licha’s Cantina
Licha’s is one of many hip spots on East 6th, but their unusual menu is the real showstopper—think hibiscus flower quesadillas and chicken tacos with morita-orange salsa and beer stewed onions and garlic. And let’s be real, if you don’t go to a Mexican restaurant did you really visit Austin?
Address: 1306 E 6th
Whole Foods
The Whole Foods flagship store is no joke. You can satisfy any food cravings you have here—sushi burritos, breakfast tacos, sugar cookies, a big ol’ slice of pizza, AND you can stock up on snacks for the day while you’re at it. That’s a win-win if I’ve ever seen one.
Address: 525 N Lamar Blvd
Keep in mind that this is Austin, so good food will never be far away. These are just a few spots, carefully picked for your convenience, that will perfectly compliment your SXSW experience. Happy eating!