With avocado toast taking over Instagram in 2016, the avocado aesthetic has yet to wither in 2017. In fact, a restaurant dedicated solely to avocados is opening in Amsterdam. But Europe isn’t the only place you can find unique avocado dishes — Austin has always been home to some of the most unique foods in Texas, and it also boasts some pretty fresh avocado-inspired creations made from the best avocados in Austin. Look no further — from life-changing guacamole to creative twists on common food and drinks, here’s a handful of restaurants in this city that will fulfill all your avocado needs.
1. Curra’s Grill
With menu items as unique and colorful as the restaurant’s artwork, Curra’s Grill is a go-to for both locals and tourists and has some of the best avocado in Austin. Their standard Mexican eats can be covered with fresh slices of avocado, or topped with a dollop of their amazing guac, but everyone swears by their specialty avocado margarita. As an added plus, they offer vegan options as well.
2. Torchy’s Tacos
Executive chef Michael Rypka left his fancy day job to chase after his taco dream, and it paid off — what started out as a food trailer has turned into a widely popular taco stop with over 30 Torchy’s Tacos stores operating today. Torchy’s homemade chips with fresh guacamole is a customer favorite, and you can also find damn good fried avocado tacos, served with vegetarian refried beans and topped with lettuce, pico, and cheese.
3. Hula Hut
As if their tropical drink options aren’t already fabulous enough, Hula Hut has quite the luau food menu. You can start off your meal with a fresh guacamole salad served with homemade mango pineapple salsa, then take on a chicken and guacamole tubular taco — which is basically a giant burrito stuffed with cheese, tomatillo sauce, and roasted chicken. But their most popular item, in my opinion, is the Kawaikini stuffed avocado, a lightly fried Hass avocado filled with chicken, cheese, fresh chiles, and topped with queso blanco.
4. Second Bar + Kitchen
What would be the best wake up call? A fried egg and avocado sandwich, which Second Bar + Kitchen has perfected. Using only the finest local artisan products and seasonal ingredients, Second Bar + Kitchen brings a true farm-to-table experience with every dish they serve, from brunch to dessert. They also offer an amazing avocado fundido with chipotle corn chips, topped with fresh asadero cheese.
5. La Condesa
What’s better than regular guacamole? La Condesa’s guacamole tasting with traditional, seasonal, chipotle puree, and toasted almond guacamole, served alongside four seasonal salsas. However, if you want to stay traditional, you can stick to regular guac or adding fresh avocado to any dish. If that doesn’t make you want to head to La Condesa, they also have a variety of sophisticated contemporary Mexican dishes, a vast tequila selection, and happy hour deals that are worth the wait.
6. Irene’s
Avocado toast may be so 2016, but Irene’s keeps it fresh and new by serving only the best in Austin. They top their Easy Tiger whole wheat oat loaf with freshly smashed avocados, sea salt, olive oil, tomatoes, and feta cheese. Pro tip: add bacon or a fried egg for some extra flavor.
7. The Mighty Cone
The Mighty Cone opened up with one goal: to create festival food that would reflect Austin’s unique heritage and cuisine. Each cone comes in a warm tortilla, and the avocado is crusted with almonds, sesame seeds, chili, corn flakes, and other seasonings. The shrimp cone and the chicken and avocado cone is to die for. Vegetarian? Grab an avocado cone or a gluten-free cone filled with seasonal veggies. As the slogan goes, “It’s not fried. It’s deep sautéed.”
8. Trudy’s Tex-Mex Restaurant & Bar
Famous for their original stuffed avocado, Trudy’s breads their avocado with a fried cracker-crumb crust and stuffs it with chicken and cheese. Then they top it with suiza sauce and even more cheese. And of course, what’s a Tex-Mex restaurant without guac and chips? On top of all that, Trudy’s also has an avocado salsa that’s served fresh with cilantro, onion, garlic, and other spices.
9. Jack Allen’s Kitchen
Holy guacamole, Jack Allen’s Kitchen takes your chips and guac to a completely new level. Sprinkled with flavorful pumpkin seeds and fresh Cotija cheese, this smashed guacamole puts a creative twist on a Southern favorite. The best part? Everything served here is locally sourced, with farmers serving as inspiration for each freshly prepared dish.
10. Guero’s Taco Bar
Known for their house-made tortillas, salsa bar, and hand-shaken margaritas, Guero’s offers a large menu with fabulous Mexican food, Austin-style. But a favorite is their fresca sauce — a creamy avocado sauce with onions, tomato, jalapeños, and sour cream. The sauce serves as the perfect topping for any of their 8 enchilada choices and, for avocado lovers, is worth the hour-long wait on a busy Friday night.
There’s always something to do in Austin, but avocado lovers have even more of an incentive to visit. Whether you do it for the Instagram-worthy food or to try something a little different, you’re sure to find unique dishes that implement avocado in Austin, Texas.