I love a good cookie! Not sure if many of you know, but I’ve had my own baking business on the side, Choco-Latte, for 6 years and make an “Infamous Chocolate Chip” that is my best seller. I haven’t had time to bake much due to a day job in consulting, however, one of these days, I’d love to bake for you. In the meantime, I do crave a really good cookie every now and then, so here is my round up of MY favorite cookies in Austin right now!
Teddy V. Patisserie
I’ve been a fan of Teddy V. cookies since at least 2017. I remember meeting the owner, Elisia, at the Mueller Farmer’s Market one sunny Sunday and she was hosting a contest at that time – post a picture of your cookie on IG and a lucky winner could win a cookie party! I won! By then, I was consuming at least 1 of her cookies a week – I’d cut it up into quarters since these were some serious cookies, and I wanted it to last me a few enjoyable sessions 🙂
Anyway, that’s the beginning of me spreading my Teddy V. love and now, these cookies are so popular that Elisia has quit her job to make cookies for all of us FULL TIME! She’s got walnut chocolate chip cookies available for all those chocolate + nut lovers! And occasionally, a gluten free version too!
Snag you a cookie or two at the Lakeline or Mueller Farmer’s Markets on Saturdays and Sundays or at one of her pop ups all over town. She of course takes special orders and you can even order and get your cookies shipped all over the U.S.! Check out the Vessel map up above for a cookie “cake” I ordered for my birthday!
These beauties are a third of a lb each!
Otherside Deli
Imagine you’re looking for a delish pastrami sandwich, the best in Austin, and you make your way out to Otherside Deli. You enjoy said pastrami sandwich and catch a glimpse in the distance of what looks to be a chocolate chip cookie. You inquire about said chocolate chip cookie and Chef responds, oh ya, it’s the last one and there is a sprinkle of sea salt on there. Want one? You quickly respond YES!
I’m obsessed with Otherside’s cookie. It’s that perfect blend of bittersweet chocolate and salt and just the right size to be consumed in one sitting!
A little bit of crisp, a whole lotta chocolate and a tad of salt!
Thoroughbread
I was on a mission to try ThoroughBread out one day. I went on a weekday a little after lunchtime thinking this would be the best time to miss the lunch crowd. I was right! It was just me and my coworkers enjoying the sights and aromas of so many cookies! Check out my Vessel map above for a couple videos of the cookie display.
I wanted to branch out from my usual choice of a chocolate chip cookie and got the PB&J cookie instead. WOWWWWWW! The jam in this cookie was truly exceptional. You’ll have to see the video in my Vessel map to sneak a peek into the inside of this incredible creation!
The banana nutella is one of their signature cookies! You’ll have to break it open to see the surprise!
Hot’l Coffee
The cutest coffee shop that has a living room that is the perfect spot to work, read a book, chat with a friend, Hot’l Coffee at The Carpenter Hotel, has one of the tastiest cookies in Austin too!
Pair this Sea Salt Chocolate Chip cookie with a golden latte and be prepared to settle in for all the cozy vibes! TBH, I’ve gone in just for the cookie after eating a solid lunch at Carpenter’s Hall and feeling extremely full. It’s so worth it!
The perfect size cookie – and I dip it into this golden latte because ooey gooey warmth!
Henbit
Not too long ago, if you wanted to enjoy the Monster Cookie from Henbit, you had to visit Fareground since that’s where Henbit is located. Lucky for those of us who don’t work downtown and also don’t want to fight parking, you can find these Monster Cookies at Whole Foods downtown!
Chocolate + Nut lovers rejoice as Henbit’s cookie is the perfect combo of both and it’s huge! This is a cookie I portion into quarters to savor over a few days much like my approach to Teddy V.’s!
Warm it up for a few and enjoy the gooey-ness without the mushy-ness!
Check out that distribution!
I have a few more cookies that I love but don’t have pics of at the moment so come back here for an update very soon!
Gosh, I think this is the 3rd year I’ve consistently dined at Andiamo and obvi it is dang good or I wouldn’t keep going back!
If you haven’t been, this gem has been serving up authentic Italian food in North Austin for 15 years! It’s Woman-Owned and Operated and definitely worthy of all the accolades it receives and continues to receive.
Spring has blessed us with its presence, and with that comes all of the gorgeous, vibrant-colored ingredients! Something about veggies and pasta makes the #carb life seem a bit more manageable right?
I was invited in to try some of the new additions to the lunch and dinner menus and honestly, I can’t tell you which one was my favorite because I’d gladly order each and every one of these dishes again!
One of the best dang garlic breads I’ve ever eaten!
This salad with grapefruit, strawberries, feta and arugula was so refreshing!
If you go for dinner, order the Insalata Tricolore – with shaved fennel, orange segments, and goat cheese, this will be the perfect appe-teaser!
I’m a huge ravioli lover, especially when mushrooms are involved. These were stuffed with mushrooms, ricotta and swiss chard and extremely addictive!
New for Spring, the Gnocchi Primaverra is loaded with green peas, radishes, bell peppers, onions and lemon zest! And who doesn’t love potato pillows!?! These are light and packed with flavor!
Oh so green but oh so good, the Spaghetti Verdi was probably one of my fave dishes of the day!
If you love brussel sprouts and pancetta as much as I do, the Penne con Cavoletti is for you!
If the Linguine with calamari and black mussels is on the menu, I usually order it even with my tomato allergy – it’s everything!
Perfectly cooked trout with capers – hello heaven!
Save room for dessert! The Millefoglie is a MUST – and it’s a great palate cleanser (if you needed an excuse to eat dessert)
As you can tell, I’m a huge fan of Andiamo! The dishes are so creative and this is what I imagine real Italian food tasting like in Italy. Now, it’s time to plan a trip to Italy stat!
I LOVEEEE a good sandwich that has me craving the same one over and over again. Growing up, I would make the same sandwich to take for lunch at school EVERY DAY for a year – and then, I’d get sick of it (after eating it every day for a year) and switch to another. I’m so weird right? One year it was turkey and pepperjack cheese. Another year it was smoked ham and cheddar. Another year it was cracked pepper turkey and pepperjack. Point is, me and sandwiches go wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy back!
So here are the spots that I love to enjoy a good ole sammie at the moment – the list can AND WILL change given my mood 🙂 My favorite embedded Vessel map below has pictures by location, so check it out for the full scoop and mouthwatering pics/videos!
Little Deli & Pizzeria
Hello hidden gem of a pizza and sandwich shop in the Crestview neighborhood! Why the heck didn’t I go here sooner? We showed up at a random time on a Saturday – random meaning not lunch or dinner time but right smack in between aka 3PM-ish. They were packed! Kids, dogs, adults sitting outside and ordering inside…I mean, the weather that day was epic so I can’t blame people for hanging, but woah, I was shocked!
Loved the Italian Sub and the Chicken Salad so much and we’re heading back soon for some ‘za!
When this hot spot opened up off W. 34th Street, it became the talk of the town! Quite literally, my Instagram feed blew up with pictures of their reuben and pastrami sandwiches.
Being married to one of the biggest pastrami lovers I know, I made it my mission to take the Hubs there. In fact, I love him so much that I took him there for his birthday weekend 🙂
I ordered the Otherside Italian for myself and hubs got the Otherside (with Pastrami), and I quote him “This is the best pastrami I’ve ever eaten.” So there folks…I’m not sure why you aren’t headed there as you’re reading this!
My Italian sandwich was one of the best I’ve had as well. Love their house vinegar that they add to it. And pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee don’t leave without ordering a chocolate chip cookie with sea salt sprinkled on top – best cookies in Austin post coming soon, FYI!
I’m quite literally obsessed with the new Carpenter Hotel. Have you been? From delish golden lattes, to super amazing pastries, to incredible BRUNCH, LUNCH, DINNER AND LATE NIGHT, you will not go wrong here. They’re open to the public so you don’t have to actually stay there to enjoy their food.
I’ve tried a heck of a lot of food there and I can’t tell you if there is one thing that is my favorite. I’d eat everything I’ve eaten again and again!
Their sourdough bread is quite beautiful and perfectly prepared. A friend of mine had the Roast Beef Sandwich and really enjoyed it. Hubs got the Reuben – TALK ABOUT STACKED! Too big to hold both halves in one hand for a pic, y’all. Also, too dang delicious to not finish on the spot 🙂
This favorite Eastside spot of mine has shown up in a couple of my blog posts for many reasons. 1) epic sandwiches 2) 2 locations within 2 miles of my house 3) JALAPENO HUSHPUPPIES 4) lots of veggie options for those days you need to eat veggies but you don’t feel like eating a dinky salad.
Their bread for the Tortas is incredible. Made by Bellows Bakery, the rolls are freaking delish – like you could eat them on their own – but whyyyyy do that when you can eat a delish roll stuffed with all the goodness?
A couple of my faves happen to be their veggie options – Caul Me and Mad Beets. I equally love the Lucille (think banh mi sandwich) and the Charlie (flank steak).
ALWAYS pair your sandwich with an order of jalapeno hushpuppies. If you don’t, I will disown you – NOT JOKING!
Address: 1900 E. MLK Jr. Blvd. and 4620 E. Cesar Chavez St.
I’m kind of jealous of people who live in walking distance of Walton’s. I’d be there all the time if I lived close or worked nearby. Parking isn’t the easiest given all the construction on W. 6th these days. However, if you’re in the area, please drop in and eat EVERYTHING!
They’ve got a Fancy Lunch option that is my go-to – half of a Ham on Pretzel and a Cesar Salad. Their pretzel roll with Ham is the perfect combo! Treat yourself afterwards (or before, I won’t judge) to a macaron or cake or a latte!
Address: 609 W. 6th Street
Hours: Monday-Wednesday 7AM-7PM and Thursday-Saturday 7AM-9:30PM and Sunday 8AM-4PM
When two well-known Chefs/Restaurant Owners collaborate and open a restaurant together, YOU GO! Chef Tyson Cole and Aaron Franklin combined their genius skills to create Loro. Think Asian Smokehouse when you go and plan to be pleased as heck.
Ok, so I think my favorite sandwich is one that has Turkey in it. And remember, hubs loves a good Reuben.
Enter Loro’s TURKEY REUBEN. It’s heavenly…you’ve got to try it and prove otherwise. The turkey is perfectly smoked. The sandwich is perfectly toasted. It can’t get any tastier…
Address: 2115 S. Lamar Blvd.
Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11AM-10PM and Friday-Saturday 11AM-11PM
This Jewish-inspired deli is serving up bagels, lox, matzo ball soup, and incredible deli sandwiches!
With two locations in Austin, you’re not too far from enjoying one of the best sandwiches in ATX. I stopped by the downtown location recently and ordered the Turkey & Swiss (surprise surprise)! I had to eat the sandwich in 2 sittings because that’s how huge it was! So so good…their bread, the turkey…the swiss. Gah!
And they now use Rosen’s Bagels for their bagels so EPIC AND INCREDIBLE BAGELS AVAILABLE FOR YOUR DEVOURING at breakfast too!
Address: 800 Brazos St. Suite 215 and 3742 Far West Blvd.
Hours:Downtown Monday-Friday 7AM-3PM and Saturday-Sunday 8AM-3PM; Far West Monday-Friday 7AM-7PM and Saturday-Sunday 7AM-4PM
The ultimate collab of Via313, Nickle City and Juniper, Uncle Nicky’s is the best of Italian sandwiches, pastries, Negronis all packed into the cutest Hyde Park neighborhood spot.
We went for a late dinner on a cold wintery day in the ATX, so it was quite crowded inside. They’ve got a cute patio but come on, it was too cold to sit out there the night we dropped in.
A counter-service spot, we ordered the Italian Tuna and Hots Sandwich, Classico Pane Tostato and the PB&J Pane Tostato.
Wowzasssssssssssssssssssssss….speechless, friends! Everything was so so good. The pane tostatos are small so get a few if you’re hungry. But they’re absolutely divine. The sandwich was substantial and LEGIT!
I’ll be going back in for lunch ASAP so I can get my hands on some of their Cruellers, donuts, ham & eggs!
No sandwich list is complete with including Easy Tiger. Afterall, they make most of the bread that restaurants use for their own sandwiches!
With 3 locations in Austin – Linc, E. 6th and Cedar Park – they’ve pretty much got the city covered.
Any guesses what sandwich I love and get every time? Come on now…you know me! If you guessed Smoked Turkey, you’re the WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER! I just can’t get enough of that avocado chimichurri and those pretty watermelon radishes inside.
Address: 709 E. 6th St. and 6406 N. IH 35 #1100 and 5001 183 Toll Rd. (inside 365 Whole Foods)
Hours: Downtown Monday-Wednesday 11AM-Midnight and Thursday-Friday 11AM-2AM and Saturday 10AM-2AM and Sunday 10AM-Midnight; Linc Sunday-Thursday 7AM-11PM and Friday-Saturday 7AM-Midnight; 365 Whole Foods Monday-Friday 7AM-9PM and Weekends 8AM-9PM
As #SXSW gets more and more popular ever year and our ever-growing Austin gets more populated, I stay farther and farther away from all things SXSW. However, I received an invite to attend a dinner event at the Hotel St. Cecilia, and I couldn’t turn either down, and I’m sooooo glad I went.
Imagine showing up to a magical gem off of South Congress, Hotel St. Cecilia, and entering a spectacular tent setup with 2 very long tables decorated to the 9’s – like a super fancy dinner reception!
All we knew prior to showing up was there would be a 6-course meal headed our way and towards the end of the meal we’d find out who ITK Restaurant Group was. I’m pretty sure everyone who was in attendance had Google-d ITK before showing up…the Googling failed though because you wouldn’t find anything under that name on the interwebs.
How beautiful is this setup?Loved the tablescape!
The first of the 6-course meal came in a cup on our table with hand-poured Vegetable Brodo…super refreshing! Not pictured but here is the menu!
Concasse of beet, strawberry, and watermelon – my favorite course of the night!Risotto – super creamy – loved the squash bacon on top – not bacon y’all!4th Course – Crudo Trio – loved the halibut ceviche and the salmon was perfectly seared!One of the best steaks I’ve had – and this wasn’t even a steakhouse! Dessert – Lemon Curd and Chocolate Divoricados with a raspberry lavender demi – so so good!
And then they finally announced who the ITK Restaurant group was —- any guesses?? We were blown away and pleasantly surprised when we found out ITK = In The Kitchen with HEB! All of the ingredients were from a local HEB and a few Chefs from HEB prepared our entire 6-course meal in a very small kitchen at the Hotel St. Cecilia.
What an incredible night and the wait was well-worth it!
We each walked away with a copy of the recipes from the night. Comment if you want any of them? Everything is approachable, easily prepared at home and ingredients can be found at your local HEB = WINNING!
Love supporting local and a company (HEB) that is so supportive and philanthropic of its community.
Let me know if you make any of these fancies at home, k?
Thanks to my foodie friend I met through Instagram, @AustinFoodAdventures, I had the opportunity to try out so many dishes on Lucky Robot’s lunch menu.
Lucky Robot has been on South Congress for as long as I can remember but only recently has it come to my attention that they’re Austin’s first sustainable sushi restaurant. I don’t know about you, but I’m hyper aware of how our food choices impact the environment and what is left of Mother Earth. It’s great to support a local restaurant that is offering up dishes with only environmentally-responsible seafood. By making that choice, they’re protecting the ocean and its inhabitants!
I’ve dined at Lucky Robot for dinner several times and finally tried out their lunch. The Chirashi Bot is only available during lunch and that’s why we chose lunchtime to visit! Boy am I so glad I got my hands on that beautiful bowl of all the sashimi! Gah, so dang good!
Feast your eyes on this bowl of tuna, salmon, amberjack, and striped bass sashimi on a bed of sushi rice, avocado, English cucumbers, daikon picklets and a 144 degree egg! I’ll be eating this for lunch everytime I visit Lucky Robot…believe me!
The Schoolgirl Bowl rings all things comfort. Loaded with chicken breast, scallions, and a ton of veggies, eat this dish WARM and savor every bite.
I love a good Okonomiyaki so when I saw they had the Nomnomiyaki on the menu, we had to order it. A Japanese savory pancake with PORK BELLY, napa cabbage, a sunny side up egg, spicy mayo, and all the goodness – you’re not going to want to leave a single drop!
Whenever there is Chicken Karaage on the menu, I get it. These spicy Japanese-style chicken nuggets are to die for!
Where my Vegan friends at? The Farmbot features local farm box veggies, red quinoa, avocado, CASHEW CHEESE in a soy paper – I COULD HAVE EATEN ALL OF THIS BY MYSELF!
Next time you’re out strolling Soco, stop at Lucky Robot and order a ton of Japanese goodness! You won’t go wrong with whatever you choose and you can rest easy knowing you’re eating sustainable fish too!
And if you needed even more of an incentive to go — Happy Hour is M-F from 4:00-6:00PM and they’ve got a weekend happy hour during their Tokyo Brunch from 10:30-11:30AM (brunch is 10:30-3:00PM).
If you need a lunch or happy hour date, hit me up!
To state that I’m excited about attending the annual HOU vs ATX Throwdown next year is an understatement. I’m really not big into BBQ – well, I can’t eat as much as a true fan does – but I do love meeting the pitmasters, oogling over the meat and dining with friends and fellow fans!
This year, the throwdown was in Austin at Friends & Allies Brewing back parking lot. If you’ve ever been to a BBQ Festival, you know the lines can get long and the crowd can get wild, but the setup of this one was perfect. The lines were manageable, you could mingle and observe what was cooking at each spot, and the weather for the event was absolutely perfect. Pair it with a delicious brew from Friends & Allies, and you have a Sunday made in heaven!
Here are some photos from the unique BBQ bites we had at the event:
Smoked Brisket Tamale from El Burro and the BullHoliday Stuffed Brisket Tamale from Brett’s BBQMexican Street Corn Dog by Bodacious BBQ – the winner!This Brisket Burnt End Boudin from Stiles Switch was one of my favorites!Smoked Lengua from LeRoy & Lewis – wowzas!Smoked Beef Rib Quesadilla from Beavers was my absolute favorite and it won the People’s Choice!Brett’s brought this nice sweet treat to wash down all the bbq – a strawberry rhubarb cobbler – divine!
If you can’t wait till the next throwdown between ATX and HOU around this time next year, then get your tickets for the HOU BBQ Festival on April 14th now!Â
I was invited in by Artista Rosso for a blogger’s brunch preview before the official launch of Brunch service on 12/1. I’m going to be a frequent brunch-er there because HELLO NUTELLA BAR!
If you’ve been to the space at Lamar Union, previously Delicious, the newly renovated spot features a market for the neighboring residents, a coffee bar, an extensive wine selection, a full draught beer selection and tons of grab-and-go items. They’ve also obviously got a kitchen and are whipping out amazing Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Happy Hour and Brunch!
As you can tell from the pictures below, we had a feast! I’ll definitely be visiting again very soon because they’ve got crepes (made to order with lots of nutella!), cannolis (fill them with goodness), and all kinds of other super addictive delicious items that I’m a fan of.
Egg Benedict – look at all that shaved ham!Coffee Bar viewAll the goodness – Breakfast casserole, eggs benedict, garden hash, fruit, toast, mimosas!
Next time you’re looking for a brunch spot, head on over to Lamar Union and dine at Artista Rosso. Treat yo self!Â
If you didn’t know, now you do! Wild Chix & Waffles is set to re-open on Tuesday, December 11th with a renovated space and a 100% #glutenfree menu! Yes, you heard that right.
The Wild Chix & Waffles team hosted the Austin Food Blogger’s Alliance for our monthly Happy Hour and Holiday Party and had the great pleasure of previewing tons from their new menu.
I mean, how beautiful is their space?
Bright and well-lit dining area!
I was too busy socializing and eating to take a ton of pics, but I did manage to get a few of some of the yums!
Yucca chips & guacamole – REALLY REALLY GOOD!Salad Trio – Aloha Beaches, Hippie Chix, Strawberry FieldsStrawberry Fields Salad – loved the arugula so much!Vegan Burger – omg!Gone Bananas – waffle topped with bananas and nutella!And if you love to feel like a kid again, sit in this giant swing with a friend and dine 🙂 Pictured here: my beautiful friend Nicole (@loveofallofthethings)
To recap: They’re re-opening to the public Tuesday, December 11th and their menu is 100% gluten free. They’ve got tons of savory waffles, sweet waffles, salads, waffle fries, truffle mac & cheese, matcha, lattes, mimosas, sangria, etc. (basically everything you need and want)!
Canned wines don’t have to be just for the people without tastes for the finer things in life! I’ve had some amazing wines in cans lately, and when Right Now Canned Wines asked if I’d be interested in having a sample of some of theirs, I quickly said YES! With football season and tailgating, to Halloween in a few days, to Thanksgiving and all the grub (wine pairs perfectly with turkey), I’m all for single-serving wines so others don’t have to feel obligated to drink a bottle with me 🙂
The City of Austin and Visit Austin launched a new site called ATXLoves earlier this week! It was facilitated by a grant through the City of Austin to create an online experience guide + interactive map that connects visitors to locally-loved businesses, aggregated from a variety of groups and publications that highlight Austin’s favorite local businesses.
I was asked, by LookThinkMake, to contribute to the site as a Food Influencer and naturally, being the East #Austinite that I am, I curated my list with my favorite East ATX Restaurants! Several other Influencers from the city contributed too, with lists from their favorite coffee shops, to nightlife and drinks, and best places to grab meals and snacks to name a few.
Check out my curated list here and browse through all the others!
All in all, ATXLoves and everyone who contributed brought support to over 800 homegrown businesses and spreading the word amongst tourists of what Austin loves.
I hope you’ll enjoy the lists and discover some gems all across town!
