ACL 2010: Eating At & Around the Festival

Especially for the three-day attendees, ACL can be a physical challenge. If you drive, don't expect to park near Zilker. Shuttle bus lines can be a mile long at the end of the night. The grounds are large, so expect to cover some distance if you're picky about who you want to see. Most years, of course, we have lots of heat and sun. So it's a slog. Try to think of it as more of a marathon than a sprint. You'll need to stay nourished. Luckily, there's plenty of good things to munch on both at the festival and elsewhere nearby. But what's best? That's where we're here to help.

Festival Food: Chicken Cone - Wrap of Kings or Myth?

At the festival, there are many holdovers from the last few years. For the uninitiated, that means there is a lot to choose from. You'll be able to please meat eaters with multiple burger purveyors, BBQ joints and taco/mex offerings. Vegetarians won't feel left out; plenty of options are scattered among the stands.

Among the places we've tried, the one that gets the most buzz is the Mighty Cone stand and its now legendary chicken cones. Basically, a wrap of fried chicken strips, with avocado and some sort of sauce. After being the undisputed ACL food hit a few years back, the side project from the folks behind great game-centric restaurant Hudson's on the Bend turned into a full-time Austin food truck. The lines get long there quickly, so think carefully about when to go. We tried one, and it was very good. The chicken is coated in a very flavorful, crunchy coating, and the overall combo of flavors was a win. On the other hand, it seemed a bit pricey for the size. Worth it? If the lines are short and you've never had one, I'd say so.

Among the other places I've tried, here are some of my favorites:

• Boomerang Pies: Surprisingly good English-style pies. The Guinness steak and potato pie is a very popular one. We tried two other ones last year, and both were quite tasty. One was a curry with plenty of spice. I'm not sure they have those on the menu this year, but the Thai veggie sounds like a safe bet.
• The Best Wurst is your best bet for just about any kind of sausage. The spicy, filling brat I had last year was one of the best items I ate at the festival.
• Aquarelle and Olivia are two of the better high-end places in town. If you want something more foodie friendly, head to one of those booths.
• On the burrito front (good, filling, portable), Freebird's World Burrito makes a decent one. My favorite filling is the carnitas. Newcomer Garrido's should give them a run for the money.
• Amy's Ice Creams will surely have one of the longest lines all day. They make dense, creamy ice cream. Opt for the less sweet flavors.
• As far as BBQ goes, most folks who've tried them would probably opt for The Salt Lick over Stubb's. I've never had the latter, but The Salt Lick makes good chopped beef.

Food Outside the Festival

If you are new to Austin, there are a few basic things you should know about the food scene here. First, and foremost, it is a very casual town. Very few places will look at you funny if you show up in shorts or jeans. Second, Austin's got some great local products. There are lots of farms and ranches nearby, and a strong community of local food artisans. Third, while Austin may not be the most food-centric city in the U.S., it has some areas of considerable strength. Great tacos are everywhere, and we eat them for breakfast, too. Austin is conveniently located in the heart of the "BBQ Triangle." There are a million places to get good burgers, and none of them are chains. Mobile food vendors are huge here, and some of the most creative treats are being served from trucks, trailers, carts and stands. Since I can't cover everything, let's focus on those four categories: Tacos, burgers, BBQ and food carts.

Zilker Park is located on the western side of South Austin. There's a strip of restaurants on Barton Creek Road heading toward the park. Most of these, in my opinion, are so-so. Green Mesquite, near the corner of Lamar Blvd. and Barton Creek, serves okay BBQ and pretty good po' boys and may be the best option on the stretch. Flip Happy Crepes, tucked on a side street, is another one I'd recommend, but the hours are a bit mysterious. You're best off instead focusing on South Austin and Downtown, where you'll find lots of options in every range.

Burgers

I've posted about Texas Monthly's Top 50 Burgers in Texas from 2009. Several of the places on the list are here in Austin. But those aren't the only good patty purveyors in town.

• Seriously great burger at the Counter Cafe on North Lamar (#2 in the last Texas Monthly statewide burger countdown). Also great breakfast with fresh local ingredients. If they have the quail special, get it.
• If Counter Cafe is out of stools - it is tiny - check out Hut's on 6th St. It is a local landmark that makes very good burgers (get the grass fed beef), albeit a bit greasy. Onion rings are huge and popular.
• For something a bit fancier, head to Max's Wine Dive (#16 Texas Monthly) on 2nd St. and San Jacinto). Kobe beef burger. Glass of rich red. Decadent.
• On the south side, the best burger I've had is at at the Black Sheep Lodge (#27 Texas Monthly). The one with blue cheese is my favorite.

BBQ

First off, I've posted plenty of times about Texas 'cue. You'll find plenty of remarks in my old posts. Another good resource is the comprehensive blog Full Custom Gospel BBQ, which covers the whole state, including lots of joints in Central Texas. It is a great resource, especially if you're mobile while in Austin. There are plenty of delicious BBQ places around Austin, but unfortunately a number of them are a few towns away. The scene in town is improving though.

• Downtown, two options for BBQ at opposite ends of the spectrum are Lambert's and Iron Works. The former makes high-end BBQ and great steaks in an elegant setting. The latter is more of a classic BBQ place with sawdust on the ground and plastic flatware. Each is good in its own way. Stubb's (see above) also is downtown. Never been and haven't heard lots to convince me to go.
• In South Austin, Green Mesquite (see above) and Uncle Billy's are very close to Zilker. Uncle Billy's makes its own excellent beer, but I haven't yet tried the food. Reviews are average. Also in South Austin but further from Zilker is Artz Rib House. They make good burgers as well. Try a country style pork rib.
• If you have wheels but not much time, the best place in town is Franklin BBQ on the I35 N Frontage Road (near 38th). Go early, they sell out quickly.
• If you have wheels and time, go further. Taylor or Lockhart both have some amazing barbecue. My personal favorite is Louie Mueller in Taylor, barely beating Smitty's in Lockhart. The beef rib at Louie Mueller is simply amazing - the single best BBQ item I've had in my life.

Tacos

I don't really have to do anything. The guys at Taco Journalism have this one covered. Tacos are all over the place. Look for the authentic Mexican carts for the best deals. Taco Journalism says the Rosita's al Pastor cart is the best. For breakfast tacos (eggs with a mix of things such as potatoes, cheese, chorizo, bacon, avocado, etc.), the Tacodeli tacos are great, and you can find them for sale at a number of places around town.

Carts

The best reference here is AustinFoodCarts.com. Lots of Austin's carts are listed and mapped here.

Luckily, many of the best little spots are near downtown or South Austin.

• See above for two great ones, Franklin BBQ and Flip Happy Crepes.
• On South Lamar, South First and South Congress, there are large bunches of carts in "trailer parks." Among the best of them is a park with Odd Duck Farm to Trailer, which is turning out some of the most creative small plates in Central Texas, and Gourdough's, which sells sickly loaded doughnuts.
• Nearby on South Lamar, La Boite Cafe makes easily the best macaron in the area. Excellent baked goods all around. Right next door is Texas Cuban for Cuban sandwiches with a southern twang.
• Downtown, my favorite cart is Kebabalicious. They park at night on East 7th. During some days, they operate a lunch trailer on the southern end of North Congress. The best falafel in town. If it is late and the kebab doesn't do it, try Best Wurst on East 6th.
• On South Congress, head across from the shopping strip (near Allen's Boots) for a bunch of choices, or lower down the hill, you'll find another group with a Moroccan burger place and another creperie. The point is, they're everywhere. You can't miss them. And many of them are good, or else they'd be out of business in this crowded market. So don't dismiss the carts. They aren't just for hot dogs anymore.