Dining at a local farm-to-table restaurant is a great way to ensure you’re eating fresh, high quality food. Additionally, you can get a feel for the type of cuisine that is native to the area, all while supporting local farmers and ranchers. There are lots of amazing farm-to-table restaurants here in Austin, but we’ve narrowed down our top five choices that we think you need to try.
Geraldine’s ($$$)
605 Davis Street | Austin, TX 78701
Offering a bat's-eye-view of Lady Bird Lake and the downtown skyline, Geraldine's is named after the famed guinea fowl that once roamed Rainey Street. Respect for Austin's history and culture seeps into every part of the restaurant, from the local ingredients featured in the Chef's contemporary menu to the nightly concert lineup—because there is no Austin without live music.
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Hillside Farmacy ($$)
1209 East 11th St. Austin, TX 78702
In the 1950s, a pharmacist by the name of Doc Young operated Hillside Drugstore, which closed down in the 70s and has since been restored to the now Hillside Farmacy. This charming restaurant is the perfect brunch spot, serving delicious, local, farm-to-table food. In 2019, the building was designated a Texas Historical Landmark and is still proudly owned by Doc Young’s family.
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Lenoir ($$$)
1807 S 1st St, Austin, TX 78704
Lenoir is named for the grape with hardy rootstock growing all over the Texas Hill Country–an homage to the beauty of this part of the state. Since opening early in 2012, Lenoir’s focus has always been on cooking the best of what Central Texas has to offer with spice, heat and robust flavor. This delicious farm-to-table restaurant cooks for the season and serves it with fantastic beer and wine from grower-producers all over the world.
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Emmer & Rye ($$$)
51 Rainey St UNIT 110, Austin, TX 78701
Opened in 2015, Emmer & Rye is a restaurant designed around the farmer’s haul, featuring a menu that changes daily with a focus on seasonal and local cuisine. Chef Kevin Fink uses heirloom grains, locally sourced produce, and whole-animal butchery (done on-site!) to create a sustainable and unforgettable dining experience. Emmer & Rye is also a carbon-neutral restaurant; they work with Zero FoodPrint to help offset carbon emissions.
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Jacoby's Restaurant & Mercantile ($$$)
3235 East Cesar Chavez St. Austin, TX 78702
Jacoby’s calls themselves “ranch-to-table” dining, and here’s what that means: the meat that you enjoy in their restaurant was raised on their own ranch and fed food from their own feed and seed store. You can rest assured that you know exactly where this beef is coming from. It’s a very “Texas-y” restaurant with lots of southern classics (steak, biscuits and gravy, grits). Jacoby’s is one of our all-time favorite brunch restaurants in Austin.
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