Austin, Texas is one of the coolest cities in the nation. It’s the fastest growing city in the U.S., the live-music capital of the world, and highly know for their eccentric street eats. So when a colleague and I got the opportunity to travel to Austin recently, I was ecstatic to discover the unique city.

Gourdoughs Big. Fat. Donuts.

The afternoon we arrived, we needed a “snack” and stopped at Gourdoughs Big. Fat. Donuts. The city is know for their “food trucking culture” and this establishment definitely captured that it is stable yet incredibly eclectic. Without exaggerating, I can say that these donuts were – LIFE. CHANGING. Hands down the best donuts ever.

The homemade peanut butter icing was a chunkier texture. And the crunched peanuts were so fresh, keeping the flavor bursting in your mouth. In the Razzle Dazzle, the raspberry filling was so sweetly warm that when mixed with the fudge, I had a hard time putting down. The jalapenos on the Squealing Pig made it a little too spicy for me, so I removed them. But, the bacon was a great touch.

La Barbecue

When in Rome, right?

Well, in this case it was Austin, so we had barbecue. We took on La Barbecue and did not regret our decision. My one pound brisket was falling off the bone and it was one of the best pieces of smoked meat I’ve ever had. The spicy mac-and-cheese complemented it well.

My colleague ordered a La Barbecue favorite, a BBQ sandwich with Fritos. She’s not a huge fan of BBQ, but even she couldn’t put down her sandwich. La Barbecue was the ultimate comfort food with a unique local twist!

Patrizis’

For our last meal, we found a uniquely Austin venue that was part food truck, part theater. Patrizis’ makes their own pasta with local eggs. You can’t fake fresh cheese and their’s tasted like it was made 5 minutes prior to dish creation. Our biggest regret was that we only got one pasta dish to share!

We visited Patrizis’ at The Vortex Theatre. The night we went, a performance was happening in the theatre. The workers we spoke with said the play was definitely thought-provoking, but definitely NSFW!

Leaving the venue, one of the proprietors stopped us and asked us where we were from. She told us about the history of the place and welcomed us back at any time. The welcoming and unusual ambiance was such a wonderful treat and so unequivocally Austin, Texas.

Why Does Austin Matter?

Consumers today crave community and human connection even as they become more mobile and independent. So products and companies should be responding by celebrating the cultural heritage, craftsmanship, and provenance of products.

Every meal I ate gave me not only a sense of comfort but a sense of community connection. Eating the homemade donuts and local brisket made me feel a part of the Austin community. Eating the fresh cheese and combining it with the beet platter gave me a taste of some locally sourced products.

Looking back, I definitely ate more than any man should but I regret NOTHING! If you get the chance, visit Austin and take in not only the exciting culture and atmosphere, but embrace the local food – you won’t be disappointed.