Restaurants

Lake Travis Area Food and Drink

Perhaps Lake Travis folks stay active because there is so much yummy food to try! From typical fare (Tex-Mex) to the more unique (food trailer scene), there usually is something new or "coming soon" to try in this growing community. A healthy mindset means there are always various good-for-you options: organic, farm to table, and locally-grown, to name a few.

New grocery store options continue to offer the good stuff and local breweries are making their mark in everything from new establishments to tours and tap rooms. Specialty coffee shops and any number of local bakeries means your palette doesn't have to travel far for variety.

Check out our write-ups of Lake Travis area restaurants, breweries, and features of local dining and favorite happy hour spots. Between good eats and kid-friendly environments, as well as a good deal here and there, you're not likely to be short on inspiration.

The Salt Lick: Legendary Open Pit BBQ in Driftwood

Written by Mandy Spivey | September 17, 2014

If there’s one thing Texans take seriously, it’s their barbecue. If you’re a fan of the style of cooking and you haven’t made the drive out to Driftwood, you’re missing a whole world of meaty goodness, all in our own backyard.

There are only a handful of restaurants in Central Texas that carry a history so flavorful and legendary as The Salt Lick in Driftwood. This tiny Texas town, just south of Dripping Springs and a few miles southeast of Austin, carries with it a huge legacy of smoky meats marinated in Hawaiian and Japanese influence.

Out of the plethora of barbecue restaurants in the Lone Star State, very few still stick to the strict tradition of the open fire pit. This old world technique of smoking meats over red hot coals and wood is usually tucked away in humble Texas towns such as Elgin, Lockhart and Taylor. It almost makes the meat more special in a way, besides the tenderness of their BBQ brisket or the smokiness of their beef ribs.

Sweet: A Lake Travis Area Boutique Bakery

Written by Cathy Hale | September 2, 2014

Last week, I had my first sweet treat from Sweet, a strawberry cake-pop, and I instantly knew I must share this nom nom goodness with everyone in the Lake Travis area.

The cake-pop had the perfect cake to icing ratio (yes, that’s the technical term…) and it was moist and flavorful. I always get bummed when a cake-pop looks amazing, but the cake is too heavy or hard. This cake pop was delicious. My advice would be, if you have yet treated yourself to a dessert from Sweet, you should!

Hey Cupcake! The Original Lake Travis Area Food Trailer

Written by Mandy Spivey | August 13, 2014

If you frequently pass through the intersection at Ranch Road 620 and 2222 at Four Points (or spend time sitting there in traffic), you can’t miss the vintage Airstream trailer with a big cupcake on top. Hey Cupcake! is one part awesome mini cakes and one part excellent service — and together you get the full Hey Cupcake! experience.

You might remember when Hey Cupcake! first started out at the South Congress location. Not long after that, another Airstream was added to the fleet and parked out at the Four Points location in front of Thundercloud Subs. It was one of the first food trailers to land in the Lake Travis area.

Angel Donuts & Treats: A Sweet Stop in the Lake Travis Area

Written by Mandy Spivey | August 5, 2014

Just up the road and tucked away in the Trails of 620 shopping center sits one of the best sweet stops in the Lake Travis area. Angel Donuts and Treats is independently-owned and run by master donut chefs and bakers Angela Whitman and Cyndra Larsen. What began as two roommates concocting and baking up sweets out of their place has turned into a full-time business. But their passion for baking didn’t start with donuts.

“It started with cake balls; we tried some cake balls and thought they were pretty amazing, then we started playing with different flavors,” Larsen goes on to say. Her love for the dessert is apparent in the large glass display in front showcasing the dozen or so flavors of cake balls she has perfected over the years.

Steiner Ranch Steakhouse: The Best Steak in the Lake Travis Area

Written by Mandy Spivey | July 29, 2014

Some people know them as one of the best patios for Lake Travis sunsets. Or it might be for their jaw-droppingly huge steaks. Either way, if you have been on the search for the best steak in the Lake Travis area, look no further.

High atop lush green hills in the Steiner Ranch neighborhood sits the Steiner Ranch Steakhouse. The restaurant was opened by the Steiner Family as a symbol of all of the glory days of roping cattle, wrestling steer and riding bulls on the rodeo circuit. The steakhouse has become somewhat of a library and collector’s trove of the remnants of those golden years when Buck Steiner was king of cattle, running immensely popular Capitol Saddlery in downtown Austin.

Restaurants

Lake Travis Area Food and Drink

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