Visitor Recs + Best Ice Cream in Austin
May 1, 2025
Last week, my senses were heightened during an inspiring Q&A with Aaron Franklin and Chef Roy Choi about his new cookbook. They explored the restaurateur journey from day one to their current success, which reminded me of all the chef clients I've worked with and my own growth. Choi mentioned how going viral on TikTok might look like "making it" for kids these days, but without real business skills or experience like on the line, you can't back up the hype—viral or not, you've still got to put in the work. Roy's take that "health is not all or nothing" means you can pick and choose parts of your life and that health means different things to each of us—but also let's enjoy it, right?
I often feel pressure to overindulge when hosting friends—hitting every bakery, continuing my membership on the “clean plate club” by eating everything—because that's who I am. While my life happily revolves around food, I'm learning (as of last week) I don't need to eat to the brim or order every dish on the menu at every meal like it’s my last to provide great experiences for others or myself. I’ve always thought true health balances great meals with fitness, mental wellness, and meaningful connections, and I’m remembering it's about your company and enjoying food simultaneously without letting it consume you.
NEW RESTAURANT REC
Aris
Walking into Aris, a new Mediterranean steakhouse in Clarksville, my mouth dropped for two reasons. First, the perfect 7 p.m. light streaming through the large windows made the dining room sparkle — a spacious room with plush booth seating that I rarely see this big in Austin, compared to Houston, where this restaurant group originates. Second, the fine dining style was striking — GM in a suit, meat locker display, women in stilettos! I typically frequent "industry" spots or local Austin eateries, so this felt distinctly different, not bad, just opposite from Austin's usual vibe.
Now onto the menu. As a seafood and veggie lover (unless we're talking dessert), I was thrilled by Aris's more unique options that gave me an instant vacation high. Although I skipped the steak this time (steakhouses aren't typically my scene), I'll try it on my next visit. The complimentary bread plate with three dips was just the beginning, but what I can't stop thinking about? The Fattoush Salad with cucumber, pickled sumac onions, cherry tomato, feta, labneh, and DILL! First bite had me humming “mmm”—pure farmer's market magic in every forkful. For our main, we chose the pan-seared fish (after a bartender's "challah" mispronunciation using the “ch” sound killed my enthusiasm to order the shrimp dish it came with), and that crispy-skinned fish over creamy risotto made me scream. I don’t know how I’ll go back and not order that dish-WOW! Can't wait to return and explore more of their fresh, vibrant menu!
GROCERY STORE REC
Radius Butcher & Grocery
With the death of Salt & Time came the birth of farm-to-table Radius Butcher & Grocery. This feels like what cities who don’t have giant H-E-B’s have with a specialty meat case, fresh greens from all over nearby farms, challah from a local baker (can’t believe I get to say challah twice in one newsletter), and what I found most impressive were all the homemade jars of things. For example, Lamb Stock, Beef Sipping Broth, Dairy-Free Smoked Fish Dip, Classic Chicken Salad, Meat Sauce, Pho Broth, Pickled Onions, Whipped Lardo. This place serves home cooks who are interested in the sourcing of their ingredients, offering an alternative to shopping at Costco or other large retail outlets. There are lots of specialty items, but you can also still do *most* of your grocery shopping here and at least cook a whole meal or dinner from one trip. I love the “Texas Produce” sign, which reads, “All produce in this display is sourced from high-integrity Texas farms,” where the farms are either certified organic or use low-intervention practices. I cooked the best red carrots I’ve ever had in my life. I might have cooked them a little too long, but it didn’t even matter because the product is so incredible and fresh that it still tasted like candy with just olive oil and salt. Lots of meat and chicken behind the butcher’s case and a whole aisle for tinned fish and other Asian products, rice, beans, and sauces, some of which I’ve never seen before. I loved the Muso Organic Ginger Umami Puree and used it to marinate salmon. I love this place and can’t wait to watch them grow and learn about the other farms and new products they procure!
CHEK RECS
Where to Take First-Time Austin Visitors
It’s no surprise I love hosting my friends who either visit me for a week in Austin or just a weekend trip. I’ve hosted seven different friends here already this year and (two in other cities), so I am confident I know how to create the perfect weekend with enough stuff to do (and some rest). With summer around the corner, I've pulled together a glimpse of my top recommendations below to help you show guests around town, whether they're here for a day or a weekend.
*BONUS* If you upgrade to paid, you'll receive my insider's guide to the ultimate long weekend in Austin — complete with day-by-day itineraries later this month that you won't find anywhere else ideal for a local like you in Austin or your visitor.
LOCAL EATS & ENTERTAINMENT YOUR VISITORS CAN'T MISS
Breakfast and Morning Activity: For an ideal food day, start with breakfast tacos and juice at Veracruz’s LINE location or coffee and masa pancakes at Mercado Sin Nombre before walking the Town Lake trail or the Hill of Life hike on the Greenbelt. I also love the breakfast tacos at La Santa Barbacha and Taco Flats, if you’re seeking a more sit-down and order situation.
Lunch: Moving on to lunch, vegetarians must check out Bouldin Creek Cafe or Casa de Luz for an Old Austin hippie vibe. If you’re a meat-eater, head to Terry Black’s, home to the fastest line for BBQ, or Michelin-rated Leroy and Lewis, which has the most unique sides and great brisket.
Daytime Activities: Walk around The Contemporary Austin’s Laguna Gloria Sculpture Garden followed by pizza or wine at Flo’s. Here’s a list of vintage shops to explore!
Dinner: For dinner, take your out-of-town friends (especially NY or LA visitors) to Canje where Caribbean flavors and the city's best roti will impress even seasoned restaurant lovers. If a casual food truck is the goal, snag a bite at Little Nishi, Austin’s best temaki and nigiri outdoor spot.
Nightlife: Walk over to Equipment Room for great cocktails in their listening room, or to C-Boys for live music. For a true Austin experience, take your guests two-stepping at Sagebrush to avoid weekend tourists at The White Horse!
BAR REC
Quill Room
The Austin Proper Hotel is a treasure trove of F&B options, from Goldie's, the sunken bar, to La Piscina rooftop— what I'd argue are the most sizzling, cheesy fajitas in town. I recently checked out The Quill Room on a Saturday night—it sits literally a step above the lobby bar and feels more intimate with its darker, more contained atmosphere. There's even an outdoor parlor space. The menu features small bites alongside cocktails, and they often feature piano players or DJs to set the mood. If you're at The Proper and looking for a different scene, this is definitely worth exploring! I've come to call the regular lobby bar an intriguing "zoo" because you truly never know who you'll spot wandering around. Whether it's a lively group of women reuniting, a solo older gentleman parading about with his martini on the hunt, or even McSteamy grabbing a drink (yes, I actually met him there without recognizing him, and even after finding out, I still couldn't tell)—entertainment is guaranteed!
CHEK TIPS
Freshquote
I remember when I finally bought a house in January 2020 (I know, very lucky). Once I settled in, the bills began to pile up, the dishwasher broke, I had to call the fire department to replace my beeping smoke detector which I couldn’t reach because the ceilings are so tall (my dad is still concerned that I don’t own a ladder, but the fire department said they love replacing them apparently). Plus, the neighbor behind me left six of their dogs outside barking regularly. That being said, since I work from home and love hosting friends, it made sense to buy a house, but everything felt very stressful, including finding home insurance and paying taxes. I honestly haven't checked in on my plan since I signed years ago. Since pricing has gone up, my good friend recently asked me if I had used Freshquote, a new Texas-based, female-led startup, to find the lowest insurance rate for my house and car. I then found out this service literally saves you hundreds of dollars just by providing your address and telling their team of independent insurance advisors what you currently pay. They research both auto and home insurance bundles, whether within the same company or using two different ones, to see if they can get you a better deal at no extra cost to you. Ultimately, it's just a refund to you in the end! While hesitant to talk to customer service people, my advisor, Samantha, based in Round Rock, was so friendly and knowledgeable about the Austin market, and not a robot. She provided me with a quote within hours that would offer me the same home insurance plan, but for approximately $350 less annually. So, yes, on the spot, I signed their papers, and Freshquote reached out to my current insurance to cancel and obtain my remaining refund for the year. Then, they switched me to one of their over 20 carriers, Safe Co. That’s all I had to do. Sign, and they took care of the rest. It was the easiest customer service experience I’ve ever had on the phone and through email, which was clear, understandable, and not a headache. I then bought LCD Soundsystem tickets that night and called it a day! Oh, and the other best part is that they follow up with you after a year to see if there's an even better bundle available than what you had, so they're always proactive, looking out for you, and saving you money.
If you want to save money on your insurance and not deal with customer service for hours, try Freshquote here.
Chek Tips is our sponsored section to support this ongoing free newsletter. Thank you so much to Freshquote for their support!
ON THE BLOG
Best Ice Cream in Austin
My second obsession (after cookies) — ice cream — has completely taken over my thoughts. I've spent countless hours sampling the best frozen treats our city has to offer, from hidden gems to beloved classics. My new ice cream blog post includes the 13 most unique and crave-worthy spots, including:
Jim-Jim's on Dirty Sixth (can you believe it?), is my all-time favorite frozen treat: the DIY Creamsicle with vanilla soft serve and sour watermelon water ice surrounding it, which is the best post-Barton summer treat
Gati makes unbelievably creamy coconut-based vegan ice cream that never tastes icy. I always go for the cookie dough, golden milk, chocolate, or anything with oat cookies. I love having them as my PR client because they consistently rotate their flavors!
Plus insights on neighborhood favorites like Tiny's Milk & Cookies and OMG Squee's adorable Taiyaki cones. If you have a spot that I missed, I'd love to hear about it in the comments of my last reel, showcasing some of my favorites!
PR + MARKETING
CultureMap Tastemaker Awards
CultureMap Tastemaker Awards: Every year, CultureMap does a great job of shining a light on the talented chefs and restaurants we have in Austin, and we’re thrilled that two of our clients. Gati’s Chef Jam Sanitchat and Rockman’s Chef Amanda Rockman are both recognized as nominees for Pastry Chef of the Year! Jam’s shop Gati makes gluten-free desserts and dairy-free ice cream that has the best coffee cake I’ve ever had and ice cream cakes. Amanda has brought her Michelin Star-restaurant experience to the creative croissants, bagels, cakes, cookies, and other pastries at Rockman Coffee + Bakeshop, and I still can’t go in there without making the Churro Croissant disappear. Thanks to CultureMap for showcasing our clients! The winners will be announced at CultureMap’s event in May at Fair Market which anyone can buy tickets to.
EVENTS
Discada Grand (Re) Opening: May 5 at 4 p.m. at Chalmers, 1700 E. Cesar Chavez St., enjoy iconic tacos in a new, lively setting with great drinks and company
Lockhart Rising: May 10 at 12:30-6:30 p.m. at 800 N. Commerce St. in Lockhart, experience a culinary extravaganza with live music
Frankie’s Lounge: May 14 at 5-9 p.m. at the Equipment Room, a one-night-only takeover where the sounds of EQ collide with the flavors of Aaron Franklin’s legendary BBQ
Shuck & Sail with Garbo's: May 18 at 5 p.m., enjoy a 2-hour cruise on Floaties Floatin' Saloon on Lake Austin with unlimited oysters & caviar
Love this! Reminds me of the “Italian Job” gelato recipe sprinkled with olive oil and fennel pollen I adapted from NYC restaurant Lilia for easy home cooking! Just one scoop can waylay a Mafia Mobster's most nefarious plottings.
check it out:
https://thesecretingredient.substack.com/p/get-nyc-restaurant-lilia-italian-job-gelato-recipe