A Few Hidden Gems in Austin, Texas

Our time in Austin is coming to a close, and I have to say there's a tinge of upset. We've had a blast exploring this city. All of the quirks and hidden gems. We truly understand why the city's slogan is "Keep Austin Weird".

There were a few places we stumbled upon, or even Groupon'd upon that we need to share. Places that are so delicious, unique, and satisfyingly worth a visit, that we can't keep them to ourselves. We promised you a plethora of worth-while, under the radar spots to visit wherever we travel, so here are the ones we chose from Austin.

​wheatsville food co-op

Forget Whole Foods. Forget Trader Joes. Wheatsville Food Co-op is where it's at. Not only do they have an astounding selection of vegan and vegetarian treats (check out their pre-made stuff) but they also sell a majority of their products from Austin vendors specifically. There are only two locations for Wheatsville and they pride themselves on featuring local businesses and products. What's even cooler, is that you can "own" a bit of the co-op by paying a one-time fee of $70 which gets you a lifetime membership. This entitles you to "owner's deals" like 10% off during owner appreciation days, patronage rebates, and speciality discounts on weekly items. There are over 18,000 members, and everyone we met was happy to be there. If you go, you must try the tofu buffalo popcorn made in house. It's amazing. Or the African Peanut soup, which is blended to absolute perfection. I also got a vegan mint chocolate ice cream sandwich from a local Austin business called Sweet Rituals that I ended up throwing away. The main ingredient was peppermint oil, which just reminded me of a bath scrub we make. It wasn't very tasty.

If we weren't leaving Austin, I would've become a member in a heartbeat. The prices are great and the food is phenomenal.

​Royer's Pie HaveN

Located off Guadalupe on "the drag" Royer's Pie Haven is the place to go if you're looking for a delicious way to satisfy your sweet tooth. It's a quaint little shop that is filled to the brim with pie knick-knacks and sweet treat character. But the best part, besides the decorum, was the pie. You can choose between buying a slice ($5.25) or a whole pie ($33.95). You can also buy a mini pie, which we were told is about the same amount as a slice. So, we got a couple of coffees and a slice of Texas Trash pie. Don't let the name fool you. It was out of this world. Pieces of pretzel, chocolate chips, caramel, graham crackers, and coconut, all inside a deliciously flaky and sweet crust resembling a light sugar cookie. We split a piece, and rightly so. It was a very rich pie and we couldn't have eaten more than one. But when paired with coffee, it was a match made in Haven.....hah, heaven.

the elephant room

We love jazz. We love jazz played in basements. We love Happy Hour. And voila, The Elephant Room has all three. We walked into the basement jazz joint off Congress for some happy hour drinks and happy hour jazz. It's a bit dank, the actual place, with $1 bills taped over every open surface. We got a draft and a cranberry juice for $7.50 (still a bit pricey for happy hour), but the music was well worth it. We watched a band comprised of fantastic musicians, called The Hollywood Review. They played jazz hits from Hollywood films all with a ukulele, clarinet, electric guitar, cello, and drum set. They had a gal and guy on vocals, and we really felt transported back to the 1930s. I will definitely recommend this place for jazz lovers looking for that seedy, dark experience, sipping an Old Fashioned and listening to a guy croon on a saxophone.
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Dimassi's Mediterranean

So, there's this buffet about 20 minutes from Downtown Austin, that if you are a Mediterranean lover, you MUST visit. I'm talking MUST. We came across a Groupon for $14 for two people. After tip and tax, it came to about $20 for two people which was well worth it in my opinion. Every sort of Mediterranean option you can think of, they had. Topping it all off with wood-fire cooked pita bread. Might even be THE best bread I've ever eaten. Go to Dimassi's. Vegetarians and meat-lovers alike.
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Azul Tequila

In Austin, you can find Mexican anywhere. Literally any corner you walk to, you'll see a Mexican spot with tacos, Migas, burritos, and the like. But anyone can slap together some beans and cheese and say it's Mexican. We came across Azul Tequila on South Lamar, and decided to give it a shot. It's a small place inside of a shopping plaza, so if you're not looking, you may not find it. BUT, their queso is worth the trip. Truly. If you ordered a queso and couple of sangrias (which we did), then you'll be set with a delicious happy hour. But the queso and chips were so fresh, the sangria was so smooth with a slight hint of rum, that we had to try the vegetarian enchiladas just to see if they went three for three, and they did. Authentic Mexican, fresh ingredients.
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austin Lone star rv resort

There aren't many RV parks in Austin. Which really is a crime. We don't do much resort camping, but if we did, Austin would be a place we'd like to set up shop. We did happen upon Austin Lone Star RV Resort about 10-15 minutes from downtown. They pair with Passport America, so we were able to stay for about 45% of the usual nightly cost. They have a heated pool, exercise room, laundry, showers, a pool table, and a quiet neighborhood. Be warned. They do fill up quickly, and from what I saw, a lot of people are there full time. Also, they price gauge the hell out of events, tripling their nightly costs for Formula 1. It's quiet, clean, and relatively cheap. There's also a grocery store within walking distance.

Taj Palace Indian

This one is a no brainier. Best Indian Food in Austin, Texas. Tuesday night was an all-vegetarian buffet.
We.
Almost.
Died.
The buffet was huge and the food a-plenty. I do wish they brought out more naan regularly to the table, or had some at the buffet, BUT I get it that they make it fresh. I would absolutely recommend any Indian food lover to stop at Taj Palace. Especially the vegetarians.

Riggs The Chug

Okay, so I didn't even know this existed: a chihuahua + pug. A CHUG! I met my first Chug named Riggs on the streets of Austin, and almost fainted. This Chug was absolutely adorable. A long black body, and the cutest pug face. There are so many animals roaming about Austin with their owners, Vanessa and I really tried to pet every one of them. BUT, if you happen to meet Riggs, you're a lucky-son-of-a-gun. He's a two-year-old rescue with a fun personality, and one of the highlights for me on this trip.

Those are a few hidden gems in Austin that we've loved so far. It's going to be sad to leave next week, but Vanessa and I decided to take a break from the city life and get back to nature. Stay tuned for some beautiful posts headed your way!