Locally owned specialty shops abound near Bouldin Creek. The SoCo area features an assortment of cutting-edge fashion, arts and craftwork, live music venues, restaurants, street vendors, a toy shop, antiques, and the best people watching in town.
Residents often grocery shop at the flagship Whole Foods Market at the south end of downtown and at the neighborhood HEB, a fixture in the community for more than 35 years. A farmers’ market on Saturdays at the Republic Square Park downtown offers the freshest, tastiest, locally grown fruits and vegetables.
Neighbors pamper themselves at beauty salons, spas, and skin care boutiques. Beautiful Me, holistic skin care and body waxing, offers services and products that not only rejuvenate skin, but can make customers feel calmer, more youthful, and happier. Located in a converted little bungalow, the inside of Frenchy’s Beauty Parlor is all pinks and retro cute. But the real excellence of Frenchy’s is that it not only offers expert hairstyles and color, but superlative customer service that customers rave about.
Casual Comfort Food and Vegetarian Delights
The area is loaded with restaurants serving all kinds of food, casual to formal, and some open 24 hours. The Magnolia Café on South Congress serves lunch and dinner, as well as breakfast 24 hours a day. In the heart of the neighborhood on South First Street, the socially conscious Bouldin Creek Coffee House specializes in vegetarian and vegan food — all of it delicious.
Local landmark Sandy’s Hamburgers, at the north end of the neighborhood, serves up fast food the way it ought to be — fresh, greasy, and indescribably delicious. From the authentically retro look and outdoor-only seating to its old style frozen custard, nostalgia doesn’t get any better than it does here. The most popular items at Sandy’s are the good old-fashioned shakes and malts; they’re a perfect way to end a day swimming with the kids at Barton Springs.
Diverse Cuisines from Around the World
Local foodie favorite, the upscale Vespaio Ristorante serves carefully crafted Italian food created from locally sourced ingredients. Stocks, charcuterie, fresh pasta, breads, desserts and cheese are all made in-house. For a more casual occasion, Home Slice Pizza or The Hopdoddy Burger Bar, both on South Congress, serve extraordinary pizza and burgers.
Other local restaurants such as New India Cuisine, The Tarbouch Lebanese Grill, Thai Fresh, and a handful of other restaurants serve exemplary dishes from around the world. And, because it’s in Austin, of course there are a multitude of Mexican restaurants, from inconspicuous but delicious corner taquerias to places offering some of the finest fajitas in town.
Austin’s Best Doughnuts and Legendary Food Trucks
For something sweet, locals love Gourdoughs. Gourdough’s are craftsmen in the art of all things doughnut, which patrons frequently describe as “out of this world.” Favorites such as the Son of a Peach or Granny’s Pie are among a long list of favorites for dessert.
No discussion about SoCo and Bouldin Creek would be complete without mentioning their legendary food trucks. Some of Austin’s great new brick and mortar restaurants, Franklin’s BBQ, Barley Swine, Gordough’s, and Torchy’s Tacos for instance – all started off as food trucks or trailers. Vendors such as Hey, You Gonna Eat or What? with its own Texas twist on the classic Monte Cristo sandwich, or Little Thai Food on South First are coming up in that same tradition, serving great food in the most laid back setting possible — food trailers.