Downtown foodies have an enormous selection of restaurants from which to choose. Residents craving Mexican food visit Manuel’s, Z’Tejas or La Condesa. Those in the mood for Italian cuisine visit La Traviata, Taverna or Frank & Angie’s Pizzeria. Neighborhood diners celebrating something special might walk to Truluck’s or Eddie V’s for exquisite seafood, or to Perry’s, Fleming’s or Sullivan’s for prime steaks. Kenichi’s sublime Japanese cuisine is a favorite of many downtown neighbors, while others love the Dancing Seafood dish at Thai Passion.
Downtown is also the epicenter of Austin’s legendary bar and club scene. No need for a car or even a cab when downtown dwellers can walk to the city’s legendary East 6th Street District, where a seemingly endless parade of nightclubs beckon, with live music spilling out of every door. B.D. Riley’s Irish Pub, The Liberty and college favorite Maggie Mae’s are all popular spots. On the other side of Congress, in the Warehouse District, music lovers can choose from 219 West, The Belmont, Star Bar and dozens more to enjoy every type of live music imaginable.
Shopping Downtown — The Choices are Abundant
The stunning, 80,000-square-foot flagship Whole Foods is where many downtown residents walk and shop for groceries. When locals need just a few items, they might pop into one of several Royal Blue Grocery locations downtown. Another grocery option for those with cars is HEB, which is a 5- to 10-minute drive south.
Retail stores are located throughout downtown, largely on Congress Avenue and in the 2nd Street District, including clothing boutiques such as Francesca’s, home décor stores such as Z Gallerie and computer merchants such as Austin MacWorks.
For more mainstream shopping, over 180 shops and restaurants await at Barton Creek Square, a popular regional shopping mall located just 15 minutes away. Here residents can shop at Nordstrom, Dillard’s, Macy’s, Abercrombie & Fitch, Ann Taylor, Apple, Banana Republic, Bath & Body Works, Chico’s, Foot Locker, Frederick’s of Hollywood, Gap, Lane Bryant, Lego, Nine West, and Old Navy, as well as Sears and many others. Hungry shoppers can feast at Abuelo’s Mexican Food Embassy, Simon’s Sushi or Charley’s Grilled Subs, to name a few. And for date night or family fun, movie buffs also love to check out the latest blockbusters at the 14-screen AMC Barton Creek cinema.