Everything’s bigger in Texas, and the food scene in Austin stays true to that sentiment. The city is a great place for traveling foodies and offers a variety of choices when it comes to choosing a place to eat. The Black-owned restaurants in Austin are spread throughout the city. However, each one remains consistent in feeding the community and inspiring through culinary mastery. Here are 10 Black-owned restaurants in Austin where you can feed your hunger for community and good food.
Bigg Belly BBQ Company
Bigg Belly BBQ Company is a food truck in Austin grilling everything your heart desires. The Black-owned restaurant serves a variety of smoked meats in many forms. You can get a quesadilla stuffed with barbecued chicken, a sauce-smothered rib sandwich, and brisket falling off the bone. Bigg Belly’s is a family favorite that keeps people coming back for more. For delicious barbecue goodness, make a stop by Bigg Belly BBQ Company.
- Location: North Austin
- Type of Cuisine: Burger
- Menu Spotlight: Bigg Belly Banger
- Before You Go: Bigg Belly also offers food in large family-size portions if you’re feeding a bunch of folks while in Austin.
Hoover’s Cooking
The manifestation of a homegrown son of Austin, Hoover Cooking is a melting pot of Texas culture and flavor. The owner grew up in the neighborhood and believes in continuing to uplift his community. Now, the restaurant continues a long legacy of service and hospitality. Their food brings people together in harmony, and they work with local proprietors and farmers to give guests a real farm-to-table experience.
- Location: East Austin
- Type of Cuisine: Southern
- Menu Spotlight: Chicken Fried Steak
- Before You Go: Owner Hoover Alexander is a local Austinite who has been serving food to the community for over 20 years.
Bird Bird Biscuit
According to the restaurant owners, Bird Bird Biscuit all began with a biscuit and a dream. Brian Batch and Ryan McElroy met while both working in a cafe in 2008. Years later, their friendship is still intact as they run Bird Bird Biscuit alongside one another. The pair spent two years perfecting the recipes for the menu and have some of the best homemade biscuits in Austin. You never know what type of biscuit you’ll run into when you visit Bird Bird.
- Location: Multiple locations
- Type of Cuisine: Breakfast
- Menu Spotlight: Queen Beak
- Before You Go: In 2022, Bird Bird Biscuit was listed as number five on Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat.
TaterQue
At TaterQue, savory barbecue and crispy tots are in a tasty tango. The Black-owned Austin restaurant is owned by couple Bobby and Bobbi Mack. Both born and raised in Austin, the pair wanted a space where Bobby could get back to his joy of bringing people together with good food. Now, there is a crew of Happy Spudsters all over the city waiting to dive into another plate from this Austin eatery.
- Location: Pfluggerville
- Type of Cuisine: Barbecue
- Menu Spotlight: Tator Keg
- Before You Go: The inspiration for TaterQue was born while owner Bobby was sitting at his Union-wielding job wishing there was a place he could grab a “loaded stuffed potato with all the fixings.”
Community Vegan
For vegan comfort food that’s good for the soul, Community Vegan is the place to go in Austin. The restaurant strives to spread awareness and education about plant-based food and healthy nutrition to everyone. The community the restaurant is located in mainly has low-income residents with limited access to healthy food options. Community Vegan hopes to change that one meal at a time.
- Location: East Austin
- Type of Cuisine: Vegan
- Menu Spotlight: “I Used To Eat Fish” Filet Sandwich
- Before You Go: Community Vegan remains true to its name by staying community-driven at all times. The restaurant provides healthy-plant-based options through community outreach at schools and colleges as well as providing the unhoused community with meals.
The Potluck
The Potluck is a Cajun eatery in Austin with two locations. Locals say they have the wings in Austin, and you don’t want to miss their red beans and rice. Their food is full of flavor and brings all of your favorite Creole spices straight to the Texas city. The chefs at The Potluck love to cook, and their passion for creating Cajun-style masterpieces resonates through the food. Everything at The Potluck tastes like a nostalgic memory of your favorite Southern classics and locals can’t get enough.
- Location: Multiple locations
- Type of Cuisine: Cajun
- Menu Spotlight: Gumbo
- Before You Go: The Potluck is Austin’s first and only 24-hour eatery, so feel free to stop by for a late-night snack.
Gigi’s Cupcake Bee Cave
You probably thought you’d never seen giant, hardy, formal NFL players whipping up cupcakes in the heart of Texas. But that’s exactly what’s going down at Gigi’s Cupcake Bee Cave. Known online as The Cupcake Guys, the bakery was founded by former NFL players Michael Griffin and Brian Orakpo, after teaming up with their long-term friend Bryan Hynson, to score the ultimate touchdown in the kitchen. Now, travelers and locals can experience some unique cupcake flavors from some of the NFL’s finest.
- Location: Bee Cave
- Type of Cuisine: Bakery
- Menu Spotlight: Lemon Berry Cupcake
- Before You Go: The legacy of the Cupcake Guys originally began back in Nashville, where Griffin and Orakpo both played for the Tennessee Titans.
Sipps On Wheels
Millennial and Gen-Z foodies can’t get enough of Austin’s Sipp On Wheels. The Black-owned food truck is the originator of the stuffed catfish and has a variety of menu options to choose from. Other travelers love their tacos, loaded fries, boudin balls, and pasta. They sell out often, and guests can pull up to the truck to grab whatever their stomachs and hearts desire. Check out Sipps On Wheels’ social media pages for the most accurate hours of operation.
(@sippsonwheels)- Location: Austin
- Type of Cuisine: Fish and Tacos
- Menu Spotlight: Stuffed Catfish
- Before You Go: Sipps On Wheels is constantly moving around Austin, so stay tuned to their social media pages on where to find them serving food in the city.
Austin’s Very Own Saltt
Seafood restaurant Austin’s Very Own Saltt is bringing people together with food. The owners believe that food has power and that culture and flavor are healing. They fulfill this vision by committing to quality ingredients and ensuring authenticity and passion shine through in every bite. A phenomenal dining experience down to the last morsel, Saltt truly is Austin’s very own best choice for fried seafood favorites.
- Location: Austin
- Type of Cuisine: Seafood
- Menu Spotlight: Shrimp Fried Rice
- Before You Go: Austin’s Very Own Saltt is inspired by the amazing seafood finds down in Port Arthur at Bruce’s Seafood restaurant.
Tony’s Jamaican Food
You’ll find all your Caribbean food favorites at Tony’s Jamaican Food. The restaurant sticks to traditional flavors and ingredients while adding its own unique flair. It’s a great place for a quick bite or to grab food to go, and travelers will find their favorite Caribbean dishes right in Pflugerville. The restaurant is about a 30-minute drive from Austin, but other travelers say it’s worth the commute.
- Location: Pfluggerville
- Type of Cuisine: Caribbean
- Menu Spotlight: Brown Stew Chicken
- Before You Go: Tony’s has a great lunch special with all your favorite Jamaican delicacies at a reasonable price.
Every year, Austin continues to showcase why it’s one of the greatest food cities in the U.S. Black-owned restaurants in Austin are a key part of its culinary landscape, offering a little bit of everything to nibble on when in town.
