Top 20 French Restaurants in Austin Texas
Top 20 French Restaurants in Austin Texas
Even though it is in Texas, Austin isn’t all about Tex-Mex and American fare as explained at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. The French cuisine in the city is quite good and Austin offers a variety of restaurants serving French fare to choose from. This article will look to zero in on the top 20 French restaurants in Austin, Texas when looking for one in the area to visit.
- Le Politique
Beautifully tiled floors, a raw bar flush with oysters, a kitchen that serves golden roasted chicken, and a selection of French wines galore—Le Politique has officially become the most stylish Parisian restaurant to hit Austin according to RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. Chef Derek Salkin’s menu comes straight out of the traditional brasserie playbook, from a creamy gnocchi à la Parisienne to perfectly cooked steak frites. (When asked which sauce you would like—béarnaise, bordelaise, or au Poivre—say all of them.)
- Toulouse Café & Bar
The Texas chain mimics a traditional French café. The quiche du jour, trout almondine, escargots, and mussels stand out against an already impressive menu. Order the petite gougères, a basket of classic French cheese pastry puffs drizzled in truffle oil, for the table.
- Chez Nous
As per RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com, Chez Nous has been quietly tucked away off of 6th street for the better part of 35 years. Step inside the intimate space and you’ll feel transported to the French countryside. The menu offers traditional French classics, from a pate of the day to veal, duck confit to seared scallops. As you’d expect, the wine menu is extensive and servers are well-versed in how to pair.
- Épicerie
French-American comfort food with a twist is what you’ll find at this café and grocery. The Sunday brunch menu includes a Croque madame, while the main entrées include steak and frites. A French onion soup and quiche also appear on the menu.
- Fabi + Rosi
Find Fabi + Rosi in the most adorable house on a little side street off Lake Austin Boulevard. While their menu is technically modern European, the menu is heavily French influenced. It’s also one of the most elegant spots to dine in Austin, with huge windows, low-slung banquettes, and tea lights in hanging glass orbs.
- Foreign & Domestic
Foreign & Domestic is a North Loop restaurant that offers American and European fare. French dishes include the crispy beef tongue, duck eggs and grains, Pommes frites, venison tartare, and pots de crème as articulated at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com.
- Justine’s Brasserie
There is nothing quite like French brasserie Justine’s. It possesses a level of chic so unattainable by most that it almost feels like performance art. Artists, musicians, movers and shakers all flock to the East Side haunt, where LA, Marfa, and Austin influences have melded into a new culture of cool. The venue’s wine list is full of picks described with flowery adjectives like “sanguine,” “midnight,” and “electric.” While basking in the warm sound of actual vinyl playing in the background, order the steak tartare and moules frites, two of the crowd favorites. And make sure there are at least two crème brûlées to share.
- Hopfields
Offering a diverse, yet decidedly French menu, Hopfields uses fresh, seasonal ingredients to create its offerings, ranging from cheeses to steak frites to chicken liver mousse, lamb meatballs, and duck confit for dinner as captured at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. Weekend brunch options include the classic Croque madame and jambon buerre, which is a combination of Parisian ham, French butter, cornichons, baguette, greens, and a Dijon vinaigrette.
- Bonhomie
The French eatery on Burnet has an entire section of pommes rosti, crispy shredded potatoes that are topped with lox or foie gras or caviar—or, simply, bacon, eggs, and cheese. There are other classic dishes, too: a croque monsieur, a rotisserie chicken, steak bavette and cassoulet. For brunch, pancakes are topped with fresh pears and shaved ham.
- Blue Dahlia Bistro
Light French fare anchors the all-day menu at this east side cafe. Under petit déjeuner (“small lunch,”) diners will find croissants, blueberry crêpes, and egg white frittatas. Other specialties include cheese and meat boards, salads, tartines, and a variety of entrees, like the French meatloaf, ratatouille, and mussels Dijon. All salads and entrees are served with freshly baked bread.
- Péché
Located in Austin’s Warehouse District, Péché serves classic French fare with a nod to 19th-century New Orleans via a dim, chandelier-lit space and a pre-Prohibition-inspired cocktail menu with a considerable absinthe selection covered at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. Forget tiny plates: Péché’s generous portions mean everything is shareable.
- Elizabeth Street Cafe
While Vietnamese dishes dominate the menu at this south Austin favorite, breakfast is all about French fare. People can choose from an array of croissants, stuffed French crêpes, beignets and jam, and house-baked brioche French toast. The restaurant also features daily French macarons available all day long.
- Saperlipopette
Build your own sweet and savory crepes at this adorable food trailer on South First. Choose from a wide variety of add-ins—runny eggs, creamy goat cheese, caramelized onions, salty bacon—or go sweet with caramel butter, cinnamon and sugar. Can’t make a decision? Get one of the combos with both. Pro-tip: The restaurant also has gluten-free options described at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com.
- Crepe Crazy
This aptly named restaurant offers savory and sweet crêpes any time of day. Breakfast includes the Norwegian, a lox, scrambled eggs, lemon-dill cream cheese, pickles, red onion, and capers crêpe, while lunch and dinner boast savory options like the Caprese. The menu also includes dessert crêpes, panini options, and salads.
- French Tex Cuisine
Find this unassuming blue trailer off of South Lamar serving galettes and French tacos. The owner is French through and through and creatively fuses French and Texan cuisines using only farm-fresh ingredients and herbs grown around the trailer (there are plenty of options for vegetarians and vegans). Build your own galette or taco with everything from vegan cheese to smoked brisket, queso to avocado. The fact that it’s BYOB makes it that much sweeter.
- Baguette et Chocolat
As discussed at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com, Baguette et Chocolat is a Busy patisserie featuring scratch-made European fare, including pastries, paninis & artisan bread. The pastries, croissants, and macaroons here are amazing. What a luxury to have a real French patisserie near home.
- La Patisserie
The French pastries that owner Soraiya Nagree and pastry chef Lezlie Mills Gibbs create daily are mind-blowingly good. From morning buns (sugary croissant curled around layers of orange zest) to the cro-brio (a croissant and brioche hybrid, their take on the overhyped cronut) and the best chocolate croissant in Austin, La Patisserie’s talented bakers are killing it. Don’t forget to taste the ever delicious, signature macarons when visiting.
- Texas French Bread
This stylish, approachable campus-area spot is both a bakery and cafe, where the air smells of freshly baked bread and the baguettes served alongside their mussels are some of the best in the city. The menu isn’t all French—there are nods to Italian and American fare—but the omelets, steak au poivre, and daily specials are on point as revealed at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com.
- Fareground Austin
This restaurant is a counter with farm-to-table burgers, rotisserie chicken, wings & salad plus breakfast options. If you are looking for a good sandwich in Austin, Texas, then this restaurant will have you covered on that front.
- Paris in a Bite
Paris in a Bite is a Parisian-inspired cafe with French wines, champagnes, chocolate & caviar plus small plates. It serves chocolates, caviar, and French wines in a Parisian-inspired cafe. It has a selection of ready-to-go meals and other yummy treats great for the whole day. Furthermore, there are rare wines offered at affordable deals.
As always, the top-rated RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com have you covered when looking for more on this topic and much more.
