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Austin Restaurants Truly Keeping It Local, Mapped

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[Photo: Eden East/Facebook]

May is the height of the Central Texas spring growing season, which means it's a great time to enjoy Austin restaurants committed to sourcing locally. "Local" has become something of a marketing buzzword, obscuring the hard work done by many local chefs and restauranteurs to support small farms and provide superior quality to their customers.

Eater recently checked in with local farmers and ranchers to get their take on which restaurants in town are stocking the freshest seasonal and sustainable produce and meats. Here now is Eater's guide to some of the city's top restaurants who are supporting local. Don't see a favorite on the map? Hit up the comments or the tipline.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Greenhouse Craft Food

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Think Texas comfort food with Texas ingredients. You'll be extra comforted by the fact that they keep out pesticides and antibiotics from their produce and meat.

Black Star Co-op Pub & Brewery

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In addition to sourcing locally for its menu, Black Star Co-op is also known nationally for its forward-thinking fair labor practices, which include a "living wage" and paid vacation for employees.

Workhorse Bar

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Try the "Bastrop Burger," so named for the grass-fed beef from nearby Bastrop Cattle Company.

Olive &  June

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Olive & June is the "slow" food mecca of the Shawn Cirkiel empire, which also includes Chavez, Parkside and Backspace. Check out executive chef Justin Rupp's Sunday night family dinners menu, which include hand-picked ingredients from places like Green Gate Farms.

Contigo Austin

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Owners Ben Edgerton and Andrew Wiseheart swear by Farm to Table for most of their local sourcing needs, which include rabbit from Countryside Farms for their Country Rabbit Pate and Rabbit & Dumplings.

The Carillon

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Expect to see executive chef Josh Watkins at the SFC farmers' markets on Saturdays, where he gets much of what you'll find on The Carillon's $50 four-course, pre-fixe menu. He names Dewberry Hills Farm, Countryside Farm and Richardson Farm as some of his top sources.

Josephine House

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Liz Baloutine of Seedlings Gardening runs the on-site gardens for all the McGuire Moorman properties, which also include Jeffrey's and Elizabeth Street Cafe. Josephine House also employs its own forager, Libbey Goldberg.

One of the first restaurants in Austin to advocate for local sourcing, chef de cuisine and forager Eric Polzer has a long-standing relationship with east side's Boggy Creek Farm, who were recipients of Slow Food Austin's 2013 Snailblazer of the Year award.

Cafe Josie

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A regular at many markets around town, Cafe Josie's Brandon Fuller is a favorite of the fine folks at Springdale Farm for his ingenuity and dedication to local. He also does a killer job making red curry magic out of the goat ribs from Windy Hill Farms.

Arro, along with sister restaurants 24 Diner and Easy Tiger, source from more than 80 farms per year. The entire Elm restaurant group puts a big emphasis on supporting local business, which includes coffee roasted at Texas Coffee Traders, cheese sourced from Antonelli's Cheese Shop and beer brewed from Real Ale and Austin Beerworks.

Dai Due Butcher Shop

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Dai Due's Jesse Griffiths is 100% committed to local. Known for helping tame Texas' feral hog population, which he describes as "destructive, dangerous and delicious," Griffith also inspired HausBar Farm's Dorsey Barger to start her own urban farm.

With seasonal items that change daily, they post the new menu to Facebook every afternoon. Expect fresh veggies from area farms, like Springdale and Johnson's Backyard Garden.

Driskill Grill

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The Driskill sources from Texas Quail Farms for its signature dish Cornbread-Stuffed Texas Quail. You'll also find free-range wild boar, antelope or venison from Broken Arrow Ranch, which partners with more than 100 Central and South Texas ranchers to help maintain their wild game populations through a humane field harvesting system.

Hillside Farmacy

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Chef Sonya Cote has become a bit of an icon of the local food movement in Austin and beyond. Her menu lists particular shout-outs to farm favorites Springdale, Richardson, JBG, Countryside, Rain Lily and HausBar.

Eastside Pies

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This quintessentially Austin pizzeria with three locations tops their thin-crust pies with produce and meats from Bastrop Cattle Company, Boggy Creek Farm, Johnson's Backyard Garden, Springdale Farm, Tecolote Organic Farm and Urban Roots.

QUI Restaurant

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In addition to sourcing from HausBar, Johnson’s Backyard Garden and Farm to Table, Qui also works regularly with Urban Roots, a youth development organization that uses sustainable agriculture to transform the lives of young people and increase access to healthy food in Austin.

Salt & Time

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Not only is this east 7th butcher shop the source of the fresh-cut local meat that stocks Austin institutionts Qui, Franklin's and Contigo, they're open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday and brunch on weekends. Meats come from nearby sustainable ranches, dairy from Mill-King Market & Creamery and vegetables from local urban farms like Springdale.

Bufalina

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Recently nominated as an Eater Young Guns Semi-Finalist, Owner Steven Dilley picks up his salad fixin's from nearby Boggy Creek Farm. The Neapolitan pizzas are, obviously, also worth checking out.

Eden East at Springdale Farm

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They're located in the front yard of one of Austin's beloved urban farms. Any closer to the source, and you'd be eating straight out of the dirt.

Justine's Brasserie

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Tucked away on the east side, this classy little French bistro-house will romance you with its Austin-grown charm and ingredients.

Odd Duck

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There's not enough room here to list the more than two dozen small farms that help create chef Bryce Gilmore's dishes like "Carrots roasted in hay, goat feta, pistachio crumb" or "Andouille, cornmeal pancake, coffee mayonnaise." You'll have to take Eater's word for it, or just check out their web site for the full list.

Snack Bar

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Snack Bar proudly supports a number of local purveyors, such as Animal Farm, Farm to Table and G & S Orchards, for everything from its Farm Salads to Vermicelli Bowls.

Barley Swine

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2014 James Beard finalist Bryce Gilmore has helped bring local sourcing into the forefront of the Austin food conversation. His list of providers include Springfield Farms, Phoenix Farms, Milagro Farms, Swede Farm, Brazos Valley and Twin County Dorpers, among many, many, many others.

Thai Fresh

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Many restaurants claim to have the freshest ingredients, but Thai Fresh actually delivers. They also offer antibiotic- and hormone-free meat from Dewberry Hill Farms, Bell and Evans, Peach Creek Farm, Richardson Farm, Loncito and Bastrop Cattle Company.

Husband and wife team Todd Duplechan and Jessica Maher source locally almost exclusively for a seasonal menu that runs $38 for three courses and changes weekly.

Whip In Convenience Store & Pub

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Austin's original dhaba pub, Whip In conveniently lists current farm and ranch providers on their chalkboard of rotating specials and menu items, which include Whip-Indianized Nachos featuring Austin Slow Burn queso.

Jack Allen's Kitchen

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Their slogan says it all. "Local in source. Texan in spirt." But in case you're curious for more, those sources include Amador Farms, Milagro Farm, Dos Lunas, Oak Hill Farms, Simmons Family Farms and Two Happy Children Farm.

Greenhouse Craft Food

Think Texas comfort food with Texas ingredients. You'll be extra comforted by the fact that they keep out pesticides and antibiotics from their produce and meat.

Black Star Co-op Pub & Brewery

In addition to sourcing locally for its menu, Black Star Co-op is also known nationally for its forward-thinking fair labor practices, which include a "living wage" and paid vacation for employees.

Workhorse Bar

Try the "Bastrop Burger," so named for the grass-fed beef from nearby Bastrop Cattle Company.

Olive &  June

Olive & June is the "slow" food mecca of the Shawn Cirkiel empire, which also includes Chavez, Parkside and Backspace. Check out executive chef Justin Rupp's Sunday night family dinners menu, which include hand-picked ingredients from places like Green Gate Farms.

Contigo Austin

Owners Ben Edgerton and Andrew Wiseheart swear by Farm to Table for most of their local sourcing needs, which include rabbit from Countryside Farms for their Country Rabbit Pate and Rabbit & Dumplings.

The Carillon

Expect to see executive chef Josh Watkins at the SFC farmers' markets on Saturdays, where he gets much of what you'll find on The Carillon's $50 four-course, pre-fixe menu. He names Dewberry Hills Farm, Countryside Farm and Richardson Farm as some of his top sources.

Josephine House

Liz Baloutine of Seedlings Gardening runs the on-site gardens for all the McGuire Moorman properties, which also include Jeffrey's and Elizabeth Street Cafe. Josephine House also employs its own forager, Libbey Goldberg.

Wink

One of the first restaurants in Austin to advocate for local sourcing, chef de cuisine and forager Eric Polzer has a long-standing relationship with east side's Boggy Creek Farm, who were recipients of Slow Food Austin's 2013 Snailblazer of the Year award.

Cafe Josie

A regular at many markets around town, Cafe Josie's Brandon Fuller is a favorite of the fine folks at Springdale Farm for his ingenuity and dedication to local. He also does a killer job making red curry magic out of the goat ribs from Windy Hill Farms.

Arro

Arro, along with sister restaurants 24 Diner and Easy Tiger, source from more than 80 farms per year. The entire Elm restaurant group puts a big emphasis on supporting local business, which includes coffee roasted at Texas Coffee Traders, cheese sourced from Antonelli's Cheese Shop and beer brewed from Real Ale and Austin Beerworks.

Dai Due Butcher Shop

Dai Due's Jesse Griffiths is 100% committed to local. Known for helping tame Texas' feral hog population, which he describes as "destructive, dangerous and delicious," Griffith also inspired HausBar Farm's Dorsey Barger to start her own urban farm.

Peché

With seasonal items that change daily, they post the new menu to Facebook every afternoon. Expect fresh veggies from area farms, like Springdale and Johnson's Backyard Garden.

Driskill Grill

The Driskill sources from Texas Quail Farms for its signature dish Cornbread-Stuffed Texas Quail. You'll also find free-range wild boar, antelope or venison from Broken Arrow Ranch, which partners with more than 100 Central and South Texas ranchers to help maintain their wild game populations through a humane field harvesting system.

Hillside Farmacy

Chef Sonya Cote has become a bit of an icon of the local food movement in Austin and beyond. Her menu lists particular shout-outs to farm favorites Springdale, Richardson, JBG, Countryside, Rain Lily and HausBar.

Eastside Pies

This quintessentially Austin pizzeria with three locations tops their thin-crust pies with produce and meats from Bastrop Cattle Company, Boggy Creek Farm, Johnson's Backyard Garden, Springdale Farm, Tecolote Organic Farm and Urban Roots.

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QUI Restaurant

In addition to sourcing from HausBar, Johnson’s Backyard Garden and Farm to Table, Qui also works regularly with Urban Roots, a youth development organization that uses sustainable agriculture to transform the lives of young people and increase access to healthy food in Austin.

Salt & Time

Not only is this east 7th butcher shop the source of the fresh-cut local meat that stocks Austin institutionts Qui, Franklin's and Contigo, they're open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday and brunch on weekends. Meats come from nearby sustainable ranches, dairy from Mill-King Market & Creamery and vegetables from local urban farms like Springdale.

Bufalina

Recently nominated as an Eater Young Guns Semi-Finalist, Owner Steven Dilley picks up his salad fixin's from nearby Boggy Creek Farm. The Neapolitan pizzas are, obviously, also worth checking out.

Eden East at Springdale Farm

They're located in the front yard of one of Austin's beloved urban farms. Any closer to the source, and you'd be eating straight out of the dirt.

Justine's Brasserie

Tucked away on the east side, this classy little French bistro-house will romance you with its Austin-grown charm and ingredients.

Odd Duck

There's not enough room here to list the more than two dozen small farms that help create chef Bryce Gilmore's dishes like "Carrots roasted in hay, goat feta, pistachio crumb" or "Andouille, cornmeal pancake, coffee mayonnaise." You'll have to take Eater's word for it, or just check out their web site for the full list.

Snack Bar

Snack Bar proudly supports a number of local purveyors, such as Animal Farm, Farm to Table and G & S Orchards, for everything from its Farm Salads to Vermicelli Bowls.

Barley Swine

2014 James Beard finalist Bryce Gilmore has helped bring local sourcing into the forefront of the Austin food conversation. His list of providers include Springfield Farms, Phoenix Farms, Milagro Farms, Swede Farm, Brazos Valley and Twin County Dorpers, among many, many, many others.

Thai Fresh

Many restaurants claim to have the freshest ingredients, but Thai Fresh actually delivers. They also offer antibiotic- and hormone-free meat from Dewberry Hill Farms, Bell and Evans, Peach Creek Farm, Richardson Farm, Loncito and Bastrop Cattle Company.

Lenoir

Husband and wife team Todd Duplechan and Jessica Maher source locally almost exclusively for a seasonal menu that runs $38 for three courses and changes weekly.

Whip In Convenience Store & Pub

Austin's original dhaba pub, Whip In conveniently lists current farm and ranch providers on their chalkboard of rotating specials and menu items, which include Whip-Indianized Nachos featuring Austin Slow Burn queso.

Jack Allen's Kitchen

Their slogan says it all. "Local in source. Texan in spirt." But in case you're curious for more, those sources include Amador Farms, Milagro Farm, Dos Lunas, Oak Hill Farms, Simmons Family Farms and Two Happy Children Farm.

Related Maps