One of the biggest appeals for newcomers visiting Austin is the food! If you're planning on eating out at a more upscale restaurant while in Austin, reservations ahead of time are highly recommended. Here are a few of Austin's best restaurants that require a reservation ahead of time.
Hands-down, Olamie is one of the best Southern restaurants you'll find, making it one you'll definitely need to make reservations for. With a more upscale twist on traditional Southern dishes, Olamie doesn't disappoint. Open seven days a week, Olamie serves up Dewberry Hills Farm Chicken with oyster mushroom, carrot, farro, and bay laurel as well as the Sorghum Brined Pork Chop with Charleston brown rice, fennel, and dandelion.
Southern-inspired cocktails such as the "Southern Living" are also perfectly-crafted at Olamie. Aside from the fantastic food and drinks, Olamie's biscuits are one of the biggest draws for guests. They're so popular, you can even order them on their own with a 48-hour notice.
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If you're looking for a non-traditional take on Japanese food, look no further than Uchi. Uchi serves up scinilating dishes while still keeping the Earth in mind as they use only the freshest and finest ingredients that are both sustainable and responsibly-fished.
From sushi to hot plates, sashimi, and desserts, Uchi leaves nothing left to be desired. Uchi does offer walk-in seating, however, reservations are strongly suggested, and there are few reservations available per night.
For people who always want to try the newest things, check out Emmer & Rye where their menu changes daily. These menu changes are due to the fact that Emmer & Rye only serves up locally-sourced meals with the ingredients available to them in-season.
From Blue Egyptian Emmer Rigatoni with pork trotter, fennel, mushroom, and vhive to Confit Short Rib with nuoc mam, fried cabbage, kohlrabi, and mint, their menu items are carefully planned and full of thoughtfulness. Reservations can be made on their site but can also be made over the phone.
The star of the show at Red Ash Italia isn't necessarily the food itself but more so how the food is prepared. Their custom-built wood-burning grill oven which releases red ash gives the restaurant its namesake.
From handmade pastas to a divine seafood selection, the Red Ash kitchen also makes elegant desserts. Charchuterie boards, lobster tails, and wild red snapper leave the mouth watering and the stomach full. Red Ash Italia is a larger restaurant with two stories, but reservations are still highly recommended and can be done online or over the phone.
Jeffrey's serves upscale traditional French-American-inspired dishes while still having a friendly neighborhood feel. From their caviar selection to white truffle and chestnut tortellini, you can't go wrong with Jeffrey's.
Jeffrey's also offers a premium martini cart and cheese cart upon request. All of the servers are in formal attire and mirror the beautifully constructed dishes offered at Jeffrey's. The ambiance and food often make guests feel transported back in time!
Although the majority of these restaurants listed offer walk-in ability, they're so popular and usually extremely busy that reservations are highly recommended, especially for parties larger than six.
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Cover photo courtesy of Adobe Stock Images
