South Lamar

Imagine a mashup of hot Malay, Thai, and Chinese smoked meats paired with Texan BBQ. That’s Loro. Run by Austinite food-scene veterans Tyson Cole (Uchi) and Aaron Franklin (Franklin Barbecue), standouts include the Thai green curry sausage and charred pork shoulder with a heaping portion of garlicky rice noodles to soak up the juices. While Loro isn’t necessarily the spot for the meat-averse, sides like Texas sweet corn, zesty papaya salad, and the grilled Asian pear with kale hit the spot for herbivores and carnivores alike. Stools and long wooden tables built for communal feasting set a picnic-for-the-adults vibe, and twinkling skylights and long hanging lamps strung from the barn-style roof add atmosphere in spades to this casual dining spot that is so thoroughly at home in Austin.

Religious paraphernalia, old scientific posters, cowboy boots, turquoise jewelry, Mexican striped blankets, horseshoes, and a good amount of taxidermy, give this antique curiosity shop a particularly Southwestern feel. The seemingly endless, happenstance groupings and displays that line every nook and cranny of this quirky old shop mean you'll likely feel a bit lost.

In what seems to be the Austin way, this coffee shop also has a craft beer list for the after work crowd. The rustic interior boasts reclaimed wood floors and walls, while the outdoor space is marked by a roofless tent-pole barn; sitting under the twinkle lights in the evening makes you feel as though you've landed in someone's backyard for the night.