5 cutting-edge restaurants to try now in Austin

This unassuming Japanese place on South Congress innovates in more ways than one. It was the first restaurant of its kind in Austin to incorporate Peruvian Nikkei dishes; in 2019, it became the first sushi place in Texas to partner with the James Beard Foundation and Monterey Bay Aquarium’s sustainability programs. Now, executive chef Jay Huang (who comes from some of Austin’s best kitchens including Uchi and TRACE at W Austin hotel) uses sustainably sourced seafood, implementing Austin’s only dry-aging fish program, a 200-year-old Japanese culinary tradition that elevates flavor and texture. Through a new dry-aging chamber, Huang modernizes the tradition with Lucky Robot’s market fish program, along with select specialty catch selections from the restaurant’s domestic fisheries partnerships

At Caribbean-inspired Canje, acclaimed pastry chef Tavel Bristol-Joseph (of other area hotspots such as Emmer & Rye, Hestia, and Kalimotxo), ventures into new territory, steering the full menu, not just the desserts. Expect modern riffs on dishes from Jamaica to Puerto Rico, marking the first time Bristol-Joseph is sharing his upbringing on the menu. Canje grabbed national attention after being featured on the New York Times’s 50 Best Restaurants of 2022 list, thanks to avant-garde, seasonally inspired dishes such as striped bass with tamarind, rum butter, green mango, and papaya. The wild boar pepper pot with cassareep (a seasoning made from cassava root and spices), orange peel, and ginger, is a house specialty. A tropical-tinged cocktail selection adds to the unique, plant-filled atmosphere.

At this trailblazing butcher shop and restaurant, all ingredients, including wine, beer, and cider, are sourced from Texas. James Beard Award winner chef Jesse Griffiths is an avid hunter and fisherman, and his love for all things local shines in his whole animal butchery and nose-to-tail cooking approach. Dai Due’s menu changes daily, showcasing locally foraged or grown ingredients. The kitchen dries, cans, pickles, ferments, smokes, candies, and freezes the local seasonal bounty with an unmatched, pioneering spirit. In addition to the unique, made-in-Texas experience, the East Austin standby also offers butchering classes and hunting camps with Griffiths himself.

The blackboard specials change daily at this charming, one-of-a-kind Parisian brasserie. Set in a refurbished 1937 East Austin bungalow, Justine’s is known for its exquisite indoor/outdoor space, decked with crystal chandeliers, blue velvet curtains, and assorted art. The menu includes traditional bistro fare such as onion soup, butter-soaked escargots, beef tartare, steak frites, and the crowd favorite, the royale with cheese, a French-style burger served on a housemade bun. Owned by photographer Justine Gilcrease and her musician husband Pierre Pelegrin, Justine’s is an exceptionally eclectic haven for local and visiting artists who enjoy late-night drinks and bites while listening to Pelegrin’s vast vinyl collection.