Top Austin Restaurants - 3

Fine and Sustainable Dining

Here are some options if you want to go lavish with your meal and help local Austin farmers.

Aquarelle, one of Austin’s best French restaurants, is nested within a cozy house just a half-block off the West Sixth Street corridor. In addition to a menu featuring entrées like sautéed skate wing, Madeira-braised beef short ribs and caramelized day boat scallops, the restaurant recently released a new three-course prix fixe option for a very reasonable $35. Chef Teresa Wilson makes it a point to shop local farms for vegetables and local meat markets for chicken, duck and even rabbit. 606 Rio Grande. Tel. 512-479-8117. Hours: Tue. to Thu. 6 to 10 p.m., Fri. and Sat. 6 to 10 p.m. www.aquarellerestaurant.com

Olivia marries high-minded contemporary fine dining concepts with the trend toward sustainability subscribed to by a growing number of Austin foodies. Drawing from a number of local farms for its fare, Olivia’s selections include some daring choices—such as the lamb’s tongue fricassee, one of its more heralded appetizers, and a revolving menu of choices where a pan-seared duck breast might be paired with gouda grits, candied pecans and spinach freshly picked just several miles away. 2043 S. Lamar Blvd. Tel. 512-804-2700. Hours: Mon. to Thu. 5:30 to 10 p.m., Fri. and Sat. 5:30 to 11 p.m., Sun. brunch 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 to 9 p.m. for dinner. olivia-austin.com

 

• Olivia in Austin works with the freshest ingredients, which come from area farms.

Courtesy of Olivia

Wink, tucked away in a blink-and-you-miss-it section of North Lamar at the west end of downtown, is consistently one of the most raved-about restaurants in Austin. Its wine bar attracts a number of good-life seekers, and Wink has built its reputation on pairings of food and wine, offering a five-course chef’s tasting menu matching delectable appetizers and entrées—emphasizing what’s local and fresh—with specially selected wines and champagnes. 1014 N. Lamar Blvd., Suite E. Tel. 512-482-8868. Opens for dinner at 6 p.m., Mon. to Sat. winkrestaurant.com

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