Restaurants in Canyon Lake

I'm not going to pretend that I've eaten every breakfast taco in Austin because that would take a lifetime.  However, with a bit of research and advice from other food lovers, I've narrowed down 5 of my current favorites. Cenote (1010 E Cesar Chavez St | (512) 524-1311) A good cup of coffee should go hand in hand with breakfast but that's rarely the case when it comes to most breakfast tacos joints.  Fortunately, the two worlds do collide at Cenote.  This East Austin coffee shop serves up fair trade, locally roasted Cuvee coffee and also has fantastic breakfast tacos. Bacon, chorizo, or potato top scrambled local Coyote Creek Farms eggs, all served on top of 2 corn tortillas.  $3.50 might sound like a lot for a breakfast taco but these babies are huge and are impossible to eat without the filling spilling out.  I’ve found that the best way to eat them is to make 2 tacos out of one.  Best yet, they're even gluten free for the gluten intolerant. Taco Deli (1500 Spyglass Dr | (512) 732-0303 | 12001 Burnet Rd | (512) 339-1700 | 4200 N Lamar Blvd | (512) 419-1900) The folks at Taco Deli fully embrace Austin’s weirdness.  Their 3 restaurant locations are always upbeat and fun.  Their popular breakfast tacos fly off the shelves, especially on weekends when line-ups always form. What sets them apart is they only use organic eggs, which they scramble to fluffy perfection.  They have traditional migas and less conventional varieties like El Popeye (sautéed spinach and crumbled queso fresco).  The Otto, made with refried black beans, crispy bacon, creamy avocado and Monterrey Jack cheese is a must-have.  Slather on one of their salsas, from the mild rioja to the fiery habanero.  They offer flour, corn, and whole wheat tortillas for the health conscious. Juan in a Million (2300 E Cesar Chavez St | (512) 472-3872) I wouldn’t call this breakfast taco royalty, the Don Juan, a taco, per se; it’s more like 4 tacos.  After travelling for 3 weeks, the first thing I craved after landing in Austin was the Don Juan.  How strange. The Don Juan will be your best friend after a long night of partying.  It is a mountain of potatoes, eggs, bacon, and cheese, loaded onto a pliant flour tortilla.  It sounds simple but their secret combination is utterly addictive.  I recommend ordering a few extra tortillas to wrap the griddled goodness up.  For $4.50, this hefty “taco grande” is a meal and a half. Paco's Taco (1304 E 51st St | (512) 323-6206) If you have a big day ahead of you, head to Paco’s to fuel up.  The Paco's Big Man is loaded with refried beans, cheese, peppers, potatoes, bacon, two eggs over easy, all rolled up in a 10" flour tortilla. For the everyday appetite, Paco’s breakfast tacos are $1.75 for 2 toppings, ranging from eggs to meaty sausage, to hearty beans, to vegetables like mushrooms and peppers.  What makes their tacos special is they use a blended corn and flour tortilla that’s soft, yet slightly sweet and flavorful. Joe's Bakery (2305 E 7th St | (512) 472-0017) Joe’s Bakery, established in 1962, is by no means the new kid on the block and they take their breakfasts seriously.   Apart from their bountiful breakfast plates, they have a long list of tasty breakfast tacos with every combination that you’d want in the wee mornings. Apart from the typical egg and breakfast meat taco, you can simply add an egg to any of their tacos for $1.09.  So imagine having a barbacoa or chicharrone taco with an egg on top.  Yup, that’s how they roll.  For something less meat forward, their popular Migas Taco con Todo contains a healthy mixture of eggs, tomatoes, onions, jalapeños and cheese.

In parts of the country where outdoor dining is only limited to a few months a year, “patio weather” is a big deal. Those in the Pacific Northwest, for example, relish in the few months when the drizzle peels away to reveal fair weather. We in Austin, on the other hand, dread the heat and worse, mosquitos.  Fortunately, the Fall weather shift unveiled ideal conditions to wine and dine on the patio, from happy hour until last call. Austin's restaurants have long been taking advantage of patio season. Here are a few of my favourites: Olive & June is home to a multi-level patio that's suited for all occasions, from simply lounging to elegant private events.  Shaded by large trees in the quaint Bryker Woods neighborhood, the patio is one of the best in the city to enjoy artisanal Italian fare and speciality cocktails. Like other establishments in town by Chef/Owner Shawn Cirkiel, Olive & June offers attractive happy hour specials featuring creative small plates & craft drinks. Benji’s, a relative newcomer is earning a lot of buzz for their upscale yet playful Tex Mex menu and dramatic architecture.  During patio season, their spacious roof top draws an eclectic crowd.  The open-air venue with water features overlooks West 6th street.  This colorful oasis in the heart of downtown becomes hopping at night. The patio has its own bar so guests don't have to wait long for one of their fresh, seasonal margaritas. Tucked away at the W Hotel, Trace is an unassuming gem for kicking back.  The relaxed atmosphere and comfy lounge seating makes this an excellent spot to people-watch.  Guests can also enjoy their small bites happy hour menu and innovative, locally-sourced plates, all paired with regional spirits and wines.  Live bands set the tone on Thursday evenings so don't miss out. Lively neighbourhood fixture, Contigo, is essentially one expansive patio with a covered section. The inviting outdoor space is great for restless kids and is also dog-friendly. Strings of lights above create an intimate mood when the sun sets. The kitchen dishes up innovative farm-focused plates using sustainable ingredients.  They take their drinks seriously too, serving up thirst-quenching cocktails, wines, and a large selection of local craft brews. If we're summing up the best-of-the-best patios, it would be unjust to ignore The Oasis.  This scenic hot spot overlooking Lake Travis is a longstanding go-to for visitors.  While this hangout is not recognized for their casual cuisine, it's still undeniably one of the best locations to savor the sunset and live music on weekends.

Not long ago, Austin was sadly deprived of ramen.  Fortunately, several pioneers have introduced this Japanese comfort food to the city in recent years.  Austin has finally jumped onto the ramen wagon and as the demand grows, the variety will increase too.  Below are a couple spots that are dishing up their unique version of the sought-after noodle dish. Ramen Tatsu-ya Located in North Austin, the wildly popular Ramen Tatsu-ya opens for both lunch and dinner. The chefs at this hip joint take their craft seriously.  During lunch, they serve a Tokyo-style chicken based shoyu (soy sauce) ramen with traditional toppings such as melt-in-your-mouth chashu (pork belly), perfectly marinated ajitama (soft boiled egg), nori, menma (bamboo shoots), and white and green onions. For dinner, Ramen Tastu-ya widens their selection.  Creamy, porky tonkotsu broth is complimented with sho-yu, miso, or spicy miso. A veggie ramen made with vegan broth is available on Sunday nights.  For me, their tsukemen is the menu’s highlight. Guests are presented with al dente noodles alongside a bowl of savory and rich dipping broth. Tatsu-ya spells out 7 ramen rules to promote optimal enjoyment.  Sorry, no takeaway allowed! Komé A few years after starting out as a food truck, the sushi aficionado opened their first brick and mortar location.  The cozy eatery with a funky vibe offers a variety of lunch options.  It transitions to an izakaya-inspired menu for dinner. They recently expanded their lunch-only ramen offering to 5 distinct varieties. Their slow-simmered tonkotsu broth can be served as-is or kicked up with spice.  They also offer a miso ramen with a kimchi option.  I like that their bowls already come loaded with a range of toppings, from pork belly, to fish cake, to corn. For hot Texas days, they serve up 2 cold, dipping-style noodles: hiyashi chuka (ramen with salmon sashimi) and tenzaru (buckwheat soba with shrimp tempura).  A side of pork gyozas always makes a nice companion. Daruma Daruma is a "spin off” from Komé's ramen menu. This boldly decorated Downtown nook is a convenient location for a quick bite. They specialize in simmering a clean, yet complex whole chicken broth.  Keeping their menu tight, they spin out three variations: shio (seafood salt base), shoyo (seafood dashi stock and anchovy oil) and miso (miso-tare, ra-yu oil). They designed their eggless, tapioca-based noodles with a springy texture in mind.  The bowls are topped with a range of comforting additions, from chashu, chicken breast, seaweed, to bean sprouts.  Their vegan ramen is dressed with a vegetable and fruit broth and topped with fresh vegetables, avocado, lime, and ginger oil. My favorite part of dining at Daruma is wrapping up my meal with unusual soft-serves like shiso-umé, yuzu, and wasabi flavors. Michi Ramen Michi Ramen also began as a food truck. One year ago, they launched their spacious brick and mortar location on North Lamar. What makes Michi unique is that diners can choose the thickness of their pork-based broth.  The viscosity ranges from light, to regular, to the substantially heavier “stout”. Like their counterparts, Michi also puts their own spin on each bowl.  Besides their traditional Sapporo-style ramen (topped with chashu, bean sprouts, corn, wood ear mushrooms and a slab of cold butter), they also dish up some inventive combos. The Texas ramen with a tomato tonkotsu broth is styled with BBQ pork ribs. The lemongrass tonkotsu broth acts as the vehicle for the Thai chili-spiked Jungle ramen. Explore even more dining trends in Austin with our restaurant deals.