33,000 Austinites Voted. Here's What Won.
In the Austin Chronicle's 2026 Best of Austin Readers Poll, Veracruz All Natural swept three food categories — Taco, Breakfast Taco, and Food Truck. LeRoy and Lewis beat Franklin Barbecue for Best Barbecue. Home Slice won both Pizza and Sandwich, at a pizza restaurant. The 2025 edition drew 33,055 voters casting 423,142 votes.
This is the readers' vote, not a critic's list — 33,055 Austinites, 423,142 votes, 29 food and drink categories. Below is every winner plus the notable finalists, organized the way the Chronicle published it. The disagreements are the interesting part: Austinites voted Torchy's best queso over Matt's El Rancho, home of the Bob Armstrong Dip — the layered queso-guac-meat appetizer invented in Austin that spawned every imitator in the state. Home Slice won Sandwich at a pizza restaurant. And P. Terry's beat Casino El Camino for Burger, a genuinely contestable call depending on what you think a burger is for.
| Category | Winner | Notable finalists |
|---|---|---|
| New Restaurant | Rocco's (Airport Blvd) | Cousin Louie's, Ēma, Kiin Di, Roya |
| Established Restaurant | Eldorado Cafe | Artipasta, Bartlett's, Chez Zee, Phoebe's Diner |
| Chef | Bryce Gilmore (Barley Swine, Odd Duck) | Jorge Cavazos, Amir Hajimaleki, Peter Klein, Sarah Koslosky |
| Service | Odd Duck | Eldorado Cafe, Ēma, Este, Lil' Easy |
| Bakery | Quack's | Comadre Panadería, Rockman, Upper Crust, Zucchini Kill |
| Coffee Shop | Radio Coffee & Beer | Desnudo, Epoch, Spokesman, Texas Coffee Traders |
| Brunch | Paperboy | Chez Zee, Ovenbird, Phoebe's Diner, Toasty Badger |
| Late-Night | Kerbey Lane | 24 Diner, Justine's, Magnolia Cafe, Yellow Ranger |
| Food Truck | Veracruz All Natural | Artipasta, Shoyu Sugar, Spicy Boys, Vecinos Tacos |
| Fine Dining | Uchiko | Barley Swine, Fabrik, Jeffrey's, Red Ash |
| Vegetarian | Bouldin Creek Cafe | Casa de Luz, Fabrik, Mr. Natural, Nori |
| Breakfast Taco | Veracruz All Natural | Granny's, Pueblo Viejo, Taco Joint, Tacodeli |
| Sandwich | Home Slice | Bird Bird Biscuit, FoodHeads, Little Deli, ThunderCloud |
| Burger | P. Terry's | Casino El Camino, Hopdoddy, JewBoy, Mighty Fine |
| Steak | Jeffrey's | ALC Steaks, Bartlett's, J. Carver's, Justine's, VanHorn's |
| Barbecue | LeRoy and Lewis | Franklin, KG BBQ, la Barbecue, Stiles Switch |
| Taco | Veracruz All Natural | Cuantos Tacos, De Nada, Eldorado, Paprika, Taquería de Diez |
| Queso | Torchy's | De Nada, Kerbey Lane, Matt's El Rancho, Maudie's |
| Sushi | Komé | Neighborhood Sushi, Nori, Uchi, Uchiko |
| Noodles/Ramen | Ramen Tatsu-ya | Marufuku, Michi, Pho Phong Luu, Ramen del Barrio, Sazan |
| Pizza | Home Slice | Allday Pizza, Bufalina, Pinthouse, Via 313 |
| Dessert | Amy's Ice Creams | Chez Zee, Gati, Lick, OMG Squee |
| Margarita | De Nada Cantina | Curra's, Eldorado, Fonda San Miguel, Matt's El Rancho |
| Brewery | Meanwhile Brewing | Pinthouse, St. Elmo, Vacancy, Zilker |
| Wine | LoLo | The Austin Winery, House Wine, Strangelove, Wanderlust |
Sources: Austin Chronicle Best of Austin 2026 readers poll results. See also our BBQ, pizza, burger, and breakfast taco guides for the full field behind each of these categories, not just the winner.
Featured venues
Eldorado Cafe
Colorful cantina serving Mexican fare including enchiladas and guisos, plus creative cocktails.
Veracruz All Natural
Veracruz All Natural is a budget-friendly Mexican restaurant in Downtown.
Kerbey Lane Cafe - South
Kerbey Lane Cafe - South is a moderately-priced breakfast spot in South Lamar.
P. Terry's Burger Stand
P. Terry's Burger Stand is a budget-friendly breakfast spot.
Quack's 43rd Street Bakery
Hip coffeehouse with an easygoing vibe selling baked goods, panini & espresso drinks.
Uchiko Austin
Offshoot of the famed Uchi restaurant with upscale sushi & small plates in a farmhouse-chic space.
Home Slice Pizza
Pizzeria serving NY-style pizza, beer, and wine amid vintage and quirky decor, plus a kids' play area.
Jeffrey's
Posh fine-dining icon featuring upscale New American cuisine in a tony setting plus an active bar.
Komé: Sushi Kitchen
Trendy sushi joint with homestyle Japanese plates in a stylish, bamboo-accented space.
Amy's Ice Creams
Local chain serving inventive ice creams, milkshakes, ices & frozen yogurts with clever fixings.