Review: Fierce Flavors at Austin's Top 100 BBQ Tucked into a…read morequintessential corner lot, this Austin food truck isn't just serving barbecue; it's serving a certified experience. As a recipient of the prestigious Texas Monthly Top 100 BBQ Award, the expectations were high--and for the most part, they were met. The venue itself provides a fantastic, relaxed vibe, complete with plenty of TVs and a music stage, making it the perfect spot for chilling out on a lazy afternoon or settling in for an evening hang. The Main Event: Pitmaster Excellence The true test of a Texas BBQ joint is the holy trinity, and here, they nailed the fundamentals: * Brisket: This was Texas BBQ as it should be. The brisket was super juicy, delivered a profound, deep flavor, and possessed a flawless, great bark that spoke to hours of skillful smoking * Spare Ribs: A study in contrast and texture. The ribs offered a satisfying "good pull"--firm enough to bite but still falling cleanly off the bone. The thick, peppery bark was beautifully balanced by a slight sweetness from a pepper jelly glaze, adding a layer of sophisticated flavor you don't always find. * Pork Belly Burnt Ends: These were pure decadence. Each bite provided a delicious, melt-in-your-mouth experience with a distinct and welcome hint of Fierce Whiskers bourbon woven into the smoky, fatty flavor. They are so rich and irresistible, you know you shouldn't eat too many, but good luck stopping. * Jalapeño and Cheese Sausage: This locally sourced link brought the heat with a good level of spice. The flavor was excellent, though the texture leaned slightly toward the processed side, which was the only minor drawback among the meats. The Supporting Cast: Sides A great plate of BBQ requires sides that stand up to the meat, and while two of these were stars, one needs a little work. * Mac & Cheese: An absolute winner. It was cheesy, creamy, and featured an excellent smoked flavor that permeated the dish. The slightly charred edges added a delightful textural counterpoint. * Hash Brown Casserole: This was a surprisingly strong contender, offering a nice assembly of savory flavors. The secret weapon was the corn flake topping, providing an unexpected but welcome crunch, complemented by a satisfying hint of bacon. * Creamed Corn: Unfortunately, this side was the weakest link. It tasted primarily bland, despite a slight peppery note. It desperately needs some fresh jalapeños mixed in to cut through the creaminess and add the essential Texas kick. Final Verdict The meat selection here is truly Top 100 worthy, excelling in technique, flavor, and execution (especially the Brisket and Burnt Ends). The atmosphere is perfect for a relaxed gathering. While the Creamed Corn missed the mark, the stellar Hash Brown Casserole and Smoked Mac & Cheese prove that their side game is usually strong. Come for the high-quality, authentic Texas barbecue, stay for the great outdoor patio.

After my tastebuds were disrespected last week, I decided to reward them with a proper lite…read moreafternoon snack at Rollin Smoke BBQ, located in the Chalmers Bar, and they did not disappoint. I wanted to order Moist Beef Brisket and Pork Spareribs but the Ribs were not going to be ready for another 30 minutes. The Prime Pork Belly Burnt Ends were suggested as an alternative and my side was the smoke tomato and okra. The Moist Beef Brisket was exceptionally juicy and flavorful with a bark that had my attention. The Prime Pork Belly Burnt Ends were definitely an excellent choice. They were slow-smoked and then tossed in Fierce Whiskers Bourbon Sauce .and smoked again to create a very nice glaze and it was not overly sweet. I ordered the smoked Okra and Tomatoes that more than satisfied my veggie requirement. I am definitely returning to Rollin Smoke for a lite afternoon snack consisting of Pork Spareribs, Beef Brisket, Pork Belly Burnt Ends and the Smoked Mac and Cheese which I am told is beyond measure.

The Gibson Street Artisan Market consists of various Artists who produce handmade goods. There's…read morevarious products ranging from jewelry to handmade chairs and lamps from Belize. Shopping through the tents may strike up hunger. Conveniently, there are multiple food trailers surrounding the Artisans. A great place to come for holiday shopping or splurging on yourself, while buying from local independent businesses.

This place is truly fantastic. You can find all sorts of goodies at this place. From jewelry and…read moreclothing to hair accessories . This is where you want to be to find that one of a kind hand made product for your self or that special person in your life. They also have food trailers that have some of the best trail food that I've eatin in Austin.

I really liked this place. The tacos were very tasty and felt like real street tacos. The meat had…read morea lot of flavor and everything tasted fresh. I ordered 3 tacos al Pastor! The girl who took my order was nice. The service was also fast, which I liked. They have many options on the menu like tacos, tortas and burritos, plus different drinks to choose from. I also enjoyed how the food was presented. The place is good, it's a food truck and has plenty of seating areas. Overall, a great spot if you want good, simple and authentic tacos.

Solid food truck that is a solid 3.9…read more Not everything on the menu is amazing, but i'd gladly come back to it. Got a big mix of 5 different tacos, some were better executed than others.

I come here for Green Ritual! They have the best Hojicha and Matcha. Yes, I said what I said. This…read moretime I tried the Mango Sunrise matcha and it's perfectly not that sweet. It does take a minute to wait, however, worth it since it's a process and the quality is perfect.

Great selection of fresh and prepared food. A lot of different drinks as well…read more Yallatizers has the best hummus and olives. Also fresh kefir. You can use your SNAP/WIC benefit here and they give you "double bucks" as well, so you double your benefit to spend on fresh fruit, vegetable, or mushroom. You can use the SNAP on almost anything, but the double up is only for those 3 select things. There's also free parking at the garage at 300 San Antonio

Ahhh, Fire & Soul, how I love thee. I work close to F&S and eat there all the time. My personal…read morefavorite is the Turkey Wrap. Filled with thick sliced Turkey, fresh avocado, greens, jalapeno aioli, all wrapped in a Spinach tortilla. It is light, fresh and wonderful. As hard as I try to eat healthy, I always get an order of sweet potato fries. Served with the same jalapeno aioli and curry mustard (all made from scratch) for dipping. They are simply out of this world. The trailer has an enormous hand fabricated smoker attached to the front of the trailer, and the BBQ that comes out of it is moist, flavorful and mouth watering. They make a pulled pork sandwich (no shortcuts here, it is smoked for about 16 hours), served on Texas Toast with a helping of BBQ sauce. Smokey, tender and tons of flavor. Their smoked wings are seasoned with salt and pepper only and flash fried to crisp the skin. Simple. Delicious. I broke down the other day and got the hand dipped corn dog with a side of stone ground mustard. It took me all of about 3 minutes to devour that bad boy. Like everything else Ive had, it was damn good. They offer several vegetarian/vegan options (salads, vegan corn dog etc.) as well, so they can cater to any group of people with different preferences. Lastly, the guys that work the truck are great. Food is always fresh, hot, fast and the service always friendly and helpful. If youre out on the east side and need a fix, night or day, F&S is where its at.

BUGS IN FOOD! I work in the service industry so I get out…read morepretty late on Fridays and Saturdays. Soul and Fire used to be my choice of food, I always order the fried chicken sandwich because of how good and reasonably priced it is. But yesterday I found a fried June bug in my fries and I was not happy. I have probably been there 20 times and nothing like this has ever happened. Finding a bug in your food is never acceptable. Not to mention how moody the guy in the trailer was. He acted like it was a bad thing buying food from there. Look, it's your job to serve food, like it is mine. If you don't like it find another job!

Best damn tacos I've had in atx flavor…read more filling open late amazing 10/10 establishment

Without question better tacos than the bigger shop across street. Hours are inconsistent, but if…read moreboth are open, I would rec this place first.

It's a joy to learn another culture through story & food; Mona's Samosas is a fantastic Pakistani…read morefood truck that shares its soul with each bite, drunken or otherwise. Mona's (a portmanteau of the parents names' first syllables) has a small menu of traditional offerings, from samosas, patties, parata rolls, and chutneys. The truck is helmed by Momma Mona but her twin sons run the operations and have crafted the recipes. I tried several items and it is absolutely ridiculous how delicious everything was. The samasos of potato (papa) were expertly crafted and reminded me of flautas de papa when they are done right. Crispy, flavorful, and "light" ... just perfect. The parata rolls, made from an egg based recipe, was expertly crafted; the shami kabab was filled with beef. Paired with the mint chutney, it was a great balance. The sauces were on point and varied in heat level, but nothing excessive. Sameer (sp?) explained that the sauces are a bit on the milder side to accomodate the taste palate but the spiciest version had some punch. Last but not least was the beef patty which was a stellar, absolutely phenomenal flaky pastry with their signature shredded spicy chicken. It rivaled some of the best bakery offerings I've had, the flakiness left me laughing out loud from the quality. Whenever I venture into another culture's cuisine, I can certainly tell if I like it or not, but not how rooted the dishes are. I appreciated Sameer's discussion of his families food; his mom has been in the industry for years and finally decided to venture out with her twin sons. I'm glad they did. The craziest realization was that there was likely so many drunk patrons who stumble out of Shangrila at 2:10AM likely have no idea they had some of the best Pakistani food you can find. *Shout out to Joe from Taano Beverages for the rec; he's neighbors with Mona's. Always lovely to see small business genuinely support other small businesses.

Came for samosas, stayed because I physically couldn't stop eating. The beef samosas and aloo…read moreparatha were dangerously good. Everything was fresh, hot, and delicious.

Stopped by El Perrito to pick up some of their ELP Tacos. I got the beef and potatoes one this…read moretime. Great flavor and still crunchy even sitting in all the sauce. Also grabbed the ELP fries and a sandia agua fresca. It's a deceptively large amount of food. I don't come as often as I should. There's usually a futbol match of some sort on the tv that you can watch. I also appreciate the El Paso themed mural on the wall.

Last week when I went here, I was told that I HAD to come back on Wednesday for the hot dog…read morespecial. So I listened & didn't pack a lunch today. And y'all.... no lie: that was hands-down one of the best hot dogs I've ever had! The "O.G." contains shredded chese, queso fresca, grilled onions, Jalapeños, & beans. And wow, it was amazing! I've never had a hot dog with this combination of toppings before. Apparently it's an El Paso thing, and it works! They have a total of 4 styles & will be back the next 3 Wednesdays to try them all. If you're local to the ATX- area, don't skimp out on El Perrito! Once you figure out their menu & order the right things, it's pretty damn great!

This chai set a standard in our great state Texas! I have yet to have tasted a piece of India since…read moremoving to Austin ! It has a warmth similar to hot chocolate, yet it springs me up ready to go for the day, smoother than coffee ! The best part of the experience was her easy to navigate website that gave me the instructions to brew! Discovered this gem at the East Austin Market

If you want to find the worlds best chai, look no further! This chai is so So SOOOO smooth and…read moresoothing! If you have any bloating and or poor digestion issues this will assist you in every way you need! This chai has the perfect amount of caffeine to get you started with your day or end it with a nice warm cup on the couch in the evening. The website is so easy to navigate and order from! Naaz is also prompt with her response times if you have any questions! You will not find better costumer service than what Naaz will provide for you! This Chai is it for me and once you get a sip you will see why! Making another order now for some friends...and myself again!

It was a little taco truck sharing common place with BBQ spot. Delicious tacos. Must try…read more Nice service.

I went to Discada, a Michelin Guide-recognized food truck in Austin with exactly one taco on the…read moremenu... and one side. That's it. Honestly? This is the definition of hyper-focused, and I love it. When a place puts all their chips on one thing, they're basically daring you to question them. After one bite... you won't. I can't even properly explain the flavor explosion happening in that taco. This isn't something you describe -- it's something you experience. And somehow...the elote almost steals the show. Layered with tajín, mayo, and topped with some of the freshest queso fresco I've ever had, it hits every note. Sweet, salty, creamy, bright. It shouldn't be able to compete with the taco... but it absolutely does. It's a masterpiece. Discada might honestly be the culinary gold standard of what happens when you stop trying to do everything... and just decide to be the best at one thing.