Austin’s Wink Restaurant & Wine Bar believes in supporting small farms and sustainable agriculture, and it is a member of the international slow food movement. Wink sources more than 75% of its menu items from within 100 miles of the restaurant, and the menu changes daily depending on what ingredients are fresh and available.

For diners who want to take a tasty tour of the day’s best offerings, Wink features a daily chef’s tasting menu of five or seven courses. Wink also features a daily farm and garden vegetarian tasting menu. Appropriate wine-pairings enhance each course. The elegant and intimate restaurant space fills up quickly, so reservations are recommended. Guests can also enjoy the full menu, and a more casual environment, in the Wine Bar.

The Wine Bar opens at 5 p.m. daily. The dining room opens its doors to dinner guests from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and from 5:30 p.m. ‘til 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

Wink Restaurant & Wine Bar
1014 North Lamar Boulevard
Austin, TX 78703
(512) 482-8868
www.winkrestaurant.com
www.yelp.com/biz/wink-austin

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/dhinakaran

A puccia is a type of flatbread from the Puglia region in Italy, but in Austin, most people would recognize it as the hearty sandwiches served by the famous Lucky’s Puccias. This often buzzed-about white and orange food truck is located in the Market District area of downtown, and it features a few small tables outside where customers can enjoy their sandwiches.

The menu includes puccia sandwiches made on fresh baked bread and topped with organic ingredients, and then the whole thing is baked in an oven to create a wood-fired taste. The signature sandwich is the Lucky’s Puccia, which features prosciutto, tomato, mozzarella, and chipotle mayo. Other puccias come with a variety of other meats or vegetables to accommodate vegetarian customers.

The wait at Lucky's can be a bit long, but regulars recommend stopping by one of the nearby bars for a drink while you wait for your tasty sandwich. Lucky’s Puccias is open daily.

Lucky’s Puccias
817 W 5th Street
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 739-8785
www.facebook.com/LuckysPuccias
www.yelp.com/biz/luckys-puccias-austin

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/Nic McPhee

Polvos Mexican Restaurant's chefs take a Texan approach to Mexican cuisine. They master the Tex-Mex balance, especially when it comes to patrons' favorite dish, the fish fajitas. With garlicky grilled shrimp or fish at the center, these fajitas feature a colorful medley of veggies. Build your own creation with the rice, beans, and corn or flour tortillas that accompany the meat and veggies.

Flautas are another perennial favorite at Polvos. Order yours with potatoes, chicken, cheese, beans, or picadillo. The lengthy menu also boasts a slew of other authentic eats, from enchiladas to burritos, but no single entree can upstage Polvos' salsa bar. Chefs stock it with freshly blended salsas throughout the day, and the flavors range from "regular" to "exotic." Smother your fish fajitas with classic tomatillo or chipotle salsa, cover your burrito with mole or chile con queso, or slather your enchiladas with the more adventurous margarita or huasteca salsa.

Polvos Mexican Restaurant
2004 S. 1st Street
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 441-5446
www.polvosaustin.com
www.yelp.com/biz/polvos-mexican-restaurant-austin

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr gogatsby