Obviously there is no shortage of Mexican food in Austin, but locals will unanimously say that one of the can’t-miss eateries here is El Alma. This upscale Mexican restaurant is named after chef Alma Alcocer, who was born in Mexico City and attended the legendary Le Cordon Bleu academy in Paris for culinary training. After her studies, she moved to Austin where she paired with Bolivian-born restaurant magnate Carlos Rivero to open El Alma in 2012. The restaurant’s location is unique and charming; it’s built into a limestone hillside with an awesome outdoor patio.

Of course, the food is the biggest reason to take a trip here. Some of the menu’s most-loved dishes include the incredible duck emmoladas—mole-covered enchiladas stuffed with healthy portions of some of the most tender, flavorful duck you’ll ever eat—as well as the shrimp chelada, a dish of seafood cooked in citrus, ceviche-style, and topped with beer.

El Alma
1025 Barton Springs Road
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 609-8923
www.elalmacafe.com
www.yelp.com/biz/el-alma-austin-2

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Steven Depolo