A North Austin staple since 1996, Cafe Java is the kind of neighborhood spot where regulars are known by name and treated like family. Longtime team member Vikki Edwards and current owner Chris Fletes, who purchased the restaurant with his family about three years ago, have continued the tradition of warm hospitality and generous portions that keep people coming back—sometimes multiple times a day.

Jenny Alvarado has dreamed of opening her own restaurant since she moved to the U.S. from Guatemala more than 35 years ago. Her dream has come true with Marimbas Guatemalan Bakery & Restaurant, which opened in 2025. The restaurant serves traditional Guatemalan cuisine and drinks, including El Pepián, Hilachas, Atol, Horchata, and more. They recently installed a bread prep counter in the dining area so patrons can watch the bread being made.

For over three decades, Maudie’s Tex-Mex has been an Austin staple. The story begins back in 1954 with Maudie Hamilton Wilson, who brought her home-style cooking—biscuits and gravy, chicken and dumplings, and cold beers—to locals. In 1993, Joe Draker, along with Roe and Pete Hernandez and Jorge Arredondo, took over and transformed Maudie’s into a Tex-Mex haven while keeping the warmth and charm of the original café.

Peace Bakery, family-run by Nuha and Jihad Hammad with their children, serves fresh Palestinian favorites like shawarma and daily-baked pita. Deeply rooted in community, they also donate bread, cater events, and now bring their flavors to South Austin with the newly opened Salams food truck. In Arabic, the word “salam” means peace, and is also used as a greeting.

Rosen’s Bagel Co. in North Austin started with a craving. Founder Tom Rosen grew up in a Jewish household, where bagels weren’t just breakfast, they were a ritual. When Tom moved to Austin, he found plenty of great food, but nothing that quite tasted like home. So he started making his own bagels, first in small weekend pop-ups and eventually in a little shop that quickly became a neighborhood favorite.

Taco More, opened in 2019 by Maria Garcia Perez and run with her three children, brings traditional Mexican flavors to Austin using 100% authentic ingredients. Inspired by her family’s restaurant roots in Mexico, Maria focuses on cooking with love and giving every customer personal attention. The restaurant is known for dishes like cabrito and has become a beloved part of the local community.

Tan My, run by Hue and Vinh Tran and their children David and Amy, has been serving authentic Vietnamese cuisine in Austin since 1996. This family-run spot welcomes generations of locals and remains a beloved neighborhood favorite. The name means “new and beautiful.”

Tony and Kim Scott bring the vibrant flavors of the Caribbean to Austin. The couple met serendipitously at an ice skating rink in North Cross Mall in 2004, and since then their shared love of community and food has grown into a series of restaurants and a vision for a neighborhood gathering space.