Tell me when you’re free. I’ll decide what we’re doing.
The Column
By Suhani Tiwari
Eat & drink
Coffee
The best coffee in Austin.
By Suhani TiwariSeptember 2026
Brunch
The best brunch in Austin.
By Suhani TiwariSeptember 2026
Plants
The Vegan Edit.
By Suhani TiwariSeptember 2026
Mexican
The best Mexican food in Austin.
By Suhani TiwariSeptember 2026
Indian
The best Indian food in Austin.
By Suhani TiwariSeptember 2026
Dates
First dates, sorted.
By Suhani TiwariSeptember 2026
Go out & do
Make
Make something, with your hands.
By Suhani TiwariSeptember 2026
Music
The Live Music Capital of the World.
By Suhani TiwariSeptember 2026
Broke
A Saturday for $0.
By Suhani TiwariSeptember 2026
Boots
Cowboy boots, for non-Texans.
By Suhani TiwariSeptember 2026
After dark
Nightlife in Austin.
By Suhani TiwariSeptember 2026
Study
Where to actually study.
By Suhani TiwariSeptember 2026
Instagram
Worth a follow.
By Suhani TiwariSeptember 2026
After dark
Thursday is college night.
By Suhani TiwariSeptember 2026
Know Austin
Getting around
The bus is free. Here’s where it goes.
By Suhani TiwariSeptember 2026
Visiting
Four days in Austin.
By Suhani TiwariSeptember 2026
Students
The best college town in America.
By Suhani TiwariSeptember 2026
History
Austin, a history.
By Suhani TiwariSeptember 2026
Symbols
Austin, decoded.
By Suhani TiwariSeptember 2026
Neighborhoods
What your neighborhood says about you.
By Suhani TiwariSeptember 2026
Football
Texas football for dummies.
By Suhani TiwariSeptember 2026
Know Austin
Words only Austinites know.
By Suhani TiwariSeptember 2026
This planner, by the numbers
253places handpicked
14Austin neighborhoods
10Saturday moods
95tests keeping Saturday civilized
The science of Saturday.
Dijkstra’s shortest-path algorithm
Austin is dots and lines
Every road has minutes on it. It adds them up and takes the fastest way: here, 8 + 7 = 15.
Weighted sampling without replacement
A lottery with extra tickets
Places I love get more tickets, far ones get fewer. Every Saturday is new; the favorites keep winning.
Pilates → Coffee✓Coffee after Pilates is allowed.
Pilates → Nice dinner✕There is a shower missing from this story.
State machine (rules.step())
Rules about being a person
It remembers if you just ate, just worked out or dressed up, and every next stop has to make sense.
Bitmask dynamic programming
Building the day, one stop at a time
It grows every day one stop at a time and keeps only the best version, so billions of orders take under a second.
Brute-force backtracking tests
Checking its homework
A slow version tries every order. The fast one has to match it exactly, or the tests fail.
Seeded random number generator
Same number, same Saturday
Every Saturday has a number. Type it back in and you get the same day, stop for stop.
Bitmasks in a share link
A group vote in a link
Every friend’s yeses become a row of bits in the link. A place makes the day if at least half of you said yes. No accounts, no server.
Live data: ESPN and the calendar
It reads the city
It checks ESPN and the Austin calendar. A home game becomes a game day, and a park hosting a festival comes off the list.
Service worker and baked samples
Ready before Python is
Python takes a few seconds to wake up, so the first Saturday is baked in ahead of time, and a test checks it still matches. After that, it all lives on your phone.
Austin, right now
Live Music Capital of the World
…
Checking the sky…
…high / low
…sunset
…days to Saturday
This Saturday
…
Weather: Open-Meteo
Austin, by the numbers
1 / 2
1,002,632Austinites
319.9 mi²to somehow get across
#12biggest U.S. city
55,172Longhorns making weekend plans
…SEC record
…in the SEC
…last game
…next game
Tap a numberPick a neighborhood.See its places and drives.
The brains behind the weekend.The editor, mid-latte. Research is researching…
The ReaderHand delivered Austin, Texas
ST
Editor’s letter · By Suhani Tiwari
What are we doing?
Dear reader,
College is expensive. And brunch is never just brunch. It’s the Uber there, the latte you didn’t need, and the “oh, let’s check out that cute shop next door.” Before you know it, you’re fifty dollars out.
Then there’s deciding. One friend is counting every penny; another is YOLOing through college on daddy’s card. One takes CapMetro because it’s free with a UT ID; another calls an Uber Black. One has a car and will drive anywhere; another thinks anything over twenty minutes is a road trip. Same group chat, completely different Saturdays. So someone asks, “What are we doing?” and forty minutes later, we’re still asking.
Same group chat, completely different Saturdays.
So I fixed both. I gave Python my favorite Austin spots, what they actually cost, and, naturally, my opinions. Lattes are for mornings. Brunch comes with mimosas. After Pilates, one showers before being seen in public. Tell it your hours, your mood, your budget and how you’re getting around, and it hands you a day that makes sense, down to the dollar.
Every Saturday it plans is one I’d actually spend. The spots are the ones I keep going back to. The rules are the ones I live by. The algorithm is the part where I made Python agree with me.
xoxo,
ST
The Column · No. 01 · Make
Make something, with your hands.
The best souvenir from a Saturday is the one you made yourself. Book ahead: most of these are workshops with set times, and the good slots go fast.
Clay
Mud StudioWest 6th Ceramics workshops, or six-week classes if you want to get serious about the wheel.
CeramigosSouth Congress A pottery studio built for learning: classes and open studio time.
Rosa Pottery StudioEast Austin Wheel time on the east side.
The Little BisqueNorth Loop The no-mess version: paint pottery that’s already been made, pick it up once it’s fired.
Glass, wax and paper
The Mosaic WorkshopEast Austin Break tile on purpose, then turn it into something you’ll actually hang up.
7th Street Candle Co.East Austin Pick a scent, pour your own candle, take the smell of Saturday home.
The Paper + Craft PantryEast Austin Stationery, supplies and workshops for anyone who owns too many pens.
Kraft StoriesEast Austin Craft workshops for a group day.
Silver and art
Sisu StudioWest 6th A silversmithing workshop. You leave with jewelry you made.
The Art GarageSouth Lamar Affordable local art, and a very good excuse to start a collection.
Dougherty Arts CenterZilker The city’s own arts center, with classes all year.
Wear something you don’t love. Clay always wins.
The Column · No. 02 · After dark · 21+ for the bars
Nightlife in Austin.
Bars, comedy and a microphone. First, the part that confuses everyone: Dirty Sixth, West Sixth and Rainey are a few blocks apart and nothing alike.
Dirty Sixth
East 6th Street, between Congress Avenue and I-35: the historic stretch everyone means when they say “Sixth Street.” On weekend nights it closes to cars and turns into one long, loud block party. Shots, cover bands, bachelorette sashes, and very sticky floors. Go once. Wear shoes you don’t love.
From the list Aquarium on 6th, The Library, The Jackalope
West Sixth
Cross Congress and head west toward Lamar. The patios get nicer, the drinks get better, and the crowd gets a little older and a little dressier. Still a going-out night, just with a cocktail menu.
From the list Mayfair, Key Bar, Buford’s, and The Roosevelt Room around the corner on 5th for serious cocktails
Rainey Street
A few blocks south, by the lake: old bungalows turned into bars, porches, string lights and food trucks, now sitting under glass towers, including Waterline, the tallest building in Texas. The mellow start to the night.
From the list Half Step, Lucille
And two more
East Sixthpast I-35 Where locals go instead: dives and patios. Lustre Pearl.
Rock Rosethe Domain The north-side version, no parking stress: The Rose Room, 77° Rooftop, Wonder Bar, Kung Fu Saloon.
The speakeasyby the Driskill Here Nor There: reserve on the app, get the code, find the alley gate.
Not a bar person?
Comedy MothershipDowntown Stand-up on East 6th, and the phones go in a pouch.
Cap City Comedy Clubthe Domain The classic comedy club, on the north side.
The Hideout TheatreDowntown Improv on Congress.
Paramount TheatreDowntown The grand old theater on Congress for shows and films.
KaraokeDowntown · South Lamar Ego’s, the dive, or The Highball, the glam one.
The bars are 21+. Bring your ID, and decide how you’re getting home before you go.
The Column · No. 03 · Music
The Live Music Capital of the World.
It’s the official slogan, and the city takes it personally. Here’s the calendar, and where to go the rest of the year.
The big three
SXSW South by Southwest, every March since 1987. Music, film and tech take over downtown for about ten days. Book everything early, or leave town.
ACL Fest The Austin City Limits Music Festival, two weekends every October at Zilker Park.
Austin City Limits, the show The longest-running music series in American TV history. It tapes at ACL Live at the Moody Theater, right next to the Willie Nelson statue.
Any other Saturday
ACL Live at the Moody TheaterDowntown The big room downtown.
Moody CenterUT campus The arena, for the tours you’ll post about.
Stubb’sDowntown The outdoor amphitheater, with barbecue.
Broken SpokeSouth Lamar The dance hall. They’ll teach you the two-step.
The White HorseEast Austin Honky-tonk, free dance lessons, cheap beer.
Donn’s DepotWest Austin An old train depot turned piano bar. Everyone dances.
No tickets? The Planner puts live music on Social nights.
The Column · No. 04 · Symbols
Austin, decoded.
Every city has inside jokes. Here are Austin’s, so you can nod along.
The bats About 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats live under the Congress Avenue Bridge, the largest urban bat colony in North America. From spring through fall, they leave at dusk in one long ribbon. People gather on the bridge to watch. It’s a whole thing.
“Keep Austin Weird” Started in 2000 as a slogan for supporting local, independent businesses. It became the city’s personality.
The Capitol Built in “sunset red” granite, and taller than the U.S. Capitol. Texas made sure.
The UT Tower When it glows orange, the Longhorns won.
Live Music Capital of the World The official slogan since 1991, and the reason there’s a band in the airport.
The moonlight towers Tall iron streetlights from the 1890s. Austin is the only city that still uses them.
Barton Springs A spring-fed pool that stays about 68° all year. Austin’s cold plunge, long before cold plunges. Pro tip: free before 8 AM and after 9 PM in summer.
The postcard mural “Greetings from Austin,” on South 1st. You will take the photo. Everyone does.
Willie Willie Nelson, in bronze, outside ACL Live on Willie Nelson Boulevard.
Lady Bird Lake Named for Lady Bird Johnson, who led the push to make the shoreline beautiful.
The grackles The loud black birds that take over every parking lot at sunset. Unofficial mascot.
Breakfast tacos Not a trend. A food group.
Bluebonnets The state flower. Every spring, everyone takes the roadside photo.
The Column · No. 05 · Visiting
Four days in Austin.
For the friend who’s visiting and wants all of it. One part of town a day, so you’re not in the car the whole trip.
Day 1 · Downtown and South Congress
A latte at Medici, then the Texas State Capitol. Lunch at La Condesa, a slow loop through the Second Street District, then across the river to South Congress: Allen’s Boots and the Greetings from Austin mural. Dinner at Aba, then the Congress Avenue Bridge bats at sunset.
Day 2 · Zilker and the springs
Brunch at Josephine House. Swim at Barton Springs Pool (it’s cold, it’s worth it; pro tip: it’s free before 8 AM and after 9 PM in summer), then Zilker Park and a round at Peter Pan Mini-Golf. Barbecue at Terry Black’s, then two-step at the Broken Spoke.
Day 3 · UT and West Austin
The Blanton, then the Harry Ransom Center for the Gutenberg Bible. Burritos at Cabo Bob’s. Sunset from Mount Bonnell, dinner at Clark’s Oyster Bar, and a nightcap on Rainey Street.
Day 4 · East Austin
Brunch at Paperboy. Make something at The Mosaic Workshop or 7th Street Candle Co., barbecue at la Barbecue, coffee at Palomino. Dinner at Suerte, and end at The White Horse.
Book Josephine House and Suerte ahead. The bats fly spring through fall. Barton Springs is free before 8 AM and after 9 PM in summer, and closed Thursday daytimes for cleaning.
The Column · No. 06 · Plants
The Vegan Edit.
Austin is a very good city to be plant-based in, and not just because of the smoothies. Here’s where to go.
Eat
The Vegan NomEast Austin Vegan tacos, the Austin way.
Nissi Vegan Mexican CuisineEast Austin Fully vegan Mexican food. Nobody at the table will notice.
Casa de Luz VillageZilker Plant-based, whole-food meals in a peaceful garden setting.
Drink
Wonky BlendsEast Austin Organic smoothies and açaí bowls, no refined sugar.
Soup PeddlerSouth Lamar A huge smoothie menu, or build your own.
Get Juicy RootsSouth Congress Juices and açaí bowls from the truck on SoCo.
Prana CaféClarksville The post-Pilates smoothie.
Juiced Up CafeDowntown A juice bar inside a yoga studio.
Taco tip: almost every taco place in town does bean and potato. Hold the cheese and you’re set.
The Column · No. 07 · Neighborhoods
What your Austin neighborhood says about you.
Tell me where you spend your Saturdays, and I’ll tell you who you are.
Downtown You pretend to live in a walkable city.
Rainey Street Money, a tech job, and the sneaking suspicion you peaked in college.
East Austin Old Austin energy. You’ll wait an hour for barbecue and tell everyone it was worth it.
Clarksville The cutesy part of Austin. Brunch at Josephine House, a latte on West Lynn.
South Lamar Dinner, a movie and two-stepping at the Broken Spoke. You’re the friend with a plan.
West Campus Boba on every corner, pizza after midnight, and you’ve never seen a sunrise on purpose.
UT campus Your whole wardrobe is burnt orange, and you tear up at The Eyes of Texas.
South Congress You bought the boots for the photo. You are also in the photo.
South First The quieter, cooler SoCo, and you’d like everyone to know that.
Zilker Your car smells like sunscreen and Barton Springs.
Lake Austin Sunsets on a boat. You’ve never once paid for parking.
Hyde Park Bookstores, bungalows and a library card you actually use.
Burnet Road You’ll drive past three strip malls for the best meal of your week.
Mueller A farmers market tote and strong opinions about the neighborhood newsletter.
The Domain You call it Austin’s second downtown. Honestly, fair.
The Column · No. 09 · Instagram
Worth a follow.
The planner knows 250 places. These accounts find the next ones.
@theaustintourist For the friend who’s visiting, or for seeing your own city like one.
The Column · No. 15 · Getting around
The bus is free. Here’s where it goes.
No car? No problem. Your UT ID is a bus pass, and Austin is bigger than the Drag.
How it works
Swipe your UT ID when you board, magnetic stripe down, facing you. It covers CapMetro buses, MetroRapid 801 and 803, MetroRail (show your ID) and the late-night Night Owl buses. Forgot your ID? Tap a card or your phone to pay; it caps at $2.50 a day.
Where to catch it
The MetroRapid lines stop twice on the Drag (Guadalupe), and UT West Mall by the Co-op is where a lot of routes meet. One Saturday catch: the UT shuttles don’t run on Saturdays, except during finals. Saturdays are for the city buses.
The routes worth knowing
The Domain MetroRapid 803, north up Burnet. Shopping, brunch, a movie, all without parking.
Trader Joe’s The Seaholm one, downtown. 803 south to the Seaholm / Central Library stop.
Whole Foods The flagship at 6th and Lamar. 803 to Seaholm, then about a ten-minute walk up Lamar.
H-E-B The Hancock Center one on 41st. Route 10, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Central Market The North Lamar one, on the 803.
Barton Springs Route 30 from UT West Mall, straight to the pool.
South Congress MetroRapid 801, straight down Congress past the Capitol.
Downtown and the Capitol Either MetroRapid line, 801 or 803.
After midnightNight Owl buses run from midnight to 3 a.m., also free.
Routes change. Before you go, check the CapMetro app or Google Maps for the live time. MetroRapid stops show the next two buses on a screen.
The Column · No. 10 · Coffee
The best coffee in Austin.
A latte is never just a latte. It’s where you’re sitting.
The ritual
Medici. Vanilla latte, always. The West Campus one for weekdays, West Lynn for Saturdays. The one I’d pick if I could only keep one.
The study session
Haraz, right across from campus, and Bennu on the east side, open around the clock for the all-nighter you swore you wouldn’t pull.
The pretty one
Leona Botanical Cafe, a garden café on five acres, and 1886 Café inside the Driskill, for when you want a pastry with some history.
The view
Mozart’s on Lake Austin, and Jo’s on South Congress, where the “I love you so much” mural is. Opa! on South Lamar does Greek coffee by day, wine by night, and porch swings all the time.
The neighborhood ones
Mazur and Quack’s in Hyde Park, Palomino on the east side, Merit on South Lamar, Black Fox downtown, Cosmic for the garden.
The boba
Coco’s, Austin’s first boba shop, Mango 8 on 24th, and K-Bop on the Drag.
The honest one: Sugarwolf is pretty and in a great spot. Overhyped. Go for the photo, stay somewhere else.
The Column · No. 11 · Mexican
The best Mexican food in Austin.
Tacos for breakfast is a personality here. So is a good margarita.
The taco run
Veracruz on the east side, Tacodeli on South Lamar or Burnet, and Cabo Bob’s by campus for burritos on hand-pressed tortillas.
The lunch that turns into the afternoon
De Nada Cantina for tacos and margaritas on Cesar Chavez, and Suerte for the suadero tacos everyone talks about.
The date night
La Condesa, the Mexico City one on 2nd Street. Verbena on West 6th. Comedor on Colorado, for modern Mexican when you’re dressing up.
The big night
Este for Mexican seafood on Manor. Alteño, up in the tallest building in Texas. Ember Kitchen in Seaholm, cooked over wood.
The one on the water
Hula Hut, Tiki-Mex on Lake Austin, right next to Mozart’s.
The plant-based one
Nissi, vegan Mexican on the east side. You won’t miss a thing.
Also on my list: El Alma, Escuela, Mexta, Arriba Abajo and VERDAD.
The Column · No. 12 · Indian
The best Indian food in Austin.
Four places, four moods. All of them worth the trip.
The classic
Clay Pit, by campus. North Indian, a long lunch, and my favorite of the four.
The quick one
Tarka on Burnet. Order at the counter, eat well, be back on the road.
The dressed-up one
Saffron at the Domain. North Indian for a treat-yourself afternoon.
The spicy one
Sangam Chettinad, also up north. Chettinad cooking comes from Tamil Nadu, in the south, and it brings the heat.
Clay Pit is a short walk from campus. The other three are up north: pair them with a Domain day on the 803.
The Column · No. 16 · Brunch
The best brunch in Austin.
Saturday is for brunch. The only question is where.
The one I’d pick
Josephine House in Clarksville. The planner gives it extra tickets on purpose.
The pretty ones
Elizabeth Street Café on South 1st, pastel French-Vietnamese. Lutie’s, the garden brunch at Commodore Perry Estate, for a splurge.
The classics
Kerbey Lane by campus for queso and pancakes, and Magnolia for the gingerbread pancakes.
The east side
Hillside Farmacy, Paperboy and Cenote.
South Congress
June’s All Day for pastries and mimosas, and Café No Sé.
Worth the trip
Citizen All Day on Burnet for the banana bread French toast, Colleen’s Kitchen at Mueller, and Phoebe’s Diner on South 1st.
On a Saturday morning, brunch always gets a ticket in the planner’s lottery. It’s the law.
The Column · No. 17 · Study
Where to actually study.
Productive Saturdays exist. Here’s where they happen.
The libraries
Austin Central Library downtown, for the rooftop garden. Life Science Library on campus, the prettiest study spot there is. PCL, for lock-in mode.
The coffee shops
Haraz, right across from campus. Bennu, open around the clock. Medici, when you need a vanilla latte to get through it.
A Productive Saturday in the planner skips the sit-down meals, so you don’t lose an hour to lunch.
The Column · No. 18 · Dates
First dates, sorted.
Low stakes, good odds.
The easy one
Coffee at Medici, then a walk on the Lady Bird Lake trail. Or Mount Bonnell, for the best view in town.
Something to do
A round at Peter Pan Mini-Golf, mini golf since 1948. Nobody is good at it, which is the point.
Golden hour
The donut boat on Lake Austin, from Mozart’s, best at sunset. Or the Lake Austin sunset cruise past Mount Bonnell (BYOB, 21+).
The dinner
Yamas or Aba for Mediterranean, Roya for Persian, Casa Bianca for the rooftop bar.
The splurge
Jeffrey’s, Uchi, or Hestia if you’re trying to make a point.
After
The birthday cake ice cream sandwich at Launderette, or cocktails over Congress at Edge Rooftop (21+).
Can’t agree on where? Swipe with friends works for two.
The Column · No. 19 · Broke
A Saturday for $0.
The bus is free with your UT ID. So is most of this.
Morning
Hike the Barton Creek Greenbelt to the Gus Fruh swimming hole, or climb Mount Bonnell for the view.
Museums
The Blanton (free with your UT ID) for Ellsworth Kelly’s Austin, the Harry Ransom Center for the Gutenberg Bible, and the Texas Science & Natural History Museum. The Capitol gives free tours all day.
Afternoon
A picnic in Zilker Park, the peacocks at Mayfield Park, a lap of the Lady Bird Lake trail, or the rooftop garden at the Central Library.
Photos
The Greetings From Austin mural and the Willie Nelson statue.
Sunset
The Congress Avenue bats at dusk, or the 360 Overlook.
Summer tip: Barton Springs Pool is free before 8 AM and after 9 PM.
The Column · No. 20 · Boots
Cowboy boots, for non-Texans.
You live here now. You need boots. Let’s not panic.
Where to shop
One block of South Congress does it all: Tecovas’ flagship at 1500 and Allens Boots at 1522, the one with the big red boot out front and a whole store of them inside. Up north, Tecovas and Lucchese both have stores at the Domain.
The toe
Pointed is the classic cowboy look. Round is the easy, everyday one. Square runs from a subtle box to a broad work-boot toe. Can’t decide? A cutter toe gives you square-toe room with a pointed-toe shape.
The heel
A riding heel is taller and angled: that’s the cowboy silhouette. A roper is low and flat, closer to a regular shoe, and better for walking all day at ACL.
The leather
Cowhide is the most common and the easiest to live with. Calf is smoother and dressier, goat is buttery and soft, and roughout is suede-like and hides scuffs.
Exotics
Ostrich is the one people want. Full quill has the raised bumps, smooth has none and is more subtle, and ostrich leg looks almost like reptile. Caiman is the alligator look for less. One warning: exotics barely stretch, so they have to fit right in the store.
The color
Start with a warm brown: it goes with jeans, dresses and everything in between. Black for nights out. Save the bright colors for your second pair.
The fit
Snug across the top of your foot, the ball of your foot at the widest part of the boot, and a little heel slip at first. That slip settles as the sole breaks in. Too loose everywhere? Size down.
Try them on in the afternoon, when your feet are their biggest, with the socks you’ll actually wear. Then break them in two-stepping at the Broken Spoke.
The Column · No. 21 · After dark
Thursday is college night.
At UT, the weekend starts on Thursday. Here’s how to do it right.
Mavs
Mavericks Dance Hall in Buda, 275 Old San Antonio Road: five bars, a patio and a big dance floor, open Wednesday to Saturday, 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday is college night. Check the age rule and the cover on their page before you drive out, and bring your ID either way.
Mavs etiquette
The floor moves Two-steppers go around the floor counterclockwise. Faster couples on the outside, beginners toward the middle.
Don’t cut across Walk around the dance floor, never through it, and don’t stop in a lane to chat.
Line dances take the middle of the floor. The couples keep circling around them.
Take the lesson They teach early in the night. The two-step is quick, quick, slow, slow.
Asking and saying no Anyone can ask anyone. A polite “no, thank you” is fine; saying yes to someone else for that same song is not.
Wear boots Smooth soles turn; sneakers stick. See: Cowboy boots, for non-Texans.
Closer to campus
West Campus has its own traditions. At Victory Lap, your 21st means a signed dollar bill on the ceiling and a Polaroid. Cain & Abel’s does $1 beers, on Tuesdays. Then there’s Hole in the Wall for karaoke, Dirty Martin’s and The Cauldron.
Getting home
Buda is about 25 minutes south, and the bus doesn’t go there, so pick a driver or split an Uber. In town, the Night Owl buses run midnight to 3 a.m., free with your UT ID. Go together, leave together, and tip your bartenders.
All of this is 21+ to drink. Nobody at Mavs cares if you can dance, only that you tried.
The Column · No. 22 · Know Austin
Words only Austinites know.
Hi, ho, howdy. Say these wrong and everyone knows you just moved here.
Say it right
Guadalupe “GWAH-duh-loop.” The street along campus and the river. Not “gwah-duh-LOO-pay.”
Manchaca “MAN-shack,” not “man-CHAH-kuh.” Officially it’s Menchaca Road since 2019, fixing a misspelling of Tejano Captain José Antonio Menchaca’s name, but locals still say MAN-shack.
Burnet “BURN-it,” not “bur-NET.” Burnet Road, home of Pinthouse and Tacodeli.
Koenig “KAY-nig,” not “KOH-nig.” Koenig Lane, in North Loop.
Nueces “new-AY-sis,” not “new-cess.” Nueces Street, in West Campus.
San Jacinto “san huh-SIN-toe,” not “san jack-IN-toe.” San Jacinto Boulevard, on campus.
Mueller “MILL-er,” not “MYOO-ler.” The neighborhood, and its lake park.
Manor “MAY-ner.” Manor Road, on the east side.
Buda “BYOO-duh.” Where Mavs is.
Pflugerville “FLOO-ger-vill.” The P is silent. So is everyone who says it right.
Pedernales “PURD-n-Alice.” The river, the street, and the one that gets everybody. LBJ said it this way too.
The nicknames
The Drag Guadalupe Street along campus: food, boba and your whole freshman year.
The Forty Acres UT’s main campus.
West Campus Where you live, or where everyone you know lives.
Dirty Sixth The bar blocks of East Sixth Street, downtown. Not to be confused with West Sixth.
SoCo South Congress.
MoPac Loop 1, the highway named after the Missouri Pacific railroad. Nobody calls it Loop 1.
PCL The Perry-Castañeda Library, where Saturdays go to die during finals.
The Greenbelt The Barton Creek trail, and its swimming holes.
Town Lake Not “Lady Bird Lake.” The city renamed it in 2007 for Lady Bird Johnson, who had turned the honor down while she was alive. Locals still call it Town Lake.
360 The Capital of Texas Highway. Nobody says the long version.
I-35 at 5 p.m. Less a highway, more a waiting room.
The food words
Breakfast taco Not a burrito. A taco, for breakfast, and it’s a whole personality.
Queso A food group.
Topo Chico The sparkling water in everyone’s hand.
The phrases
Y’all Singular and plural. Use it.
Fixin’ to About to. “I’m fixin’ to get a breakfast taco.”
Hook ’em The hello, the goodbye and the hand sign.
Keep Austin Weird The motto, and a promise.
Bonus points: call it “the lake” and “the springs” like there’s only one of each.
The Column · No. 13 · Football
Texas football for dummies.
You don’t have to understand a single play. You do have to know these.
DKR Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium, on campus. Around a hundred thousand people, most of them in burnt orange.
Hook ’em Index and pinky up, the other fingers down. That’s the Longhorns. Throw it up when the band plays.
Bevo The mascot is a real longhorn steer. Admire from a distance.
The Eyes of Texas The alma mater. Everyone stays after the game to sing it, win or lose.
Big Bertha and Smokey A famously enormous bass drum, and a cannon that fires after every Texas score.
The orange Tower After a win, the UT Tower lights up orange. It’s the best way to find out who won.
Red River Texas vs. Oklahoma, every October in Dallas during the State Fair. The one that matters most.
The SEC Texas joined the Southeastern Conference in 2024, and got its rivalry with Texas A&M back.
Tailgate before, sing after, and wear orange even if you don’t know who’s playing.
The Column · No. 14 · History
Austin, a history.
From a village called Waterloo to the Live Music Capital of the World.
1839 The Republic of Texas picks a village called Waterloo for its capital and renames it after Stephen F. Austin, the Father of Texas. Edwin Waller lays out the downtown grid.
1842 The Archive War. Sam Houston tries to move the government’s papers out of town; Angelina Eberly fires a cannon to stop him. Her statue is on Congress Avenue.
1883 The University of Texas opens.
1888 The Capitol is finished in pink granite, and it’s taller than the one in Washington.
1890s Moonlight towers go up to light the city at night. Some still stand, and still glow.
1970s Armadillo World Headquarters, cosmic cowboys, and Austin City Limits on TV. The music city is born.
1980s Michael Dell starts a computer company in his UT dorm. SXSW begins in 1987. The bats move in under the Congress Avenue Bridge.
2000s Keep Austin Weird becomes the unofficial motto, and a promise.
See it in a day: the Capitol, the Eberly statue, a moonlight tower and the bats at sunset.
The Column · No. 08 · Students
The best college town in America.
Biased? Completely. Wrong? No.
Campus is in the middle of the city The Forty Acres sits just north of the Capitol. Downtown is a walk, not a road trip.
The bus is free CapMetro is free with a UT ID, so a car is optional.
Saturdays in the fall Football at DKR, with around a hundred thousand people in burnt orange. And the Tower glows orange when we win.
The music It’s the Live Music Capital of the World. SXSW in March, ACL in October, a show every other night in between.
The water Swim at Barton Springs between classes. Walk the Lady Bird Lake trail when you should be studying.
The food, on a budget Tacos, boba on the Drag and late-night pizza within walking distance.
The internships Austin is a tech city, and the job fair is basically the whole town.
The weirdness Keep Austin Weird isn’t a slogan here. It’s a personality test you’ll pass.
Why Austin is the best university town.
