The Best Food And Drinks In Round Rock: A Local’s Guide
Heading north of Austin and want to know where to eat? Consider this your guide to the best drinks and food in Round Rock!
Round Rock isn’t especially known for its food (except for maybe our famous donuts), but there are definitely some spots that are worth checking out when you’re up this way.
I tried to stick to mom-and-pop type places on this list that you can only find in Round Rock (for the most part, with a few exceptions). I hope this guide makes you hungry and want to take a trip to Round Rock to eat at some of our amazing restaurants!
Your Guide To Eating & Drinking in Round Rock
Best Coffee In Round Rock
Mi Mundo Coffeehouse & Roastery
This is the place to go if you want a truly amazing, award-winning cup of joe. They roast their fair-trade, organic beans in-house in small batches to amplify the flavor and provide the freshest cup possible. They have a great spot downtown, so you can take it to go and wander around if you’d like. They also sell Tacodeli tacos here, if you get there early enough to snag one!
WEBSITE 106 S Mays St #100, Round Rock
Best Donuts In Round Rock
Round Rock Donuts
No Round Rock food roundup would be complete without mentioning our famous orange-hued donuts that everyone is crazy about. Why are they orange? How do they get that way? One reason could be because of their use of fresh eggs and the color of the yolks. This local bakery opened in 1926 as Lone Star Bakery. 36 years later, they won the award for best donut in Texas by Texas Monthly. They were also featured on the show Man v. Food on the Travel Channel. My personal opinion is that the giant Texas-sized donut tastes even better than the regular sized donuts, so be sure to try one of those if you come all this way for donuts!
WEBSITE 106 W Liberty Ave, Round Rock
Where To Eat Breakfast In Round Rock
Cafe Java
Cafe Java is our pick for best breakfast in Round Rock. It’s diner-type food that’s consistently delicious.
There’s usually a wait on weekends if you don’t get there by 8 a.m., but their top-notch service keeps things moving pretty quickly.
Your coffee cup will always be full! I highly recommend the migas (or anything from their specials board).
WEBSITE | 2051 Gattis School Rd #120, Round Rock, TX 78664
Brunch In Round Rock
Jack Allen's
No one does brunch better than the buffet at Jack Allen’s. We strongly suggest making reservations because the whole town agrees with us- it’s the best brunch buffet in town! Pro tip: request the silver dollar pancakes specially made to order and brought to your table. This is one of those events where you will want to starve yourself the day before so you can pack more in at brunch, and you’ll most likely be too full to eat the rest of the day.
WEBSITE 2500 Hoppe Trail, Round Rock
Where To Eat Lunch In Round Rock
Papi's Pies
Papi’s Pies serves a delightful breakfast or lunch on their charming little garden patio. They also make award-winning pies and were given the title of “Best Slice in Texas” by Eat This, Not That Magazine. We love their pies so much that we usually order one or two for Thanksgiving. If you stop by to eat breakfast or lunch here, be sure to save room for a slice!
WEBSITE | 10 Chisholm Trail Rd, Round Rock
Where To Drink In Round Rock
Hoot & Annie
This new “speakeasy” in downtown Round Rock makes you feel like you’re not in Round Rock anymore, but somewhere way cooler. It’s small, but you can make reservations if you’re worried about not getting a spot. The aesthetic is gorgeous and the drinks are to die for. I tried the Like Feather, Like Son and blissfully dove into the mini garden of mint that was served atop my glass. They don’t do food here, but their drinks are a work of art. The bartender took her time and made our drinks with the craftsmanship of an artist.
The night we came there was a single acoustic guitar player singing 80’s songs and it made the vibe even more perfect. I highly recommend going here before getting dinner someplace else on Main Street or in downtown Round Rock.
Hoot & Annie, 113 W Main St, Round Rock
Beer In Round Rock
Cork & Barrel
Cork & Barrel Craft Kitchen and Microbrewery is Round Rock’s best brewery. They have a gorgeous patio overlooking the creek, usually with live music. They have homebrewed beer, great wine, and delicious food. Try the pretzel appetizer! My kids love coming here and running around with a ball outside or playing the yard games with other kids.
Cork & Barrel, 4000 E Palm Valley Blvd, Round Rock
Best Pasta Spot In Round Rock
Palermo Pasta House
Made from scratch pasta is hard to pass up. This place makes delicious homemade pasta in all shapes and sizes, along with homemade sauces of your choice. The wine selection is decent, and the servers are always delightful. Pro tip: go on a Wednesday night in the fall (or spring) when they have Music On Main set up at Prete Plaza, and you can hear the live music from your patio table. We may not have “The Most Beautiful Town Square in Texas” (ahem, Georgetown), but we are working on it! This is one of those special places that make us proud of our little downtown area.
WEBSITE | 121 E Main St, Round Rock
Farm to Table
Whiskey Cake
This place is new and is getting all the hype. They have a farm-to-table, every made-from-scratch concept, and even show off the veggies and herbs they’re growing right out front of the building. The vibe is very comfy-cozy-cabin but in a fancier way. Go for brunch, dinner, or drinks (whiskey is the go-to here, as the name implies), and of course, try the cake.
WEBSITE | 2600 N Interstate Hwy 35, Round Rock
Best Seafood In Round Rock
Salt Traders Coastal Cooking
This is the best seafood you will find in Round Rock. They are part of the Jack Allen’s team (which is another local favorite date night spot of ours). The food is reliably delicious and the service is always impeccable. They will even comp the dessert on your birthday!
WEBSITE | 2850 N Interstate Hwy 35, Round Rock
Where To Eat Pizza In Round Rock
Slapbox Pizza
In downtown Round Rock, right next to Prete Plaza, you will find Slapbox Pizzicheria. This sister restaurant to 600 Degrees Pizza in Georgetown makes some of the best pizza in town. The kids love getting their giant slices (they will cut them up into smaller bites for little ones if you ask nicely) and they have gluten-free available too.
We also love Pinthouse Pizza and will be getting a Via313 very soon!
WEBSITE | 201 E Main St, Round Rock
Venezuelan Food In Round Rock
Arepitas
For a little culture and something different, we love dining at Arepitas. The food is always so fresh and tasty and the service is some of the friendliest I’ve ever had. We love the cheery atmosphere and always have a great time at this place. The wall art is absolutely incredible. Don’t miss it!
WEBSITE | 3200 Greenlawn Blvd Ste 300, Round Rock
Best Dessert In Round Rock
Kawaii Shaved Ice
This local shaved ice stand will cool you down on a hot day and has a million flavors. Their ice is so soft and perfectly shaved. They have a drive-thru or a small patio and are located just off Main Street.
WEBSITE | 113 N Mays St, Round Rock
Cranky Granny's Sweet Rolls
A new granny just moved to town, and boy is she cranky! 😉 Cranky Granny’s Sweet Rolls is currently operating out of a temporary Round Rock location inside Smokey Creek Cajun. You can order ahead of time for pick up, have them delivered, or place your order inside. We tried the classic cinnamon flavor (the churro roll), but their extensive flavor list goes way beyond cinnamon. They also have a seasonal flavor and vegan options.
WEBSITE | 910 Round Rock Ave, Round Rock
3 Star Candy Shop
We love stopping by 3 Star Candy Shop while strolling around downtown. They have loads of candy, weird sodas, a chocolate truffle bar and sell Blue Bell Ice Cream that they make into floats, sundaes, and shakes. They also make homemade special sodas like their own Butterbeer, which we got all the time when we were reading Harry Potter in our house. They sell Harry Potter candy here too, if you’d like to match your books to your treats like we do! They are located right in the heart of downtown on Main Street and have a small patio out back.
WEBSITE | 113 E Main St, Round Rock
Round Rock Restaurants With Playgrounds
We have several restaurants with playgrounds here in Round Rock. For breakfast, try Kerbey Lane Cafe (kids eat free on Tuesdays). For BBQ, try Salt Lick next to Dell Diamond. They usually have live music out on the patio on nice weather weekend nights. For burgers, try Mighty Fine or Hat Creek. For seafood, go to Joe’s Crab Shack. And for Mexican, Mesa Rosa has an amazing patio with a huge yard and playground.
Related posts:
Here Are The Best Sandwiches In Austin
Sandwiches in Austin (unfairly) don’t have the same hype that they get in a lot…
Read More13 Solid Patio Happy Hours In Austin
You just want a good drink, some delicious bites, and a fun Austin patio to…
Read MoreExploring The 23 Coolest South Austin Coffee Shops
I normally wouldn’t say that coffee shops are “cool.” I’d call them serene, calming, or…
Read More