Restaurants in Austin: Gordough's Public House

I used to spend a lot of time in Austin. 

It's close to Waco, full of cool things to do, and I have friends there. Unfortunately, these past few weeks, I've been so busy I haven't had the chance to go back. 

While I was there, some of my favorite things to do included hanging out on Barton Creek in Zilker Park, visiting my favorite coffee shops like Caffe Medici, or spending an evening seeking out good food.

 There's a lot of great food in Austin, the unofficial food-truck-capital of the world. Some of my favorite restaurants are there, and one of them is the charmingly bohemian Gordough's Public House on South Lamar. 

Gordough's is one of those places that defies classification. It's a bar, but it's also a restaurant, and it serves delicious coffee. You can't go wrong with just about anything on the menu, and I've tried most of it. The coffee is excellent, the food is novel, and the donuts ... 

The donuts are what keep me coming back for more. 

These are not your mother's donuts, guys, unless you're mother's an absolutely fabulous cook specializing in the bizarrely specific (in which case, good for you).  These are donuts with a twist: doughy, sugared, sometimes spicy, and with an icing and innovative toppings that will make you drool. Some donuts are burgers. Some are barbecue. Some are dessert. (Menu: HERE.) 

All of the food is very heavy. Prepare accordingly — you'll want to sit for a few hours afterward. Certainly don't eat here before you need to do anything active.  

My favorite thing to order at Gordough's: A black betty donut and a dark chocolate mocha with a shot of white chocolate syrup (it's a menu hack I call a tuxedo mocha).

The prices aren't too bad. My favorite donut, the Black Betty, is $5.00. A meal will run you about $10 - $15. The coffee, on the other hand, is fairly expensive. It's well worth it, though, especially if you need something to wash down that donut. I also recommend the Gordough Cristo, which is beyond delicious and served with house-made chips. 

The ambience is pretty cool. Like just about everything else in Austin, it's a little hipster-y, with its industrial-looking barstools and rough wood floors. Drinks are served in Mason jars. A chalkboard shows the specials and drink menus. 

It's equally satisfying as a bar. It's medium-sized, small enough to be intimate but big enough not to be too crowded. TVs at the bar are often turned to sports games, and it's never empty. The drinks are innovative and you can even satisfy your sugar craving while you're there. It's a great place to take friends visiting Austin for an intro to Austin culture.

The only thing I didn't like was the Guinness float. Guinness and ice cream is not a good combination. Stay away from that one.