There’s no denying that an Austin tech scene, which has been simmering for many years, has reached a boiling level prior to now few years. As of 2023, tech jobs accounted for 16 p.c of all jobs in Austin—virtually double the nationwide common, in response to the Austin Chamber of Commerce. Tech giants like Apple, Google, and Oracle all have a presence within the Texas capital, and startups like Mio, Closinglock, and MadeIn are garnering hype and VC funding. The Wall Road Journal could also be hedging its bets on the hype it beforehand bestowed upon town within the wake of the pandemic, however Austin persists as a form of Babylon for burned-out techies who’re uninterested in the Silicon Valley rat race.
The scrappy “Preserve Austin Bizarre” period is on the wane, however there’s nonetheless lots that feels genuine and lovable on this once-sleepy faculty city that was content material with doing its personal factor within the shadows of close by metropolises like Dallas and Houston. In case your coronary heart isn’t dead-set on reliving the hazy glory days of town portrayed in Richard Linklater’s basic 1993 movie Dazed and Confused, you’re all however assured to have a blast whereas bar-hopping, basking within the solar, and stuffing your face with among the finest barbecue on this planet. And naturally there’s dwell music. So, a lot dwell music.
Bounce to Part
The place to Keep
Video: Pete Cottell
Austin’s tech scene initially caught a spark within the sprawling hills west of town—therefore the “Silicon Hills” tag—however the inflow of Gen X and millennial staff has created an explosion of incubators, coworking areas, and concrete life-style hubs which can be extra centrally situated than the environs most well-liked by the suburbanized outdated guard that got here earlier than them. Whether or not you favor a fast drive to the workplace park or a fast stroll to your new “coffice” for the day, our picks have you ever lined.
1901 San Antonio St., (512) 473-8900
Located close to the Texas State Capitol on the Southwest nook of the College of Texas at Austin, the Otis is a snug center floor between a boutique resort and a global chain operation. It’s far sufficient from the commotion of each downtown and campus to really feel calm, but only a stone’s throw from each. The rooftop pool is clutch for winding down with a Lone Star after a protracted day of conferences, which will be conveniently hosted onsite at one of many six occasion areas, and Acre 41 is the form of multiuse restaurant that’s nice for checking emails over espresso within the morning and brokering huge offers over a Texas ribeye at evening.
700 San Jacinto St., (512) 476-3700
Austin is rising upward at an unprecedented clip, however till it begins placing up New York–model pencil skyscrapers, the Omni Lodge stands out as one of the iconic items of its skyline. This glistening 20-story marvel is only a few blocks from the core of Austin’s leisure district on West sixth Road, although you would not be faulted for hardly leaving the property if a bar crawl on “Soiled sixth” isn’t your factor. The rooftop pool gives beautiful views of town and past, and the three onsite eating places present an array of eating choices appropriate for all events.
1108 E sixth St., (737) 205-8888
Many maverick tech staff are within the sole proprietor/bootstraps part of their profession, which implies slicing prices whereas nonetheless feeling luxe (or a minimum of presenting as such) is necessary. East Austin Lodge gives conventional rooms for a slight improve, or it can save you some critical money by reserving a “cabin” room with a set of shared personal bogs in the midst of the ground. You’ll nonetheless have entry to the pool in the midst of the property, and the resort’s proximity to the laid-back, neighborhood-y vibe of East sixth Road makes it an awesome choose for aspiring professionals who would favor to commingle with locals moderately than pound the pavement with workplace drones.
{Photograph}: Sarah Kerver/Getty Photos
605 Davis St., (512) 542-5300
Rainey Road ain’t what it was, however this charming enclave of bungalows turned bars nonetheless packs extra character right into a tiny metropolis block than most midsize cities can muster of their total downtown footprint. It’s a strong all-purpose choose for average luxurious in the midst of one among Austin’s most charming and memorable downtown-adjacent neighborhoods.
10901 Area St., (855) 596-3398
Most out-of-towners can be fairly bummed to seek out out their work journey in Austin is centered round a way of life mall that’s a 45-minute drive from downtown, however The Area is definitely a reasonably good spot to spend a couple of days if responsibility calls. It’s a simulacrum of a walkable metropolis proper close to blue-chip operations like Apple and Chase, so that you would possibly as effectively lean into the entire thing and shack up at a cool resort that doesn’t really feel like a suburban motor inn off the freeway. Lone Star Courtroom is common within the likeness of a hill nation lodge, with a pair of conjoined courtyards that focus on a teal oval-shaped pool with its personal bar and lounge.
7415 Southwest Pkwy., Constructing 8, Suite 100, (512) 551-4009
Nestled atop a fundamental thoroughfare within the “Silicon Hills” of West Austin is a shiny new AC Lodge that checks all of the packing containers a techy enterprise traveler may need. It’s a brief drive to heavyweights like AMD and Dell, and a handful of VCs like LiveOak and Cavvy dot the rolling hills which can be on beautiful show from the pool and the rooftop bar. The adjoining strip mall gives useful necessities like a neighborhood market that serves espresso and sandwiches all day, an upscale Mexican spot with nice completely happy hour specials, and a movie show with a bar that’s an awesome place to kill a couple of hours between conferences.
The place to Work
{Photograph}: Pete Cottell
Whether or not you’re on the lookout for a quiet desk for the day or a parachute right into a bustling tech-y social scene, the number of coworking choices accessible in Austin is staggering and has one thing for everybody. Earlier than you stroll in off the road, we strongly counsel checking their web site for availability and pricing, and when you’re browsing the net, you would possibly as effectively try Austin Coworking and Deskpass, as they’re wonderful assets for updates on occasions, newcomers to the scene, and offers on taking part places of work.
310 Comal St., Flooring 2, (512) 399-6320
Bond Collective is a strong alternative for the post-hipster techies preferring the laid-back vibe of East Austin over the company thrum of downtown or the West Austin hills. Day passes begin at $35 for fast drop-ins, and month-to-month memberships provide entry to virtually all Bond Collective areas within the US—with many areas in New York, Philly, and the DC space—together with 24/7 entry and advert hoc convention rooms if wanted.
701 Brazos St., (512) 548-9675
This startup social corridor capabilities extra in order an IRL hub for meetups and occasions for the entrepreneur set, nevertheless it additionally gives fairly a couple of open coworking occasions all through the week in the event you choose a extra energetic and interactive surroundings when you faucet away at your laptop computer. You would possibly meet your subsequent full-stack developer right here, or (extra realistically) you would possibly swill some beers and play pop-a-shot with some dudes who ditched California for the booming startup scene the Texas capital has been using excessive on for a number of years now.
1700 S Lamar Blvd., #338, (512) 596-2683
Tucked behind a brand new construct within the cozy Zilker/South Lamar neighborhood is Fibercove, a vivid and buzzy coworking area that boasts off-street parking, a Google Fiber-powered community, a restaurant, and a podcast studio the place you and your finest buds can chat about meals and politics with the hopes of going viral. Native favorites like Odd Duck, Tiki Tatsu-Ya, and an Alamo Drafthouse outpost are inside a brief stroll, and the area shares partitions with a location of the boozy brunch chain Snooze if mimosas and chilaquiles are so as.
The place to Get Your Espresso
Courtesy of Radio Espresso and Beer
1115 E eleventh St.
Austin is residence to a staggering variety of wonderful espresso retailers that focus solely on brewing nice espresso. It’s additionally chock-full of multiuse all-day ingesting spots the place the hours soften away and your style for a cortado within the morning and a restaurant de cachapa within the afternoon is joyously accommodated. Radio Rosewood falls within the latter camp. Espresso (and low cocktails, no judgment) begin flowing at 7 am each day, and the Shortwave Diner truck parked outdoors slings quite a lot of diner staples like smash burgers, sizzling canines, and breakfast sandwiches all through most of Radio Rosewood’s beneficiant hours of operation.
A number of areas
Determine 8 is likely one of the hottest purveyors for cafés that don’t roast their very own beans, which makes it simple to seek out nearly wherever, however the alternative to attempt its excellent espresso and drip espresso proper on the supply is one you have to get pleasure from if attainable. This low-slung rectangle of a constructing sits on the sting of a quiet residential space, however the inside is all the time buzzing gently with exercise and caffeination. Order a shot produced from African or Central American beans if attainable, and maintain a watch out for a bin of recent breakfast tacos close to the register in the event you want a snack.
A number of areas
With a decade-plus of explosive progress of their rear view, it’s truthful to say Houndstooth is akin to third-wave roasters like Stumptown, Blue Bottle, and Intelligentsia, all of that are synonymous with their respective cities. Their downtown location lives within the foyer of an workplace tower proper smack in the midst of Austin’s enterprise district, which makes it an awesome place to sip a cortado between conferences or escape the grind of the workday with a chilly brew and a croissant.
1505 City Creek Dr.
Nature is therapeutic, and one among Austin’s most beloved all-night hangs has lastly resumed its 24/7 schedule. As its title denotes, The Buzz Mill is a lumber mill–themed espresso bar that’s nice for late-night examine classes, marathon coding sprints, work drinks with the crew, or a mellow place to sip on a drink or two when you look forward to no matter it’s you have been doing all day to flush out of your system.
The place to Eat
{Photograph}: Pete Cottell
1201 S Lamar Blvd.
This South Lamar bistro casts a large internet when it comes to affect, with modern riffs on Texan consolation classics serving because the spine of the dozen-or-so gadgets that populate its menu. Look no additional than the climax of their present dinner choices—a wagyu strip steak that’s plated with tater tots and masa queso—for a cheeky inform of what to anticipate from their delightfully low-brow iterations on high-minded chefiness.
1900 S 1st St.
Austin is situated in Texas, and other people in Texas love animal merchandise. However, Austin can be a sizzling spot for well-heeled progressives, which implies the vegetarian and vegan meals is on level if the place to look. Bouldin Creek Cafe is a cool and colourful mainstay for eco-friendly fare that’s elegant sufficient for a dinner date but additionally crunchy sufficient to please a desk of hungover hippies who went a bit too arduous on the day rave that dragged on till 4 within the morning.
