South Congress: The SoCo Guide
The most iconic street in Austin. Shopping, food, and the "I Love You" wall.
The Vibe
South Congress Avenue — SoCo — is Austin's postcard. The stretch between Oltorf and the Congress Avenue Bridge is the most photographed, most Instagrammed, most tourist-trampled street in the city. It's also still genuinely great.
Where to Eat
Perla's
Seafood on the patio. Oyster bar. The place to see and be seen on SoCo. $$$$
Home Slice Pizza
New York-style slices. The line out the door is worth it. Late night. $$
June's All Day
Wine bar meets bistro. Beautiful interior. The natural wine list is curated. $$$
Hopdoddy
The burger that started a chain. The original is still the best. Great shakes. $$
Elizabeth Street Cafe
French-Vietnamese. Banh mi + pastries + beautiful space. Brunch essential. $$
Torchy's Tacos
The original location. Trashy (the menu item, not the vibe). Tourist-approved, local-validated. $
Where to Shop
Allen's Boots (cowboy boots since 1977), Uncommon Objects (vintage everything, two floors of treasure), Lucy in Disguise (costume shop, Austin institution), Parts & Labour (gifts, weird stuff, Austin stuff), SoCo Guitars (for the musicians).
The "I Love You" Wall
The "i love you so much" mural on the side of Jo's Coffee. The most photographed spot in Austin. Go early morning to avoid the line. It was painted by Amy Cook for her partner Liz Lambert (who owns Hotel San Jose next door).
Living on SoCo
Expensive. A 1-bedroom apartment on South Congress runs $1,800-2,400/month. Houses in the surrounding Travis Heights neighborhood start around $700K. You're paying for walkability, culture, and the most Austin address in Austin.
More neighborhoods: Moving to Austin Guide • East Austin Guide