Austin Neighborhood Guide: South Lamar

By Bri Hand | Jul 13, 2021

View of South Lamar neighborhood in Austin, Texas

If you’re considering moving to Austin, it can be tough to navigate all of the different neighborhoods in Austin and figure out which one is the right fit for you. South Lamar is one of Austin’s hippest neighborhoods to rent in, with plenty of trendy dining options, local shops, and bars to choose from.

Want to rent an apartment in South Lamar? Here’s our guide to the best restaurants, coffee shops, grocery stores, outdoor attractions, nightlife, and transportation in this Texas neighborhood.

The best restaurants in South Lamar

Matt’s El Rancho has been a go-to restaurant in the area for almost 70 years, serving up delicious Tex-Mex food, to-die-for margaritas, and amazing service.

One of the holy grails of Austin cuisine, Uchi is a creative, award-winning Japanese restaurant set in a 1920s bungalow. Another local favorite, the rustic Asian smokehouse Loro, also comes from the Uchi culinary family, and is a very popular restaurant in the community.

Farm-to-table goes upscale at Odd Duck, a New Southern restaurant on South Lamar Boulevard. Try the Wagyu burger with goat chili or the quail taco. For a modern-yet-casual restaurants, be sure to spend an evening at Aviary Wine + Kitchen, which boasts Mediterranean food and natural wines.

Where to get groceries in South Lamar

Central Market will be your new favorite community grocery store for locally sourced food. This elevated grocery from the people behind H-E-B has everything you need at a reasonable price. Barton Hill Food Mart is another nearby grocery store that just happens to be known for its exceptional wine cellar. Need we say more?

Where to get coffee in South Lamar

Patika is a bright and sunny coffee shop with locally sourced roasts and delicious pastries. You can also try out Opa, a great work spot with cozy environs and an outdoor patio that also serves up Mediterranean eats and wine.

Located in the gorgeous South Congress Hotel, Mañana is the perfect coffee spot for a catch-up with your coworker or a new friend. Want some food with your coffee? Try the breakfast tacos or the pimento cheese scone.

Outdoor attractions in South Lamar

One of Austin’s greatest gems, the 351-acre Zilker Park and Barton Springs offers spring-water swimming, lush greenery, sports courts, and more. You can also spend a wonderful day outside in Barton Creek Wilderness Park, a gorgeous nature preserve for hiking trails, rock climbing, and bird watching. If you are looking for a place for your kids (or fur babies) to play, Auditorium Shores has an excellent dog park and playground.

Local gyms in South Lamar

The South Lamar strip has plenty of fitness hotspots such as Easely Boxing, SOLA Fitness, and Orangetheory, which offer any class you can think of. If you want a gym with personalized training, hit up Austin Simply Fit, a locally run gym.

An outdoor gym? We’ll take it! Butler Shores at Town Lake is a grassy trail that offers exercise bars and gorgeous views of the Colorado River.

Do note that many apartments for rent in Austin have onsite fitness centers as an amenity, so be sure to check apartment listings before committing to a gym, since you could save some money on membership fees!

Nightlife in South Lamar

If you want to leave your apartment for the night, you don’t have to head downtown for fantastic food and bars.

Gibson Street Bar, an upscale cocktail bar, has a sleek interior and inventive drinks. Try the tequila-based Menace to Sobriety or the jalapeño-infused From Austin With Love.

Barton Springs Saloon is a low-key bar that’s perfect for jukebox nights and happy hour deals with friends. It’s also located in a converted gas station, so you can check that drinking destination off your bucket list!

You may have heard of Alamo Drafthouse, a quirky dine-in movie theater, and for good reason! This location is the original.

Tips From a Landing Member

“Our favorite nights in Austin were the ones we spent at Alamo Drafthouse, which shows the best movies and even has bottomless popcorn bowls.”

— Adam and Roxanna, “The Wander List: Will Adam and Roxanna Call Austin Home?”

Live music in South Lamar

A legendary live music hub for jazz, blues, rock, and more, The Continental Club is a great place to catch a live show. There may be a cover charge depending on who’s playing, but it’s always worth the money.

For the full Texas experience, go full honky-tonk at Broken Spoke. Put your dancing boots on and get ready to down some draft beers with some lively country music.

Do 512 Lounge is another laid-back South Lamar venue that offers live music and performances in an intimate setting. Their chicken wings are also worth a try!

Transportation in South Lamar

Austin is rapidly expanding its Capital Metro public transit options, but service is still limited. If you don’t have a car, ride sharing is easily accessible, and there’s an abundance of scooter and bike shares available through apps like Uber and Lyft that can easily get you from South Austin to downtown Austin.

Explore South Lamar apartments

If you like the idea of renting an apartment in South Lamar, Landing offers furnished Austin apartments with flexible lease terms, concierge services, seamless transfers, and all the amenities you need. Browse our available South Lamar apartments here, or contact us to learn more about how a Landing membership works.

Still looking for the right Austin neighborhood for you? Browse our other Austin neighborhood guides to find the right area—and apartment—for you:

Bri Hand

Bri Hand is Landing's Content Marketing Manager. She currently lives in Salem, Massachusetts, with her partner and dog, Arlo, but relishes any opportunity she can to travel so she can try new foods, see gorgeous sights, and daydream about living somewhere new after visiting there for less than 24 hours.