Few foods are more perfect than queso. When it’s done right, you need little more than some chips, a margarita, and maybe a large shovel for the ideal eating experience. And there aren’t any cities that do it better than Austin. Here are the absolute best bowls of queso in town.
the spots
The crown jewel of queso in Austin - possibly in the world. It comes mixed with their own Diablo habanero sauce, which is a ridiculous creation in its own right. This is one of the most complex and serious quesos on the market (yes, there is a queso market) and is an absolute must-try.
Kerbey Lane Café
2606 Guadalupe St
One of the top quesos in town has the added bonus of being available 24 hours a day, every day. God bless Texas.
Maudie’s queso, the Diablo Sol Food, comes with ground beef, guacamole, and salsa infused into some of the finest gooey cheesy goodness in the land.
Polvos Mexican Restaurant
2004 S 1st St
Polvo’s offers a fantastic “queso flameado,” which is more associated with interior Mexican cuisine and somehow involves fire. They also make their own tortillas here, which are a far sturdier vessel for this dense cheese dish stuffed with chorizo. If that sounds like a lot to handle, you can always go the conventional queso route at Polvo’s - just know it’s not quite as exciting.
El Chile Cafe y Cantina
1809 Manor Rd
Like the aformentioned Polvo’s, El Chile offers both a queso flameado and a queso con rajas - a more traditional yellow queso with savory mushrooms floating in it. Two different ways to f*ck your day up in the best way possible.
This South Austin classic establishment offers a chili con queso for beginners and a denser queso flameado for a more adventurous queso experience. Spoon some of that flameado into some fresh tortillas to get one step closer to nirvana or whatever you call your cheese heaven.
The famous Mag Mud is an outstanding queso, and because we live in a free country, it’s offered 24 hours every day. Loaded with black beans, guac, and insane amounts of flavor, you can’t go wrong at 2pm or 2am.
El Alma’s Queso Blanco y Rojo is perfectly spicy. This is a great spot that veers a little more on the pricey side for a queso establishment, and yes we just called a restaurant a “pricey queso establishment.” Go for their happy hour to stick it to the man and take advantage of their discounted apps and drinks.
