Joann’s Fine Foods

Part American-inspired cafe, part Tex-Mex restaurant, Joann’s Fine Foods on South Congress Avenue is a retro-themed diner in the lobby of the Austin Motel from the same team behind Perla’s, June’s, and about a dozen other Austin businesses. During the week, you’ll have access to a pretty big menu of mostly Tex-Mex-inspired dishes, like enchiladas, huevos rancheros, and fajitas, plus a handful of more diner-y plates, like turkey clubs and patty melts (served with cotija fries).

And on the weekends, there’s a special brunch menu that includes a lot of the same dishes, plus things like blue corn pancakes and a “breakfast chicken fried steak” plate that’s basically just the dinner version you know (and hopefully love) served with hashbrowns and fried eggs.

Between the retro decor, heavy pastel accents, and a large straw awning on the patio, Joann’s kind of feels like a vaguely Tex-Mex restaurant that draws its inspiration from a Wes Anderson film. But despite relying heavily on theme and interior design, you can expect to get solid renditions of Tex-Mex and diner staples, just at prices that will very quickly remind you that you’re sitting right in the middle of one of the most trafficked parts of South Congress Avenue.

photo credit: Holly Dirks

photo credit: Holly Dirks

photo credit: Holly Dirks

photo credit: Holly Dirks

photo credit: Holly Dirks