Mangia Pizza

3016 Guadalupe Suite 100

(512)302-5200

Hours: Sun-Sat 11am-11pm

The Menu:

Mmmm...to the good stuff! Mangia is famous for the pizza, but they have a wide variety of appetizers including: Tortilla Soup, Homemade Cheese Sticks, Spinach & Artichoke Dip, Buffalo Wings, and more.

For your greens cravings there are some salads available too. I always like a good Caesar Salad, but the Cobb Salad and Greek Salad are some unique choices.

Pizza Time! You can build your own pizza from a cool selection of white or wheat crust, lots of ingredients, and thin or stuffed. Their signature pizzas are great too. I tried the Spinach Mushroom one and it was superb. I'll hit both ends of the spectrum here: they have a Veggie Pizza with mushrooms, green peppers, onions and black olives; and they offer a Meatball Pizza which comes with Hand-formed meatballs in marinara sauce, onions, and ground red pepper sauce.

Moving on we have some other entrees that are just as tasty and just as Italian, Spaghetti & Lasagna. Good ol' spaghetti and sauce, Spaghetti with Grilled Chicken Breast, and the Beef & Cheese Lasagna are the prime orders here. Don't forget about the Cheese Ravioli though.

Sandwiches, Burgers, and Cheesesteak, oh my! Chicken (grilled or fried) Sandwich, Rex's Italian Sub, Meatball Sub, and some regulars like Turkey, Ham, or Roast Beef are a few of the sandwich choices. The Veggie Burger is always a good choice. But if you are in the mood for meat try the Mangia Burger. It is "a belt-busting half pound all beef patty, grilled medium well." (I took that from their site) And as far as cheeseseak goes they have Grilled Chicken Philly with Cheese and Grilled Ribeye Steak with Cheese.

Whew, almost done. It's about time for some dessert. Check out the Snickers® Pie, or try the Italian Cream Cake. For something simple though, go for a scoop of Bluebell ice cream or maybe a cookie.

They have a happy hour (1/2 price appetizers, and $2.00-$2.50 pints.) M-F 4:00pm-7:00pm, and Saturday open-close. Their best selling beer is an organic whole wheat one called Mothership, so give it a try. They bake heart-shaped pizzas! What better way to let someone know you care than a heart-shaped pizza? :D

Average Price: $14.00

The Taste:

Oh yes! The Chicago Style Pizza! I got the Spinach Mushroom Chicago Style Pizza, and it had a wonderfully crispy crust with a bready inside. Then the cheese, spinach, and mushrooms were delightfully chewy. The sauce is slightly tangy, and very delicious. A surprisingly flavorful pizza indeed!

The Atmosphere:

You'll find there are dark colors inside, but the many large windows help out. The temp suits my fancy. The floors are tile, with dark colors.

The Employees:

That location hasn't hired a new employee in years, and everyone that works there loves their job. The fun work environment shows in the cheery attitude of the servers. Even during rush hours, they will still take their time paying close attention to each customer. Most of them are students, and that adds a youthful energy to the place. They can explain the menu very easily because they seem to know it by heart. So not too bad of service in my opinion. The manager is helpful, and gets right in there and helps customers just like his underlings. He seems to like his current team of employees as though they were family. (Awwww, how sweet!) They don't wear any fancy uniforms, so the individual in each person shines through. If you have a question about something near by, they seem to know the surrounding area pretty well; so they'd be able to help you out with queries of the like.

Hyde Park Bar & Grill

4521 West Gate Blvd.

(512) 899-2700

Hours: 11am - Midnight Everyday

The Menu:

Hyde Park offers appetizer, soups & salads, burgers & sandwiches, entrees, brunch, and a kid's menu. Let's start with appetizer: fried Artichoke Hearts with sauce, Chicken Quesadillas, Steamed Dumplings, Stuffed Mushrooms, Crispy Parmesan Polenta, Sweet Corn and Cheese Tamales, and (award winning) Hyde Park Fries.

For soups & salads you can get different dressings (honey mustard, hot bacon, ranch, chipotle ranch, bleu cheese vinaigrette, creamy cilantro lime, low fat Ponzu vinaigrette, pickled ginger and tamari vinaigrette).  You can choose from the Soup of the day, or Lentil Soup. Salads include: Mixed Salad Greens, Sorona Salad, Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad, Asian Chicken Salad, Spinach Salad, Dinner Salad, or a Chicken Salad. You can opt for any soup and get the mixed greens salad as a meal.

Now on to those burgers & sandwiches. Texas Raised Kobe Beef Burger, Ground Chuck Burger, Half Pound Sirloin Burger. Or for something a little lighter try the Ground Turkey Burger, Chicken Breast Burger, Gardenburger, or Smoked Turkey Muffaletta. In the mood for a sandwich? Hyde Park offers a Fried Egg Sandwich,Pimento Cheese and Cucumber, Yellowfin Tuna, Pastrami Rueben, Chicken Salad, Fried Eggplant Sandwich, and Chicken & Guacamole B.L.T.

Entrees! They've got a nice variety of steaks including their most popular entree the Chicken Fried Steak and it truly is different from all others I have tasted. Meatloaf, Fried Pork Chop Dijon Artichoke Chicken, Sauteed Crab Cakes, Grilled Salmon Fillet, Catfish, Trout, Vegetable Stir Fry, Steamed Vegetable Plate (specially for you vegans and vegetarians), and Tilapia.

The Brunch menu is where you are going to get your breakfast-like items. (Served from 11-3pm) Eggs Benedict, Migas, Waffles, Omelets, Biscuits and Gravy.

Kids get their favorites too: Grilled Hot Dog, Corn Dog, Fish Sticks, Cheese Pizza, Fried Chicken Tenders, or a classic Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

The desserts are definitely not to be overlooked! The Wom Kims Peach Pudding is soooooooo tasty! You won't find that anywhere else!

Water, Tea, Sodas, Lemonade, Sparkling Water, OJ, and Coffee are some of the drink choices. As far as alcoholic beverages they have a large selection of wines, beers (including a non-alcoholic), and the usual mixed drinks.

Average Food: $10.00

(keep in mind that sides/kids/appetizers are less)

Average Drink: $2.25

The Taste:

The salads are great! I was pleasantly surprised to see some crispy greens and yum grape tomatoes! They give great portions, I don't think you'll go hungry. They steam their vegetables vs. boiling them which gives them that crisp outside and tender inside. They have won best fries in Austin from the Chronicle many years in a row. I'm not one for mayo, but their Hyde Park sauce is great with the fries. I can see why the fries are so popular. They cut, chop, bake, and cook everything fresh everyday which makes it all the tastier. I was told the cooks come in at 6:00 am and start their work making gravy, chopping vegies, making their mixes that are used in some of the items, etc. I enjoyed my chicken fried steak which is their most popular item besides their fries. It is the most tender chicken fried steak I have come across. They prepare it in their on special way. It's not deep fried like most of those monsters; it is breaded then fried on a flat grill. That method also helps you get less crumbs all over yourself. It is served with fries, Hyde Park sauce, and a side. The gravy they put on top is quite rich and thick, just to my liking. Yum. Try the Hibiscus Mint Tea, which is served with a lime for a nice twist. I ate about half of the meal and got full, so be sure to come hungry if you don't plan on taking any home with you. They use hormone free meat, a definite plus! You get everything served to you nice and hot. I appreciated the nice bag in which they put all of my to-go stuff, after they put it in the boxes for me.

Over all, their food is buttery and rich, and the homemade deserts kick butt! Oh, I love that tea too!

The Atmosphere:

Like any good old Austin place, they have local art on the walls that is for sale. The walls themselves are artfull too. It is horizontal panels of stained wood, very elegant in my opinion. The booth where I sat had a wooden framed table with neutral colors in the center. The seat was still firm and bouncy, and the back rest was firm. The ceiling is an open beam design with sky lights sporadically. The bar area was pleasantly classy, and not at all trashy. I enjoyed the funky classic music that they played, and they kept it at a reasonable volume. The temperature was good, not too cold and not too hot. Some restaurants will keep the place freezing and I have no idea why. There are lots of windows which keep the place bright and lively, and the blinds are magical. They do a good job of illuminating the place without 1) blinding you and 2) letting it get too hot. The AC is not too loud, so no worries about it or the music making it hard to conversate.

The general crowd is primarily people over 40. While I was there I spotted a couple of friends, a family, a senior couple, a young couple, and a few people just sitting by themselves. I am told this place is full of businessmen during lunch time though.

So it is a classy place, with great food, and great for all kinds of people.

The Employees:

You don't get to see the cooks like most sit-down restaurants. The wait-staff really knows the menu well, and I am told they all must have previous waiting experience before they can be hired there. They are really calm and collected during the busy hours, and they don't check on you 20,000,000 times. And when they do check on you, it's not annoying. If you need something it's pretty easy to get ahold of your waiter/waitress, and they will always come to help you. You never feel neglected there though, they will reasure you that your food is on the way if it takes a long time to make. They work really well as a team, especially during rush hour. If one person gets a little too much to handle, another will jump in and help out. The manager has no hesitation about jumping in to help out too! You can really tell that the staff gets along with each other, and you can tell that they are human as well. They aren't these generic servers that you get at other places. The waiter that I had let his silly side slip out while singing to the music that was playing. They are all calm, comfortable, and relaxed as far as I could tell. They'll be sure to keep your glass full, whether you had tea, water, soda, or anything else. They dress nicely and seem comfortable with their uniforms. They all seem to like their jobs and really enjoy working with each other. I got to witness my particular waiter handle a cranky customer with fantastic patience. Besides the wait staff being skilled, you can also see their individual personalities which makes it a more friendly atmosphere.

Willy O's

4301 W. William Cannon Dr., Building G, Unit 400

(512)892-8962  OR  (512)892-8963

Hours: M-T 6am-9pm, F 6am-10pm, Sat 7am-10pm, Sun 7am-9pm

The Menu:

Willy O's offers breakfast and lunch/dinner items. Their most popular breakfast item is the Egg Platter, which comes with everything to satisfy your hunger! It has two eggs, hash browns, bacon/sausage, and biscuits & gravy/toast/tortilla. They have breakfast tacos, pancakes, and breakfast biscuits as well.

For your lunch/ dinner needs, they have all kinds of delicious burgers made with 100% angus beef baby! (A+ for that!) The two most notable burgers are: The Mushroom Burger (comes with salad dressing, lettuce, tomato, onion, sauteed mushrooms, and Swiss cheese) and the California Burger (comes with guacamole, lettuce, tomato, and onions).

There are some prime choices if you don't want anything too heavy: Chicken Sandwich, Chicken Strips, and a Chicken or Fajita Wrap.

Want some fries with that? They have fresh sliced fries, or ribbon fries seasoned with the seasoning you pick! (BBQ, Sea Salt and Vinegar, Cracked Pepper, or Jalapeno). Or have some other fried sides: Fried Okra or Fried Pickle Chips.

As far as drinks go, you can help yourself to fountain drinks and tea, or order some coffee, OJ, or (chocolate) milk.

Average Food: $4.30

The Taste:

Everything is made fresh per order with nothing sitting in warmers in the back! 100% angus beef adds better flavor to the burgers. I happened to fall in love with the bean & cheese breakfast taco! Mmmmhmmm! They also have a unique mixture of condiments /ingredients that works suprisingly well together on their burgers and wraps. Willy O's has the speed of a fast food restaraunt, but the flavor is 200% better. Why go to a fast food place? This place rocks!

The Atmosphere:

It is on the line between a sit-down restaraunt and a fast food restaraunt. The lobby is relaxing making good use of warm and cool tones that harmonize with each other. It can get loud during lunch and dinner hours though. The unique ceiling design is eye catching. The paint designs on the wall are notably appealing. Up at the counter they have some neat-o hanging lights. There is a lively feeling coming from behind the counter. While I was there, I spotted some business men, a family, an elderly couple, and more. With such a a diverse crowd, so you are sure to feel welcome.

The Employees:

You don't get to interact with the employees as much as you would at a sit down restaraunt. The cooks are working hard in the back, and the cashier takes your order at the counter. The manager is always willing to answer your questions. They give you fast service! Plus, they smile! It's always nice when you smile at someone to get a smile back.

Scooters Coffeehouse

Scooters @ William Cannon Dr. & Mopac (Mopac= Loop 1 for you out-of-towners)

The Menu:

They offer regular brewed coffee to fulfill your morning cup-of-joe needs. Sometimes they even brew organic coffee(Colombian Supremo Organic or Guatemala Huehuetenango Organic). When organic isn't one of the "coffees of the day", rest assured, because they are all fair-trade coffee beans. Don't like the burn of hot coffee? An iced coffee will do the trick! If you love your coffee, try a Scooter Shooter as well; it is coffee with a shot of espresso.

They have the good-olds: you can get a vanilla, caramel, irish cream, hazelnut, pomegranate-mocha, white-mocha, caramelishious, etc. latte. A breve is the same as a latte, but made with half-and-half. Mmmmmmm! Single, double, triple, and more espresso shots. Have you ever tried an Americano? It's just espresso and water, and it ends up tasting a lot better than plain brewed coffee. They also have "espresso smoothies", which have ice cream base(you can get reduced fat ice cream base, whole or skim milk, or soy as a substitute) an any flavorings you'd like. Any latte can be made iced or blended(espresso smoothie).

They offer a variety of espresso-less drinks as well: fruit smoothies, all natural Fruit N' Ice, chi tea latte, and pixi mate latte. A large variety of hot teas is available too. They brew fresh every day a green and a black tea specially for iced tea, but any of the hot ones can be over ice too. Do you like italian sodas? italian cream sodas? They've got 'em!

They have a good variety of food options too. Breakfast tacos, paninis, deli sandwiches, breakfast biscuits, muffins, right now (October/November) they have a pumpkin bread special, pound cake slices, cliff/Luna bars, trail mix, gum, chocolate, and more. You can also buy from their bulk beans in the bins, or get the packaged whole beans on the shelf. They will grind it there for you at no charge.

Keep in mind that even if you like the espresso taste, but don't want the hype, you can get anything decaf. They also have a large selection of fruit/berry syrups, which rock in italian cream sodas, on top of the already diverse selection. Scooters also has the largest selection of sugar-free syrups that I have ever come across in a coffee shop. They offer all kinds of milk options: whole, skim, 2%, soy, and vanilla soy. Any of these can be used with a hot, iced, or blended drink. You should ask about their monthly specials too, the fall drinks are my personal favorite.

Average Drink: $2.80

Average Food: $4.00

The Taste:

The coffee is sooooooo much richer and tastier than that bitter stuff they call coffee at Starbucks. The brewed coffee as well as espresso there is quite fresh tasting, and the drinks are well calibrated. You are sure to get hooked! The "caramelicious" drink that they offer is like a caramel latte, but a little more buttery tasting which adds a smoothness to the drink. The paninis are delicious! They offer breakfast all day long, with exception of the breakfast tacos. Sandwiches are great, and the snacks,chips, etc. add to the yummy factor!

The Atmosphere:

The coffee colored tones in the shop make for a comfortable business/study place. There are plenty of plugs in the walls just so you can plug in your laptop. They also have FREE Wi-Fi!!! Woo-Hoo! There are many lounge chairs, some wooden chairs, some bar chairs with a bar height table which is great if you want to bring a group of friends, cushie bench type seating is behind the shelf when you first walk in. Each seat has a table to go along with it. The bathrooms have been clean every single time I have gone into them. The tile and carpet combination in the seating area adds interest to the place.

The Employees:

The employees are the most friendly servers I've met. They will talk with you like they've known you for 3 years. So feel comfortable to strike up a conversation! The manager/owner is sweet woman and has a natural high energy about her that radiates and livens up the whole place. She makes sure her employees all have a good knowledge about coffee. I didn't even know there was a significant difference between dark roast and medium roast before I went there. You should ask them about the differences, it's a short explanation, but might just change what type of coffee you choose to drink.