Popular in cities across the globe, food halls offer a wide range of cuisines all in one place. In downtown Austin, you can check out the Fareground, a dining destination that features food inspired by global fare.
Fareground also offers family-friendly events, including seasonal outdoor movie screenings and live music. Check out their calendar here.
Some dining highlights at Fareground include:
- Austin Rôtisserie offers rotisserie chicken (whole, half, and quarter bird), salads, soups, sides & bowls, baguette sandwiches, and individual and family-style meals.
- Taco Pegaso features small bites such as chips and guacamole, salsa and queso, as well as a variety tacos, burritos, quesadillas, mexican ice pops, aguas frescas in hibiscus or horchata and more.
- Shawarma Point serves up modern Mediterranean staples with healthy, quality ingredients. View the menu here.
- Ellis by Fareground has small bites and craft cocktails and is outside under a large oak tree – the perfect spot for happy hour, especially when the weather is cool.
- Four Brothers started as a food truck in 2015 with their grandmother’s recipes and a motto of “Family – Friendship – Food – Fun”. From fried cheese and salads to lots of options for arepas, Four Brothers has a rep for delicious food.
- Freshii is a healthy, fast-casual restaurant with salads, soups, wraps, bowls, juices, smoothies, and more.
- Y Comida Pop-Up is making its Austin debut from August 23 – December 31st, 2024. Led by Chef Nick Middleton, Y Comida features creative South Texas small plates.
Our Experience
The Fareground is a pretty space with small tables and a handful of cozy booths, and offers a beautifully landscaped outdoor area, too. The restaurants are all walk-up, fast-casual-style and provide you with a buzzer to indicate when your order is ready. There are bars that offer cocktails, beer, and wine, as well as coffee all day.
We scanned the menus with our kids, and thankfully everyone found things that they were excited to eat. The only downside is that everyone wanted to eat at different restaurants. While this isn’t really a problem and is part of the draw, it does mean that we had to wait in multiple lines to order and pay for each. (Note: You can also order ahead for dine-in and takeout).
After eating, we suggest running off some energy on the big hill in the courtyard. This is an ideal spot for families on good weather days. Also, check out their happenings for scheduled events at Fareground, as well as their retail shopping featuring local Austin artisan work.
What to Know Before You Go
- Fareground’s hours are from 11 am to 9 pm daily (last order 8:30 pm). You can learn more by visiting their website and Facebook page, or browse their Instagram account for drool-worthy food photos.
- Fareground is located at 111 Congress Ave. and looks like you’re entering a giant office building. Go on in and head downstairs.
- There’s a variety of indoor and outdoor tables.
- You order and pay at each restaurant individually.
- Parking: There’s a garage at 111 Congress Garage (on the east side of Brazos between Cesar Chavez & Second, across from the building proper). When you purchase food or a drink, keep your receipt to receive 90 minutes of complimentary parking Monday through Friday after 6 pm, and any time on the weekend. (Take note: Fareground isn’t far from the Austin Convention Center’s MetroRail stop, and riding the train in might add a little more adventure to this outing.)
Overall, we were pleased with a leisurely mealtime at Fareground. The abundance of delicious menu options can satisfy anyone in a group, and the laid-back atmosphere (with outdoor room to roam) is great for active kids. We’d suggest trying to avoid busy times (we can’t imagine the lines during a midday lunch rush) and do take note that parking gets pricey if you’re hanging out for a while.
