Central Market

It’s a grocery store, but it’s unlike any grocery store I’ve ever known. The displays of fresh produce rival European markets. They have quarterly events where they transform the entire store into a country for several weeks and then import foods and beverages from that part of the world and create an immersive cultural and culinary experience. They have “tasting strolls” which are pretty much glorified samples, but the most beloved part is that every Thursday-Sunday they have free live music on their patio.

We call it the living room of Austin, so homey, so wonderful, if I ever leave Austin it’s the place I will miss the most.

(They are in Dallas, Ft.Worth, San Antonio and Houston but this location on N. Lamar is unmatched.)