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Tasty Tuesdays: Best French Fries in Austin

26 May 2009 3,792 views View Comments

Thank you all again for sharing your thoughts on the best burgers in Austin! Almost 60 of you relayed your strongly held beliefs by commenting, tweeting, and sharing via Facebook. I’ve always thought it would be fun to have a weekly special post but never knew what that should be. The light bulb went off today and Tasty Tuesdays is born!

Each Tuesday, I’ll gather your feedback on your favorite dishes, restaurants, and more. It only made sense to follow up our hamburger experiment with one of my favorite foods ever, FRENCH FRIES!

french friesHow much do I love french fries? In elementary and middle school, when asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was usually “French Fry Maker.” My parents would joke that they expected to find me turned into a french fry overnight some day.

Growing up, my favorite three french fry providers included my mom (we would cut fresh potatoes and fry ‘em in a french fry maker at home), McDonald’s, and Houston’s.

In Austin, I’ve enjoyed fries at Roaring Fork, Enoteca Vespaio, Chick-Fil-A, Trio, Woodland, and Opal Divines. I enjoy my fries dipped in vinegar, ketchup, or chipotle sauce, in a cone, crispy, salty, alongside steak, and with lots of napkins. I think the fries (and everything else I’ve tried) at Hyde Park are an insult to taste buds. I hear good things about the fries at Mighty Fine.

Below, a burger with lightly battered sweet potato fries from Galaxy Cafe:

galaxy friesWould love to hear your favorites too!

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  • Jodi
    We talked about top fries on KGSR this morning and the following got the most votes: Hyde Park, Mighty Fine, Enoteca Vespaio, Louies 106, P Terry's, and Opal Divine's.

    On Chowhound, the most popular pics were: Parkside, Crown & Anchor, Enoteca Vespaio, Mandola's, Hyde Park, Alamo Drafthouse, Nordstrom Cafe, Opal Divines, Mighty Fine, Central Market, Five Guys (cajun).

    In doing research I learned: Americans eat 25% of their spuds in french fry form. French fries were invented in the early 1800s in either French or Belgium.

    Other top fries: Trio at Four Seasons (truffle rosemary), Chick-Fil-A (waffle), Galaxy Cafe and Phil's (sweet potato), Casino el Camino and Shady Grove (chili cheese).

    Did we miss your favorite?
  • foodingblog (via twitter)
    Hyde Park's battered fries taste like fried chicken. Mandola's garlic fries are also quite good.
  • dugbudd
    Mighty Fine Burgers has excellent French Fries. Freshly cut & crinkled, some are crunchy, some are just plain tasty. Very good.
  • shellpas
    Truth be told, In N Out Burger is hands down the best fries on the planet! Well, we don't have one here in Austin, so P Terry's is the closes thing that I've had to that. So, in Austin, P Terry's fries are the best.
  • Jami
    Jodi - yet another thing we have in common. Our love of french fries! I'm always a little afraid I am going to swipe one off of a servers tray when they walk by with fries on their way to serve them to the next table.
  • Stephanie K.
    Chez Zee fries. They're all battered and crunchy. That's my vote. My assistant votes for Steak & Shake (she likes 'em thin)
  • Sherry S.
    Parkside. Also, though not fries, but Cissi's gaufrettes.
  • Laura
    Hi Jodi, check out this Dishola Dish Set I created called "Best Fries in Austin, TX." I hope it will give you some good ideas! http://www.dishola.com/dish_se...
  • Anonymous
    I never met a fry I didn't like, but I remember in school especially liking the fries at Posse East (although Crown and Anchor has the better burger).

    xoxo
    Ilyse
  • Kristi W.
    Best fries in Austin are at Vino Vino. Covered in garlic & herbs and served with garlic aioli. Yum!
  • Valorie L. (via Twitter)
    Cover 3 has amazing Parmesan Fries with Creamy Horseradish sauce served w/Beef Tenderloin sliders. Thin sliced fries. Yum!
  • Elaine V.
    I really like the chive fries at 219 West. I am also partial to the ditch fries at El Arroyo.
  • Jodi
    This little girl is 6 years old and she loves to cook...sweet potato fries!
  • Sara Kaye
    My vote is for Shady Grove. Their chili cheese fries make me drool. Actually, their regular fried do too.
  • Sara B.
    honesltly, mcdonalds!
    casino el camino has good chili cheese fries.
    anytime there's a sweet potato in the mix, that's good, too!
  • doogs
    My faves would probably have to be Hyde Park, Mighty Fine, and NXNW.
  • julie k h
    Manny Hattan's has surprisingly good fries.
  • Alana
    Hyde Park Bar and Grill
  • Keith
    Gonna have to say Hyde Park Bar & Grill. Although, the Crown and Anchor has some pretty darn good ones as well!
  • Lisa (Lisa is Cooking)
    I see the lure of Hyde Park fries, but I really like the simpler but well-seasoned fries at 34th Street Cafe.
  • karisa
    I've never had Enoteca's Fries, but I'll be stopping by there shortly to check them out. I am NOT a fan of Hyde Park Fries, because I consider myself a fry purist (no batter please). My very favorite fries in town are at Buenos Aires Cafe on South First. Go there if you haven't been, the food is excellent not just the fries. The fries at Bueno's Aires are traditional, not too fat (like steak fries), not too think, crispy, hot and sprinkled with big chunks of kosher salt. They are perfect and I am in heavan just thinking about them. mmmmm
  • LRB
    Could people distinguish between thin fries vs. steak fries?? I really would love to find steak fries in Austin.
  • Lauren
    Enoteca's are great and I REALLY love Cipollina's fries!
  • Claire
    Yeah, Those sweet potato fries are a-ma-zing. I'm also a BIG fan of the fries at Wing Stop. I know that's not local, but MAN they're so good. They've got a bit of sweetness to them - whatever they season them with...WORKS!
  • Lisa
    I have become a fan of P. Terry's for local burger stand fries. They are cut fresh, and you can really taste the difference.

    Mandola's has amazing garlic fries. I have to restrain myself.

    For fast food, I really love Chik-fil-a's waffle fries, but the company has some core values that don't jive with mine, so I'm "waffling" as to whether I can continue to eat there.
  • Jordan
    Sweet potato fries at Phil's. But onion rings at Hut's trump any fry, any day.
  • Greg Gordon
    The best fries are at Hyde Park Bar & Grill. That's way too easy. The best onion rings are at Hut's. When you add the atmosphere into rating both of those places it makes the food even better.
  • McKinzey
    The most important and glorious fry of all is the sweet potato fry! Galaxy's are amazing with the perfect crispy outside, creamy-sweet inside. Phil's Ice House also has a good sweet potato fry, though I've only had them once.
  • christy c
    just tried the battered fries and the sweet potato fries at the new black sheep lodge on south lamar. really, really good.

    also a big fan of parkside's fries. thin, crispy, perfectly seasoned.
  • Anonymous
    Best Fries goes to Dan's Curley Fries.
  • Mike S
    Also I just noticed your blog comment about Hyde Park. That's blasphemy regarding those fries! Seriously, if you haven't been recently, try that place again. I used to be pretty "eh" about Hyde Park but they've really come around recently. Menu has been expanded a little too.
  • Anonymous
    I love the fries at P. Terry's. Thin, hot, and fresh. yum!
  • Mike S.
    There's lots of fries already on the list that I've never tried, so that makes me excited. But my current ranking is:

    1. Hyde Park Buttermilk yum fries
    2. Opal Divine fries, but ONLY when paired with their dill dipping sauce.

    So when do we rank this town's Mac and Cheese?
  • Jennie
    Shuggie's Fries. Awesome.
  • mattbucher
    Another vote for Mighty Fine. I also enjoy the garlic fries at NXNW.
  • David Ansel
    I think it's fairly obvious that the Hyde Park buttermilk fries are the pick. Enoteca's are pretty excellent too, they also seem to do a two-stage fry.
  • Lindsay
    I concur with Brittney, Louie's 106 has THE BEST fries. A close second for me is Burger House on Spicewood and Mesa- seasoning is fantastic!
  • ocdme
    That place across the street from your office - Louie's - serves what Lindsay, Emily and I like to call "Jesus fries." Also known as "crack fries." They are both heavenly and delicious!
  • Jodi
    Thanks, Marcos. I've added this update to the hamburger post:

    Your Top Burgers (by positive mentions) were:
    Casino El Camino
    Phil's Ice House
    P Terry's
    Mighty Fine

    Other mentions included: Galaxy Cafe for the turkey burger, Jo's for a chicken sandwich, and Houston's for the veggie burger.
  • Marcos
    I vote Enoteca. Did you post the results from the hamburgers?
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