Tarrytown - Austin, TX Area Guide

As an old neighborhood in central Austin, the Tarrytown area features sites on local and national historic registers in addition to historic homes occupied by individual residents. This area of Austin developed in the early twentieth century as Austin's population grew and demand for centrally located residential neighborhoods increased.

On the northern edge of Tarrytown, the Laguna Gloria Museum, a branch of The Contemporary Austin, freely welcomes art and nature lovers to its grounds and galleries. The nearby Mayfield Park and Nature Preserve offers residents and visitors 22 acres of ashe junipers and live oak woodlands to explore. The Mayfield Nature Preserve continuously attracts enthused children and local photographers to see the peacocks who walk freely among the trees, flowers and trails of the preserve. The park grounds include a historic cottage purchased by prominent Austin resident Allison Mayfield in 1909.

Many popular eateries and restaurant districts such as West Sixth Street exist just beyond the borders of Tarrytown; however, because of its primarily residential character, Tarrytown itself does not have many restaurants within the neighborhood. Read on for a few important exceptions to this general rule.

For a simple, fresh sandwich, deli salads or delicious sweets, head to Food Food on Exposition Boulevard. Tucked away in the Casis Village shopping center, this tiny establishment offers busy Austinites peace of mind when planning a party. In addition to daily and weekly specials, almost anything from Food Food can be ordered ahead in larger quantities for catering an event or for serving a special meal at home.

Fabi + Rosi gives locals a more elegant dining experience in the Tarrytown area. Housed in a Craftsman Bungalow built in 1903, this warm and inviting restaurant features updated European cuisine made with locally sourced and organic ingredients. Favorites include Duck Breast with Savory Bread Pudding and Schnitzel with Red Wattle Pork. And for those looking for European fare on a budget, visit Fabi + Rossi during happy hour, 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, for $5 starters and $2 discounts on wine and beer.

And finally, for some casual dining right on the lake, head down to Lake Austin Boulevard to check out the popular Tex-Mex spot Hula Hut and its next-door-neighbor, brunch favorite Abel's on the Lake. Open 24 hours daily, long-running Magnolia Cafe, also located on Lake Austin Boulevard, satisfies locals hungry for sandwiches or breakfast classics any time, day or night.

Because of its primarily residential character, Tarrytown does not play host to a nightlife scene, but locals can easily make their way to the many bars and clubs on West Sixth Street, Red River, or Rainey Street in less than ten or fifteen minutes by car.

Most residents of Tarrytown drive to work on the nearby MoPac Expressway or a few miles over to Interstate 35, but the neighborhood also has two bus routes, the 18 (Enfield/MLK Station) and 21-22 (Exposition/Chicon) serving the area. Drivers easily find parking in the area because cars can be parked on the many residential streets. Bikers and walkers find the area a pleasure because of its safe, quiet streets and many bike lanes, although some areas of the neighborhood can be quite hilly.

While taxis probably won't be found driving around this residential neighborhood, residents and visitors can easily call a cab company or a rideshare company like Uber or Lyft for a pick-up or drop off in Tarrytown.

At a glance, other Austin neighborhoods may offer more shopping and nightlife options than Tarrytown, but this area trumps most others in opportunities for outdoor recreation. Many residents happily use the neighborhood's proximity to Lake Austin for boating and water sports, while land lovers enjoy exploring the many parks and trails in the neighborhood. And golfers will feel right at home in Tarrytown; the Lions Municipal Golf Course resides on the south side of the neighborhood.

In the heart of Tarrytown you will find the mature trees and lush landscaping that characterizes the six acres of Reed Park. A popular destination for Tarrytown residents with children, Reed Park offers free admission and features one playground, a barbecue pit, picnic tables, a multipurpose field and a swimming pool. Families can often be found enjoying a picnic at Reed Park because of the various amenities available, and children love the swings and playground area. Like all public pools in Austin, the swimming pool at Tarrytown often sees more visitors than any other area of the park during the hot summer months. While Tarrytown parks host no special annual events, locals can enjoy the many art, music and street festivals that are held in nearby downtown Austin throughout the year.

While no exercise-centric parks exist in the area, runners and walkers delight in the well-kept sidewalks throughout the Tarrytown neighborhood. Tarrytown also attracts serious bikers searching for a hilly neighborhood in Austin to test their stamina.

It's not surprising that the cost of living in this neighborhood tops Austin averages by more than twenty percentage points. The average rental rate for a one-bedroom residence is $1,397. A craft beer near this neighborhood will set you back $5-$6, but you'll pay right around the national average for a tank of gas.

While for major shopping trips and high-end boutiques many residents will want to take the short trek to the fashion district downtown, two small shopping centers directly serve the area: the Tarrytown Shopping Center and Casis Village. Locals running errands might stop by the Starbucks at Casis Village before dropping off some clothes at Westbank Dry Cleaning, for instance.

The Tarrytown Shopping Center made national news a few years ago when Houston resident and animal rights activist Jeanne Daniels inherited the property. As part of her animal rights advocacy, Daniels decided to bar businesses in the shopping center from selling animal by-products. Some locals were upset by this move since it forced local hamburger joint Holiday House out of the area. On the other hand, the animal-friendly shopping center has attracted a new storefront for Austin Pets Alive, a no-kill advocacy and animal adoption non-profit active in Austin. For grocery shopping, residents make the easy commute to the Whole Foods Market downtown or to an H.E.B. grocery location on the north side of Austin.