University Hills - Austin, TX Area Guide

The Windsor Park and University Hills neighborhood was developed in the 1950s on what used to be farmland and the area retains many of its original structures. Prior to the construction of the Austin Bergstrom International Airport at the very south eastern edge of the city, Windsor Park and University Hills sat directly north of the Robert Mueller Municipal Airport. The move has resulted in a reduction in loud aerial disturbances and opened up a large swath of land for urban development.

The Thinkery, a children's museum in the Mueller development, hosts an interactive learning center and the coolest playscape in Austin for children. In addition, the Windsor Park and University Hills branches of the Austin Public Library hold regular educational programming for children, teens, and adults.

Restaurants in Windsor Park and University Hills provide a wide variety of cuisines. Virtually anything including tacos, Cuban sandwiches, kebaps, BBQ, and even Thai and Greek food can be acquired in a short drive or a slightly longer walk.

Located at 51st street and Lancaster Court, Paco's Tacos is a local favorite for breakfast and brunch. More than reasonably priced, Paco's serves up classic taco joint fare with a few twists and a killer salsa selection. While all the salsas impress, the creamy jalapeno and poblano are particularly noteworthy. Word to the wise, the orange habanero may cause steam to come out of your ears. For breakfast or brunch with a kick, try the Chilaquiles plate and enjoy fried corn tortilla strips simmered in salsa verde, topped with an egg and served with rice and beans.

For some of the best priced and best tasting BBQ in town, stop in at Cafe Mueller inside the HEB grocery store at 51st Street and Berkman Drive. For around $10, you can get a plate fully loaded with brisket, sausage, ribs, or any combination of the three plus hearty sides including baked beans and potato salad. Cafe Mueller also serves a decent selection of local craft beers, wine, and variety of other entrées ranging from sandwiches and salads to Italian pasta dishes. To top it off, this cafe/grocery store also showcases live music on the outdoor patio most weekends and some weekday evenings.

When you find yourself in need of a spicy curry or a flavorful stir fry, Pad Thai can satiate that craving. Located in the Mueller shopping center, this Austin based Thai restaurant has a wide selection of noodle and rice dishes, soups, and traditional appetizers including spring rolls and dumplings. Try the creamy green curry, served with steamed rice and your choice of protein. Dine in and relax in the modern, ambient atmosphere of the restaurant, or order your food for take out and savor it curled up on the couch at home.

Aside from a wealth of dining options, two neighborhood bars serve up cold drinks and live music seven days a week.

Tucked away in a strip mall near the intersection of Cameron Road and Corona Avenue, Nomad Bar is a popular watering hole in the area. With a small but regularly rotating selection of draft beers priced from $3-5, drink prices are slightly below the Austin average. All day Monday you can avail yourself to $1 Modelos and Tecates, in addition to a regular weekday happy hour from 2-7 pm. Regular live music acts from alternative rock to hip-hop DJs, a weekly Geeks Who Drink team trivia night, and a buffet style Sunday brunch from 11 am to 2 pm round out this neighborhood favorite.

Open since 1963, the Carousel Lounge on east 52nd Street near Cameron hasn’t changed much at all. Fitting to its name, this bar is decked to the nines in circus paraphernalia, with elephant murals and blue and yellow striped walls. Featuring live music and open mics most nights of the week, this bar tends to favor country, folk, and blues acts. The epitome of a dive bar, the Carousel only takes cash and exclusively serves wine and beer, lacking any draft or craft beer selection.

With nearby restaurants, entertainment, and grocery stores, walking and biking are viable forms of transportation when traveling in and around the neighborhood. While typically wide and lacking heavy traffic, many of the residential streets lack sidewalks and bike lanes.

The primary surface streets include 51st Street, running east and west between I-35 and Highway 183,Cameron Road, cutting diagonally northeast from I-35 to Highway 290, and Berkman Drive, running north and south between Hwy 290 and 51st Street. These main roads do have well developed sidewalks and bike lanes.

Driving is the preferred means of transportation when traveling outside of the area. Bordered by main highways on three sides, the Windsor Park and University Hills neighborhoods provide access to convenient cross city commuting options in virtually every direction. With IH 35 to the west, Hwy 183 to the east and Hwy 290 to the north, residents of the area are never more than five minutes away from a main thoroughfare.

Four MetroBus bus lines comprise the majority of public transit options in the area. Beginning far east of Hwy 183, MetroBus Route 37 winds through the heart of University Hills and north Windsor Park with multiple stops on Loyola Lane and Cameron Road. The route continues southward, eventually crossing over to the west side of I-35 and ending in the heart of downtown at 9th Street and Colorado.

Route 300 begins just north of Hwy 183 at Lamar, and passes through Windsor Park with multiple stops on Berkman Road, Rogge Lane, and Springdale Road. The route continues east of IH 35 far southward, ending just south of Highway 71 in between South 1st Street and South Congress Street.

Metrobus lines 320 and 492 offer additional options for more localized travel within the city. All buses connect to other routes for transfers if you happen to be traveling to a location not directly serviced on that line.

Virtually no regular cabs can be found in the neighborhood, but Uber is thriving in Austin and south Windsor Park falls within the Car2Go home area.

Located at 51st Street and Berkman Drive, Bartholomew District Park is the largest and most popular park in the area. It has multiple playscapes, a splash pad, and a municipal pool with water slides. The park also has a well-lit basketball court, a disc golf course, and softball and baseball fields. While Bartholomew lacks hiking trails, sidewalks running through and around the park and some well shaded fields are ideal for an afternoon stroll with the dog. Use of the public park is free, and admission to the pool ranges from $1-3 depending on age.

Dottie Jordan, a much smaller public park, has similar amenities including a playscape, a pool with significantly less bells and whistles, and even a short hiking trail. Little Walnut Creek runs through Dottie Jordan, providing a scenic and tranquil atmosphere. Located deep within a residential area on Loyola Lane west of Manor Road, this park remains popular with residents despite its small size.

A testament to Austin's rapidly growing population, the overall cost of living in University Hills and Windsor Park comes in at 3 percent lower than the Austin average, but 1 percent higher the national average. Averaging $1,000, the cost per month for a one bedroom apartment runs slightly below the $1,300 per month median price for Austin as whole. Around 9% lower than the national average, gas prices in the area remain affordable. Traveling by bus one way to any part of the city on a standard local MetroBus costs $1.00 per ride. If you anticipate multiple transfers or a return trip, a $2.00 day pass is more appropriate. Though no MetroRapid of Metro Flyer routes pass through the neighborhood, if you transfer onto one of these buses during your trip, fares run slightly higher at $1.50 for a single ride and $3.00 for a day pass. Month passes range from $30.00 to $50.00, depending your use of the MetroRapid or Flyer buses.

Shopping options are various and plentiful in Windsor Park and University Hills. Capital Plaza, located between I-35 and Cameron Road, has a variety of value chain stores such as Target, Ross Dress for Less, and Dollar Tree. Walgreens, also located here, can be utilized primarily for cosmetic and pharmaceutical products, as the grocery selection is severely limited.

The Mueller Shopping Center, just south of 51st Street, provides more upscale chain retail outlets such as Old Navy, Petsmart, Best Buy, and Home Depot.

For groceries, the Mueller HEB offers a great selection of fresh produce, organic foods, and sizable selection of bulk dry goods and spices. With a deli, bakery, seafood counter and butcher shop, this store can meet all of your grocery needs.

Another less popular grocery store, located at the very north of University Hills off of Cameron Road, is Arlan’s. Arlan’s has less brand variety but extremely affordable prices and remains a convenient option for residents in the immediate area.

La Michoacana Meat Market, a small store retailing primarily Mexican food staples, provides another grocery alternative.The market also has a small taqueria inside and sells Mexican pastries.

Mainly relegated to chain stores, the area has few boutique or specialty shops. However, every Sunday from 9:00am to 2:00 pm a large farmer’s market vending everything from produce to artwork can be found at the “hangar” inside the Mueller development. Sitting right on the banks of the man made Mueller Lake, this weekly market remain an extremely popular weekend excursion year round. With unique, savory products like hot tamales, hibiscus lemonade, fresh farm eggs, and live music, the Mueller Farmer’s Market literally has something for everyone.