El Chile Café y Cantina

A kaleidoscope of margaritas, Mexican cooking with a gourmet edge, and plenty of thrift-store dandys and UT faculty to vibe with. Opt to sit outside on the large patio, where your philosophy won’t richochet the way it does indoors. Don’t have time for the full sit-down shebang? Try El Chilito, the restaurant’s taco-stand offshoot, just a couple blocks east. Either way, dip your chip into the record-setting roasted-jalapeno salsa. Better yet, take some home. Lots.