We're inching closer to August 20, which just happens to National Bacon Lover’s Day. So where can we indulge our deepest desires for bacon, and what plates will please the most piggish pork connoisseurs? We’ve collected the top five Austin restaurants for bacon lovers, to be enjoyed any day of the year.
24 Diner
Hog heaven is within reach at 24 Diner, where 17 items on the menu feature bacon, meaning each food category offered has a dish with bacon. You can also just get a side of bacon, of course. Here for breakfast? Choose the bacon and cheddar frittata or 24 Hash. Hitting up lunch instead? The bacon Gorgonzola and the bacon avocado burgers are top of the list. But for bacon on bacon on bacon, order the seared Beeler’s bone-in pork chop with its maple bacon glaze and bacon-braised green beans.
Bacon
Including the restaurant appropriately named Bacon on this list is a must. The menu is chock-full of creative pork combos like the bacon waffle, bacon fries, Texas lil’ smokies, and hush piggies. Almost everything, even the salads, comes finished with thick pieces of bacon. To quell your hankerings for bacon, dive into the Best BLT. It’s truly piled high with slices of perfectly cured bacon and will satiate anyone’s appetite.
Frank
At Frank, you can run the full gamut of bacon-ized items, from sausages and cocktails to dipping sauces and desserts. Indulge in your smoked meat cravings with the Notorious P.I.G., which has a bacon, smoked pork, jalapeno, and sage sausage topped with mac and cheese and barbecue sauce. Or for something sweet, Frank offers chocolate-covered bacon and the Frankencookie: a chocolate chip and bacon cookie with Amy’s coffee ice cream and candied bacon bits. They even have a cocktail with bacon-infused Tito’s vodka and a bacon garnish. If you want to go whole hog, order the Pork It! dog. A Vienna beef frank is filled with white American cheese, wrapped in bacon, then deep fried. Doesn’t get more American or bacon’d than that.
Gourdough’s
Between the three locations, Gourdough’s has 15 plates stacked with bacon and a single brunch breakfast shot garnished with bacon. If you’re breaking bacon over lunch, definitely grab the Bacon Me Crazy sandwich, which has a heap of bacon, provolone, guacamole, cilantro, and garlic mayo, or the Drunken Hunk, a bacon-wrapped meatloaf with a fried egg, candied jalapenos, and choice of barbecue sauce. If you’re satisfying a sweet tooth, the Flying Pig doughnut with bacon and maple icing is No. 1.
Noble Sandwich Co.
From sandwiches like the favorite smoked duck pastrami to the awesome Knuckle Sandwich, Noble Sandwich Co. knows its way between two slices of bread. But for bacon enthusiasts who want to join in on the feast, there are two top choices: the Noble Pig and the Swine Burger. Ham, pulled pork, and slices of bacon top the Noble Pig for those who want the pork trifecta, while the Swine Burger has a pork patty covered with bacon and bacon aioli.
This loaded BLT from Bacon comes with chicken.
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