By Matthew Odam

Updated Oct. 21, 2019

People often marvel at what a wonderful job I have.

“You get paid to eat!” they exclaim with a mixture of awe and jealousy.

I humbly inform them that I actually get paid to write but that the eating component of the job is certainly a nice perk. Beyond the dad jokiness (and mild defensiveness) of the response, my clarification illuminates part of a truth.

I see my job as not just writing about what I eat but contextualizing the city, its people, its growth, its beauties and its challenges through the lens of restaurants and the dining experience. While I hope these and other lists and restaurant reviews can give you some good ideas for your next date night or help you create a dining bucket list, ideally they help you understand our city a little bit better, appreciate it just a little bit more. I consider the job an honor and a serious responsibility, and, yes, quite a wonderful one at that.

The Top 50 list extends from the edges of Cedar Park to Garfield and down to Dripping Springs. It includes James Beard Award winners and family-run operations that don’t have a budget for public relations. Some of them are aspirational meals that may require some saving, and others are places where you could dine once a week without worrying about needing to take out a loan.

The list has seen some changes in its top 10, with three new entries and a return to the top by Olamaie. Almost a third of the restaurants on the list are making their first ever appearance.

All of this work is obviously just one man’s opinion. Certainly I’ve missed one of your favorites or incorrectly slotted one place over or below another. Let this guide be a conversation starter. See something you love or with which you disagree? Email me at modam@statesman.com.

The fine print: I have visited each of the restaurants on the list (and many more) at least once in the past 15 months. Restaurants had to have been open before June 1 to be considered for inclusion. The Austin American-Statesman or I pay for all the meals I eat during this process. Only table and counter-service restaurants are included in the Top 50 — though some also feature trailer locations — as I will save my updated top trailers list for a different time.

Happy eating!