6TH STREET. To start, 1886 Café and Bakery serves great sandwiches and casual American fare, and their grilled cheese panini is second to none. But their desserts ­ rich, complex concoctions with mood-altering properties ­ cause folks to swoon. To try: chocolate mousse cake (with bittersweet chocolate-caramel mousse over a layer of moist devil's food cake) and lemon chiffon cake (with layers of blueberry compote and rosemary-scented lemon cream). Even ice cream sundaes are noteworthy: Peanut Butter Fantasia is peanut butter ice cream, caramel, and a peanut butter cookie, while Second Wind adds hot fudge, biscotti, and chocolate espresso beans to cappuccino ice cream.

WAREHOUSE DISTRICT. Painted brick walls, tiled floors, pressed-metal ceilings, and schoolhouse pendants lend a charming, casual quality to this much-loved brasserie. Gather with friends for a delicious, well-crafted meal that features house-special mussels, steak frites, duck confit, a croque monsieur, or grilled lamb T-bones. Daily specials also include options like coq au vin and a braised pork shank. Even better, three-course prix fixe menus are terrifically affordable, as is Sunday brunch. If you're up late, a satisfying selection of fare makes for a comforting, tasty repast.

BARTON SPRINGS DISTRICT. Wander among herb and flower gardens on your way to Casa de Luz's front door, and once inside, enjoy a macrobiotic vegan meal unlike any you've probably ever had. Place your order at the counter, and then pick up utensils, condiments, soup, and salad at the buffet on your way to one of several long communal tables. There's only one entree choice, so you may want to call ahead to see what's on the menu for the day. Sometimes it's Mexican or Guatemalan; sometimes it's sushi or pizza.

NORTH AUSTIN. Chez Zee was almost instantly loved when it opened in 1989, and its popularity has never waned. Part of the appeal is due to a leafy central courtyard, local art, and live piano music several nights a week. Lunch and dinner consist of casual American dishes, including salads and pastas, and there's a fantastic weekend brunch, too. Even so, many people come just for dessert. Notable choices include signature individual deep-pan apple pies served with caramel sauce, multi-layered chocolate decadence and Italian cream cakes, and a sinful Kahlua-chocolate pie. Well worth the drive from downtown Austin.

DOWNTOWN. Doña Emilia's opened in East Austin in 2001; now located downtown, the restaurant continues to thrive. Colorful decor aptly suits the festive cuisine, which borrows from both new and established South American cooking traditions. The menu features dishes like churrasco skewers, empanadas, tamales, ropa vieja, tostones (plantain chips), grilled tuna with mango mojo sauce, and coffee-crusted steaks. Flan is the most popular dessert.