Formula 1 United States Grand Prix 2024 (F1) begins this week in Austin, taking over the Circuit of the Americans (CoTA) tracks for three days from Friday, October 18 through Sunday, October 20. People flock from all over the country to the raceway destination to witness top-of-the-line drivers race each other, including Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, and Lewis Hamilton. For those who don’t necessarily care about cars, the track is also hosting major musical performances by rock star Sting and rapper Eminem.
CoTA offers a ton of food vendors during the car races, and this year’s lineup features a stellar group of Austin-area restaurants and food trucks. Eater is here to help guide you to the best of the best dining options, plus other general Austin suggestions.
The Best Food Vendors at F1
Fan Field Food Hall: The main food hall at F1 includes a lot of Austin all-stars. There are options from pizzeria Bambino (from the team behind Italian restaurant L’Oca d’Oro, which also just served its first major event at Austin City Limits Music Festival earlier this month twice), LeRoy & Lewis’s corn dog and cheese fry truck Mama Fried, South Asian-Mediterranean-halal spot Kababeque (chicken tikka shawarma and lamb-beef gyros, Austin Mediterranean restaurant Shawarma Point (chicken shawarma wraps and beef-lamp gyros), and Venezuelan truck Four Brothers (food bowls with pork or chicken and cheese sticks).
All Pro Smoke House: It’s unclear exactly which restaurants and chefs are participating in the race’s newer live-fire-dedicated section, but expect steak tacos, sausage wraps, and oysters.
Maui Wowi: The Hawaiian chain will serve both alcoholic and nonalcoholic smoothies.
Austin Scoops: Get ice cream and shaved ice with toppings from the local frozen sweets catering company truck.
The Rest of the Section: Hot Dogs & Pretzels, Blue’s Bistro, Austin’s Pizza, CMB Kettle Corn, Dippin’ Dots, Donut NV, Red Fin, Hawk’s Hot Chicken, Fuku, Good Times Burgers
Fries from Mama Fried. Evan LeRoy
KG BBQ: Austin’s very own fantastic Eater Award-winning Egyptian Texan barbecue truck is serving at the races, presumably with its brisket rice bowl studded with candied nuts and pomegranate seeds.
Whitfield’s: Even though the Austin barbecue truck is on a temporary hiatus from full-time public food service, it’s still doing catered events, which include F1. It’ll have smoked brisket tacos, smoked beef sausage wraps, and jalapeno-cheese sausage wraps.
Tiny Pies: The Austin bakery mini-chain will be baking up very portable foods for F1: fried fruit hand pies, miniature chicken pot pies, and carnitas hand pies.
The Mighty Cone: The return of the festival stand at Austin City Limits earlier this year means its fried chicken, avocado, and shrimp tortilla cones are back for F1 too.
The Rest of the Section: Smoke Game Strong
Taqueria los Regios: The Austin Mexican truck is serving quesadillas and Tlaquepaque-style tacos (corn tortillas with barbacoa).
Smokey Joe’s BBQ: The Dallas barbecue joint will dish out brisket and pulled pork sandwiches.
The Corn Dog Company: The national food truck business’s Austin branch will deep-fry-up corn dogs.
The Rest of the Section: Kettle Corn
Casey’s New Orleans Snowballs: Austin’s beloved sno-ball stand will be serving its signature snow cones and ice cream cookie sandwiches.
Meat Your Heart: The Austin Caribbean food truck will offer its Cuban sandwiches and burgers.
Scholz Garten: It’s most likely safe to assume the historic Austin beer garden will offer beers, soft pretzels, and/or brats.
The Rest of the Section: Fuku, J’s Hibachi, Good Times Burgers
Los Teca Tacos: The Monterrey, Mexico-based truck is touring Texas right now, and it’ll stop by F1 to serve up its beef birria tacos and ramen with consomé, as well as burritos.
The Rest of the Section: Misfits BBQ, Smokey Joe’s BBQ, Santa Lucia, Kettle Corn, Maui Wowi (see above at the Grand Plaza)
I Juan Tacos: The Manor, Texas Mexican restaurant is making tacos, quesadillas, and nachos.
Tandoor by Kababeque: Austin South Asian and Mediterranean halal food truck Kababeque opened up this tandoori-focused restaurant in Cedar Park, which will be serving up chicken and paneer tikka masala at the race.
Wings N More: Austin’s chicken wing restaurant will focus on chicken tenders and fried pickles for F1.
The Rest of the Section: Jag’s BBQ, Quesodillos, Gus’s Fried Chicken, Rib House
Bananarchy: The iconic Austin sweets truck will be offering its signature frozen chocolate-dipped bananas.
El Guajillo: The Houston food truck’s menu will serve tacos and quesadillas.
Hellacious Burger: The Austin food truck will be serving up its wagyu burgers as well as fries.
Mom’s Spaghetti: IS THIS THE MOM’S SPAGHETTI RESTAURANT FROM ENINEM????? Eater Austin is finding out.
Amy’s Ice Creams: The beloved Austin ice cream chain is back at the race track again. expect scoops in staple flavors like Mexican vanilla and floats.
The Rest of the Section: Smokey Joe’s BBQ (see above at Turn 1), Certified Country (lemonade), Sophie’s Kitchen
Concert Lawn at Turns 9 and 10
Mama Noy’s: The Austin Laotian catering company will sling up egg rolls and sliders.
Nervous Charlie’s: This Austin bagel shop will offer breakfast sandwiches made using its great bagels, as well as turkey heroes.
Burro Cheese Kitchen: Expect grilled cheese sandwiches from the Austin food truck.
Konfusedesi: The Austin Indian food truck is making samosas and tikka masala.
The Rest of the Section: Taqueria los Regios (see above at Turn 1), Que Rikoo, Texas Sized Tacos, Chef V’s Greek Sreet, Wings N More (see above at Turn 6), Mr Softee
Germania Insurance Super Stage*
*accessible to people with upgraded concert tickets; this is the food setup near CoTA’s actual concert stage lawn (not to be confused with the concert lawn, accessible to anyone with F1 tickets for the day)
Takavron: The Austin Mexican truck will probably serve up tacos.
The Rest of the Section: Meat Your Heart (see above at Turn 2), Rockin’ Dogs, Amy’s Ice Cream (see above at the Ranch at Turn 6)
The Section: ATX Provisions, Misfits BBQ, Tacos Los Regios (see above at Turn 1)
Nacho Dady: San Antonio chef Jason Dady is popping up in Austin again with his nacho stand with the namesake dish.
Pizza Dady: Dady is also going to serve pizza through this stand.
Main Grandstand between Turn 20 and 1
Lono’s: The keto-friendly barbecue and Southern food truck will have burgers, brisket sandwiches, and fries.
Asian Streetness: The pan-Asian outside-of-Houston food business is serving up wonton nachos, egg rolls, and shrimp tempura fries.
The Rest of the Section: The Corn Dog Company (see above at Turn 1), Rojo’s, Austin’s Pizza, Pitstop BBQ, Cluck’s, My Healthy Stand, Mr Softee, Santa Lucia
The winners of F1 in Austin in 2022. Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images
Downtown will be bustling during F1 weekend, for entertaining outside of CoTA, hotels, and the pick-up/drop-off point for the shuttles. Here are some maps and guides to the neighborhood.
Where to Eat and Drink in Downtown AustinTerrific Lunch Options in Downtown Austin
For other such needs, from fine dining to coffee to late-night bites, the following Eater maps should be able to help out.