March is beloved among sports fans for its March Madness tournament, which crowns a champion in college basketball. The previous month for me was one in which many new contenders joined the brackets for my own Best lists. My dining calendar introduced challengers to the thrones of Best Lasagna, Best Breakfast Dish, Best Enchiladas and Best Burger.Â
Below are the Final Four of the best dishes I ate in the Austin area in March.
Lasagna at Poeta
MATTHEW ODAM/AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Beloved Italian restaurant Vespaio closed recently after almost 30 years in business. It was a sad day for many diners, some of whom turned to the restaurant as a weekly, “Cheers”-like hang and others who darkened the door mostly for special occasions.
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Most lovers of that restaurant, after talking about how welcome it made them feel, would probably mention the same thing: the lasagna.
I recently had one at a new restaurant that reminded me of that Vespaio beast — minus the massive sausage link Vespaio placed on top of the sheeted pasta. Poeta opened in recent months inside the East Austin Hotel, replacing Second Bar + Kitchen. It is the third iteration of the Intero sister restaurant, after two brief stints at other East Austin locations.
Bouncing to a third space in just over two years is an oddity, but it also shows the determination of its owners  — one of whom, executive chef Ian Thurwachter, is a veteran of Vespaio. He did the bulk of his early culinary training there from 2007 to 2012 and again from 2016 to 2018, when he left to open Intero. I didn’t remember that until I tasted a whisper of cinnamon in the lush lasagna he serves for dinner. That cinnamon comes from scraps of the Italian cured meat speck that he grinds into his ragu, a technique he learned at the whole-animal trailblazer.
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The lasagna also features notes of warming spices like nutmeg and clove, creating a flavor profile similar to the Vespaio dish. There’s also a bit of sweetness in the aromatic béchamel, which the chef attributes to dairy from Mil-King Market and Creamery near Waco.
The result is one of the best lasagnas in Austin and a bit of a sensory trip to the good old days at a gone-too-soon Austin institution.
1108 E. Sixth St. 512-364-0380, poetarestaurant.com.
Turk-ish eggs at Spread & Co.
Turk-ish eggs at Spread & Co. in East Austin.Â
MATTHEW ODAM/AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Looks like it’s time to update our list of the Best Breakfasts in Austin, because Spread & Co. has rocketed to the top of my roster. I already knew the charming mom-and-pop cafe on Manor Road made some of the best sandwiches in town, so I wasn’t surprised when the breakfast delivered equal craft and comfort.
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I am not a huge breakfast guy. In part because I often skip it and because it’s the easiest meal to do at home. But not the way chef Austin Ewald does it at the cafe he and his wife, Rosemary, relocated from 38th Street in 2024.
A wonderful breakfast can feel so indulgent, and I don’t mean rich calories. I think it has something to do with the way it allows you to slowly ease into your day — its ability to make time stand still, vaporizing future concerns.
Done with intention, breakfast is a treat that makes you feel cared for no matter where you are. A great breakfast reminds me of being welcomed downstairs at a family bed and breakfast in Scotland or the lazy ease of an ocean view hotel in Hawaii; it’s a diner with steak and eggs and endless coffee on a farm-to-market road in the middle of Texas or a casual stroll to a Brooklyn cafe on a Tuesday when you’re on vacation and the world bustles around you.
OK, OK, OK. So what did I eat that freaked me out so good? The twangy housemade sourdough toast is good enough to star solo on a plate with a side of strawberry jam. Here it’s served with two jammy eggs, punchy, garlicky yogurt and vibrant chili crisp, all run through with the feathery tickle of dill. It’s a play on Turkish eggs and an example of how care given to simple ideas can make for transportive hospitality. The Steely Dan soundtrack doesn’t hurt, either.
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2406 Manor Road, Suite B. 512-814-2002, spreadandco.com.
Burger at Distant Relatives
The burger at Distant Relatives is only available on Wednesday for now.Â
MATTHEW ODAM/AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Austin has no shortage of amazing burgers, from expensive Wagyu creations to an array of options for less than $10. Seafood restaurants, steakhouses, neighborhood bars — it seems everyone has some skin in the burger game.
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Barbecue joints are at a distinct advantage. These folks work with quality beef every day, so getting access to product is not a problem. Distant Relatives is the latest barbecue operation to enter the fray.
The trickiness with barbecue burgers is that sometimes the patties can get a little overwhelmed by a joint’s trademark smoke. That’s not a problem for chef Damien Brockway, who pulls on flavors from the African Diaspora for smoked meats and sides.
His Michelin-recommended trailer at Meanwhile Brewing in Southeast Austin smokes fast and hot for its burger, so the cooking method is kind of a smoking-grilling hybrid. After the smoke/grill, the half-pound beast made of brisket trimmings cooks on the flat top. The result is a nice waft of smoke that doesn’t envelop your whole head and a dense patty with a firm crust that remains moist through the middle.
An unexpected twist, which first gave me pause but made total sense after eating: no cheese. The New World bakery bun is swathed with a Dijonnaise made with beef tallow that is rich and flavorful enough to make cheese seem like potential overkill. The beefy patty is topped with the crunchy tang of pickled green tomatoes and the malty sweetness of onions braised with a Helles beer from Meanwhile.Â
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Brockway says the burger, which costs $16 and is only available (for now) on Wednesdays, will also feature rotating garnishes and flavors each month. Pro tip: see if they’ll give you a side of their barbecue sauce, which adds an extra dimension of spice, sweetness and acid that takes the burger to another level.Â
3901 Promontory Drive. distantrelativesatx.com.
Enchiladas verdes at Nada Mucho Tex Mex Heaven
Chicken enchiladas verdes at Nada Mucho in Wimberley.Â
MATTHEW ODAM/AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Looks like I also need to update my 10 Best Places to Eat in Wimberley list. When I first detailed my favorites in the charming hamlet I’ve been visiting my entire life, Nada Mucho Tex Mex Heaven had yet to open. I didn’t doubt it would be good. Longtime Austin hospitality veterans Michael and Morgan Mekuly planted their flag in Wimberley about a decade ago with the town’s best pizzeria. Community Pizza & Beer Garden proved they were adept at delivering food and service you’d expect in a bigger town.
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My expectations were met recently with a fantastic plate of chicken enchiladas verdes that hit all the notes you want from that dish: a lithe tortilla that tastes fresh, a vibrant salsa verde with a touch of sweetness and chicken that tastes like it just came off the grill. I’m a sucker for sour cream, so the generous dollop suited me well, as did the smart touch of pickled onions that played nicely with the verde salsa while cutting through the cheese and cream. The accompanying rice and beans also tasted fresh, the rice light and bouncy and the beans fatty without turning into a crusty, coagulated mess.
The restaurant, located just a few hundred feet from the town square, also offers great happy hour specials to help ease you into the evening after an afternoon of swimming or shopping.
With their third successful concept — they also own smashburger bar, Let Go, which offers great views of town — Michael and Morgan are helping shape the hospitality scene in Wimberley with smarts, warmth and fun.Â
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13710 RR 12, Wimberley. 512-648-8904, nadamuchotexmexheaven.com.