Welcome to the first installment in our “24 Hours In” series. As BBN’s network spans 71 cities in 30 countries, we realized that along with our wealth of B2B marketing knowledge, there’s so much local intel out there about the best places to eat, drink, and visit, in so many far-flung destinations. Which is why we’ve invited colleagues across the BBN network to share their top tips about their cities they call home—and Luxid Strategy Director Nikos Lemanis was happy to oblige.
Read on to find out why he loves Austin, and check out some of our other brilliant “24 Hours In” blog posts.
I grew up in Southampton, studied in Plymouth, spent a decade in London, and then, in 2022, made a much bigger move—to Austin, Texas. I came because of work, as we expand Luxid’s presence in the US, but Austin quickly felt like home. Strangely, I then discovered there’s a familial connection to Stephen F. Austin, AKA the Father of Texas. Maybe it was meant to be…
Breakfast: Start your day the Austin way, with a breakfast taco—arguably the Texan version of a full English, minus the toast, of course. One of Austin’s best taco shops is Veracruz All Natural—they’ve got a location at The Line, a hotel in downtown, which also has great coffee and is perfect for a relaxing start to the day.
Morning: Walk it off by heading north on Congress Avenue—a great way to explore Austin’s historic downtown as you make your way to the Capitol Building. Once you’re there, you can take a free guided tour—well worth the time.
Midday: My favorite lunch place in Austin is the laid-back Eldorado Cafe on W Anderson Lane. It serves amazing Mexican-inspired dishes (I’ve not been brave enough to try the Shepherd’s Pie Bowl myself, but if Tex-Mex-British comfort food appeals…). For lunch on the go, head to Ceviche7 on W 30th. It is, in my opinion, Austin’s best-kept secret—a food stall which sells fresh, zingy Peruvian dishes.
Afternoon: Cross the Colorado River and take a wander around South Austin. There are plenty of interesting stores on South Congress, aka SoCo, from antiques and locally made arts and crafts to cowboy boots. Suppose your budget and luggage allowance permit, a pair of Tecovas will make the souvenir of a lifetime. And if not, there’s always some bat-themed ‘Keep Austin Weird’ merch.
Zilker Park is also a must, truly deserving of its reputation as Austin’s favorite recreation space.
Late afternoon: We have one of the best selections of independent breweries in the country. Austin Beerworks is great for afternoon brews, or if cocktails are more your thing, The Garage on Colorado St is an original and surprising venue.
Dinner: It’s tragic to have only one dinner option in Austin, forcing you to choose between some great restaurants. At Lonesome Dove on W 6th, you’ll find legendary steaks. The Driskill Hotel, meanwhile, is old-time Austin at its best (if you have to skip the grill, at least drop into the bar and ask for the truffled popcorn.) If you need to impress a client, it’s got to be the Peacock Mediterranean Grill on W 2nd—unless they’re more of a night on Dirty 6th Street, of course.
It’s sad to leave Austin without eating BBQ or trying a selection of kolaches (yes, they’re Czech in origin, but are considered a local specialty). If you must, at least pick up a vacuum-packed brisket from Salt Lick at the airport before you leave.
If you want to learn more about Luxid’s journey with BBN, check out this episode of Trail-makers, a series of special episodes celebrating the incredible agencies that have shaped BBN’s rich history. These episodes honour those relationships and reflect on how they’ve evolved over the years and benefited from being part of BBN, as we build towards BBN’s 40th anniversary celebration in 2027.
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