Austin, TXMediterranean

Aba draws on Israeli, Lebanese, Turkish, and Greek cooking from its perch on Music Lane off South Congress. The short-rib hummus is the signature, backed by wood-grilled skewers, spreads, and a leafy patio built for long dinners. A two-time honoree in the Austin Chronicle's Mediterranean readers' poll, it balances a see-and-be-seen room with genuinely careful cooking.

Chef Berty Richter's Ezov is a Michelin-recognized Eastern Mediterranean kitchen in East Austin built around mezze and seasonal sharing plates. Hummus, laffa fresh from the oven, and vegetable-forward dishes anchor a menu that shifts with the seasons. It is an intimate, ingredient-driven room that punches well above its size and reads as one of the city's most thoughtful Mediterranean tables.

MezzeMe is a Turkish Mediterranean spot on West Guadalupe serving charcoal-grilled kebabs, mezze, and build-your-own plates over rice or salad. The doner, hummus, and stuffed grape leaves make it an easy fast-casual lunch, and a second Austin location followed the original's success. A Chronicle Mediterranean finalist, it fills the Rosedale corner with the smell of grilled meat most afternoons.

Yamas is a Greek kitchen and bar in North Austin serving taverna standards like moussaka, souvlaki, and grilled octopus. Spreads, saganaki, and lemony roast potatoes round out a menu meant for sharing, and the bar pours ouzo and Greek wine. A finalist in the Austin Chronicle's Mediterranean category, it brings a lively, blue-and-white taverna feel to the north side.

Cafe Malta is a low-key South Austin bistro drawing on Italian, southern French, Moroccan, Greek, and Spanish cooking. The menu wanders the Mediterranean rim through pastas, tagines, and grilled fish in an unhurried, candlelit room on West William Cannon. Axios called out its quiet elegance in a 2026 feature, and it has become a neighborhood go-to for an easy date night.