El Naranjo
Mexican restaurant · South Lamar ·
James Beard Award winner serves refined Oaxacan cuisine
James Beard Award winner serves refined Oaxacan cuisine
"The higher-end Mexican restaurant in the South Lamar neighborhood offers up a classic margarita using cimarron silver and the Orgánica, made with Dulce Vida Silver, the only organic and kosher tequila in the world. It’s also an excellent place to enjoy a plate of modern Mexican food from Iliana de la Vega, a James Beard award winner for the Best Chef: Texas category. The interiors are incredible, loaded with a mix of contemporary and Scandinavian design elements. This place is an experience. If needed, takeout orders can be placed online." - Kayleigh Hughes
"Even though co-owner and chef Iliana de la Vega’s Mexican restaurant is located in Texas, it is through and through Oaxacan. El Naranjo has undergone various iterations over the years, beginning as an actual restaurant in Mexico before transitioning into a trailer, a restaurant on Rainey in Austin, and ultimately, a more upscale table-service restaurant in the South Lamar neighborhood. Of particular note are the Oaxacan moles — especially the mole negro paired with duck breast." - Nadia Chaudhury
"The semi-fancy Mexican restaurant in the South Lamar neighborhood delivers the best taste of interior Mexico in Austin, thanks to co-owner Iliana de la Vega, the James Beard Award-winning chef in the first-ever Texas category, and her daughter, chef Ana Torrealba. The mostly gluten-free menu prominently features fare from de la Vega’s hometown in Oaxaca, with rich moles and hearty cochinita pibil. Though located at the ground floor of an apartment complex, the inside has a welcoming atmosphere, with a wraparound bar, plentiful mezcal cocktails, and a small outdoor patio. Must-order dish: The complex, flavorful mole negro with duck breast." - Erin Russell
"The chef and co-owner of the South Lamar Oaxacan restaurant, Iliana de la Vega, won a James Beard Award in 2022 for good reason: Her food is outstanding, from the perfect mole negro de Oaxaca with duck breast to the weekly ceviche. Find it all in a bright, modern dining room with sunflower-yellow walls. Takeout orders can be placed over the phone; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services." - Nadia Chaudhury
"El Naranjo serves traditional Oaxacan food out of a bright, modern, and sometimes loud space at the bottom of an apartment building on South Lamar. The menu constantly changes, but you can count on certain dishes to always be there, like the ceviche de la semana, queso Oaxaca fundido, and an enormous tlayuda Oaxaqueña, served with a fiery red salsa. The spot is probably most known for the expertly seared duck breast, served with a deep, rich, nutty mole negro and plated in a minimalist style." - nicolai mccrary, raphael brion
