Picnik Burnet Road
Health food restaurant · Rosedale
4801 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78756
Highlights
Paleo, veggie, gluten-free cafe with bone broth, wine, beer
Paleo, veggie, gluten-free cafe with bone broth, wine, beer
"Butter coffee. Bone broth. Corn-free, peanut-free, soy-free. These are phrases that tend to make us at least a little skeptical, and at worst give us the urge to sprint towards the nearest purveyor of carbs and fat and joy. But Picnik is a restaurant that involves all of those phrases, and also plenty of joy. Picnik’s original claim to hype was that they sold Bulletproof coffee (AKA grass-fed butter coffee with MCT oil) from a trailer inside a shipping container on South Lamar. But it wasn’t until they opened their brick and mortar, off Burnet Road, that we started paying attention to their food. Why? Because it might be kind of healthy, but it’s also good. Fish tacos, fried brussels sprouts, orange chicken, and yes, even the bone broth - we would happily eat this stuff on a weekly basis. We can’t tell you why using only grass-fed butter, pink himalayan sea salt, and raw apple cider makes this food healthier, but we can tell you that it makes it taste great. And unlike that wellness retreat in remote Costa Rica you were vaguely considering booking, the vibe at Picnik won’t make you feel like you suddenly need to get in touch with your spirituality or pay $4,000 to be reminded to breath deeply. This place just feels like any other bright, friendly, laid-back Austin spot - it’s an easy choice for a casual brunch or dinner. No reason to be skeptical or sprint away from that." - Katherine Lewin
"Piknik is the first Paleo restaurant in austin. All menu items are gluten-free, corn-free, peanut-free and soy-free. Foodie destination for health nuts, carb-cutters, allergy-prone, clean-eaters of Austin and it’s frequent visitors. GIVE YOURSELF A BOOST: This is a powerful place to start your day, wake up with a cup of coffee or tea that contains the power boosting omegas and add-ons of your choice. If you’re in hurry grab a juice, smoothie, or gluten-free baked goodie, packed with protein and fiber. If you have time to spare then make your way to the couch, bar, or pick a table indoors or out. Order up something good for the soul and body with a poached egg on top or give their breakfast tacos a go. ANYTIME: From the Anytime Plates: I tried the BREAKFAST RISOTTO (pictured below). Upon first glance, the dish is lively and colorful, a nice nod to all of the ripe fresh ingredients. The flavor profile is soothing, yet rich enough to enlighten the taste buds and gently wake them up. The base of this dish is a supple savory green power rice, mixed with oven roasted tomatoes, little bits of salted crispy pork belly and tangy feta cheese all pulled together with an unexpected but perfectly seasoned nutty spinach and kale pesto. DRINKS: The first time I stopped at Piknik, I tried the Bulletproof butter-style coffee, which was sublime creamy-dreamy-mind-activating goodness. Even though I usually stick with coffee, another one of my favorite sips has become the turmeric matcha latte with a pinch of cayenne. It will kick the allergies lingering in the back of your throat outta’ here or give you the boosted wake-up you need. ENVIRONMENT: The space reflects the concept of the food: clean, lean, refreshing and natural. I’LL BE BACK! I do have to mention, they pride themselves on real food and they SHOULD, because the food truly rocks. One of the things that keeps me coming back is my quest to try every drink on the menu, they offer quite the variety and they all sound intriguing!" - XtraMileMedia
"I note that the original Picnik on Burnet Road was opened in 2016 by founder Naomi Seifter and remains open." - Nadia Chaudhury
"Picnik’s original claim to hype was that it sold Bulletproof coffee (AKA butter coffee) from its truck—back when that was still a big thing—but it wasn’t until the brick-and-mortar opened on Burnet Road that it became a household name for kind-of-healthy food. It’s keto-friendly, American, and sometimes diner-y, which means dishes like a vegan queso, breakfast tacos with cassava flour tortillas, and avocado toast. You can basically throw any dietary preference at this menu, as all the dishes here are gluten-, corn-, peanut-, and soy-free, and a lot of them are pretty good. There’s also another location on South 1st Street. " - nicolai mccrary, raphael brion
"The paleo-centric Brentwood restaurant serves gluten-free baked goods, among other dishes. There’s a second location down on South First too. Check out the original food truck on South Lamar, too. Takeout and delivery orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services." - Erin Russell
