Elaine’s at Eastside Cafe

5 stars for Overall Experience. Piggy-​backing (pun intended) on Eastside Café has its perks, particularly a certain elegance that is usually off-​limits when dining for one. Choice of seating includes diner style booths inside, a garden patio, or the garden itself, where there are picnic tables with enough seating for you and yours. I sat outdoors and appreciated that the patio felt both open and closed, contained but not covered, (except for trees!) which provided great lighting for food photography! Full service is available but I ordered at the counter and it was out before I picked my seat. Fast service! People like that, right? I usually don’t mind a wait but I was about to hit the floor, two pork tacos hit the spot perfectly. A great portion for a great price, on par with the average Eastside truck. The menu has a strong identity that sets it apart from an «everything but the kitchen sink» coffee house, which helps control for quality, but there’s still an option for any adventure you want, e. g light breakfast, full breakfast, lunch, dessert and coffee. Mine was solo brunch on Mothers Day, to celebrate getting to Austin, TX, where you can eat tacos for breakfast, every day; without a mother to guide me.

HERE ME NOW, BELIEVE ME LATER. You’ll rarely put a pork sandwich this good in your mouth. I’m not even kidding when I say I rank this sandwich as one of the best Austin has to offer.
They’re only open from 11a-​4p, so this isn’t your happy hour location (as one of the two-​star reviews below would suggest). Come here for LUNCH, with your friends. Order a pork sandwich or a couple of pork taco’s and go sit in the garden out back. There are only a few tables in the place that will seat four people. The pork has a sweet and tangy flavor and they’re not shy about loading the sandwich up. You get a little slaw and some homemade pickles to top it off. I usually order the side salad with the Feta dressing. IF you have enough room after or want to take a pie with you back to the office for your afternoon tea or coffee, I would suggest the bourbon buttermilk pie. The Key Lime Pie is also outrageously good. Try all the samples.

Delicious lattes and lentil soup. They also make the best buttermilk pies, in perfect individual mini size!

Elaine’s never disappoints with the pulled pork sandwich or tacos. The lemosa is next level… and the buttermilk pie makes a home run (and I almost always take it home because the sandwich fills me up or I want a breakfast treat). I love this place and hope it stays forever.

Wow!!! My wife and I both had the pulled pork sandwich, daughter had the lentil soup and everything was amazing!!! Great prices and just wow!!! Gourmet! All house made sauces pickles and coleslaw!!! So good!!! And the deserts! Wow

Friendly service. Amazing food. Although I’m not a native Memphian, I was raised in the BBQ capital of the world, and I know about good pulled pork. The pulled pork sandwiches at Elaine’s are exceptional. The tangy vinegar sauce compliments the amply-​portioned lean (yet still melts in your mouth) meat without drowning the flavor. The bread is soft — I’m kind of obsessed with these sandwiches. Last Saturday I ordered 5 for my coworkers and myself. They loved them too!!! Not only are the sandwiches amazing, so are the tacos. And brownies. Oh my, the brownies. I’m not even a brownie person. Never tried the pies, but given the quality of all of the other offerings I’m willing to bet they are just as amazing. EAT HERE. But don’t tell your friends. I like my little secret spot.

This place is a gem! I came by for a late lunch with my boyfriend and I loved it!
The food is all at a good price and SO DELICIOUS
The pulled pork sandwich is pretty loaded and has a sweetish taste to it.
The pulled pork taco is a HARD TACO (our favorite!)
It was really yummy like this pulled pork isn’t too sweet or salty or anything, just perfect.
We also got some dessert, the strawberry pie was heavenly. It doesn’t look like too much but we shared one between us and it was a good mix of fresh and light. There’s a slight lemony taste to the filling inside (that was on point) and the crust wasn’t too thick or hard!
I also got a frozen lemonade which was really sour but that means the lemon is really concentrated and real! You also have the option of adding raspberry purée so that was nice (:
It has limits seating inside but it wasn’t too busy and when the weather isn’t as cold, you can also sit outside. Like a picnic.
I really liked how clean it was.
I’m in love with this place, will be back!

Friendly staff. Delicious food! I came in having not been feeling good for over a week. Had Lentil soup which was lite, refreshing and hit the spot, especially with the jalapeño corn bread. Then the bbq sandwich topped with slaw was mouth watering. Definitely will be back.

Elaine’s used to be our go-​to happy hour spot, for months. Pork tacos, queso, cheap beer? AND killer pies? Amazing.
But they’ve cut their hours to 11 AM — 4 PM… guaranteeing that no working-​class human will ever see them again. So silly.
Please, at least shuffle around the current hours to times of day where you’ll see business. (e.g. Friday happy hour)

Elaine’s has a frozen lemonade goodness called Lemosa, with champagne, and pureed raspberries. And the pies are so good. There is a pie for everyone; bourbon buttermilk, ancho chile fudge, lime and strawberry cream cheese. I’m a sucker for strawberries so that was the one I had my eye on. And it delivered, it all delivered!

I love this place so much! I go here all the time to get tacos, lentil soup, and an iced mocha. Everything is reasonably priced and delicious. Cool little place, it’s never too crowded and they have a nice outdoor seating area. I haven’t tried any pie yet but I’m sure it will be tasty as well.

Oh yeah you know I love to walk over here with a pocket full of change and a head full of pork dreams. One bite and I’m cruising… two bites and I’m losing my gd mind!
Yum yum yum! Quick, cheap and just what the doctor ordered! The food doctor, perhaps!

Good chill atmosphere. They essentially serve two things; pulled pork and lentil soup. The soup is heavy on the tomatoes for my taste but the pork is great. $ 1.50 beers during happy hour is nice. The salsa is really bland but the pico de gallo makes up for it.

I just… love this place so much. What’s not to love? The happy hour is wonderful, the tacos are unique and crazy delicious, the frozen lemonade haunts my sweet sweet dreams, and the amazing/​beautiful/​genuine/​kind people who work there brighten my day! All that PLUS I get to sit on a front porch listening to an inevitably killer playlist as I wind down after work!
Elaine’s forever!

Great all around, Delish food, great service, cute 1950s house converted into a café. We loved it!

Amazing. Cute little 1950’s house turned into a little bakery/​pulled pork sandwich shop. I was eating breakfast at Eastside Café when I laid eyes on it. I decided to Unilocal it, and it had great reviews. I also LOVE pie.
My boyfriend and I were greeted by two lovely women and great music! We were heading out of Austin to head back to Houston so we decided to take a strawberry cream cheese pie and a buttermilk bourbon pie to go. I’ve never had buttermilk pie before, so I was skeptical.
I just tried both, and lets just say I’m sad I don’t live in Austin. They are the perfect sweetness and just so good! The pie crust is so yum! I like that they are personal size too. I’m happy we popped in.

Really cute laid back atmosphere. Only pork sandwich and pork tacos on the menu. No sides other than chips and salsa or queso. Original drinks like raspberry lemonade. Everything was really delicious. Food was a little spicy for my taste but I’m a terrible judge of that. My mom jokes that black pepper and pickled jalapeños are too spicy for me, which is kind of true. Overall, cool place!

This is my FAVORITE place on my street. Right next to Eastside Café and super small which doesn’t lend itself very well when it gets busy but nonetheless. They have by far the best pulled pork I’ve ever had. Sometimes I stop in just to take some home with me and add to my eggs in the morning or favorite dishes. It’s so cheap too. I can always get 2 tacos for $ 6.
The BBQ there is more of a vinegar base, same with the coleslaw. Seriously, the best. I’ve taken a few people as well and they’ve been licking there fingers by the end of the meal. Also — the best salsa I’ve ever had.

This is just what a restaurant can be when you are focused on making a quality product and giving excellent service. I could not have been more pleased with my experience here, and I’m the type of guy who loves to hate. The menu has minimal choices, but you cannot go wrong. The taco and salsa are excellent, the lentil soup is superb, the cornbread is great, the sweets are nearly their platonic ideals. The coffee is expertly prepared. The atmosphere is airy, relaxed, casual, social. Lots of natural light and a homey feel. The space is small so I think this place would not be ideal for large parties.
Highly recommended.

I don’t eat pork so I cannot really advise on that BUT they have amazing lentil soup and desserts. i always stop in after I eat at Eastside to pick up some brownies and soup for later. Always a hit!

Cute little place with very friendly staff. Limited but delicious menu. I had the lentil soup and corn bread. $ 3.95 for a bowl and it was excellent. My friend had the pulled pork sandwich. Huge and tasty. Prices here are reasonable. Great outdoor space to eat.

I come from an area known for its food, much like Austin. The pulled pork… Just stop reading this and go! Go now!

Hit this place up last weekend for Pi day and had a tasty pork sandwich and took home a couple of little personal strawberry cream cheese pies. This place is really small and only has a few tables outside to sit at in a small tree shaded area. The pork sandwich was the best thing here and would return for another pork sandwich again. Pies were decent and rich enough for two people to share and enjoy. Good prices all around and the waitress was very nice and quick.
4-​stars for the pork. 3 stars for the pies and venue size. I don’t really have a sweet tooth anymore so take that into account. You might enjoy the pies more than me. Also, there are lots of patio bars in walking distance nearby so after eating here you have some options to hang out in the area

My 400^th review goes to Elaine’s Pork and Pie because this place is all about doing something and doing it right!
This is an up and coming area with great little boutique eateries! Of course, this also lends to terrible street parking issues but, hey who couldn’t use a walk after eating some down home cooking?
This is a cute little house to restaurant renovation on the corner and has a nice wooden patio with a few bistro tables! We arrived at noon and didn’t have a hard time finding a seat inside (only a few tables inside) but, it filled up really quickly after we arrived!
You order at the counter and they will bring out your food! Be prepared for it to come out fast! I had the pulled pork sandwich ($ 5.99-what??? The prices were taking me back to 1999), the house salad with feta dressing ($ 2.95) and the frozen lemonade with strawberry ($ 1.75)!
If you like tart lemonade then I highly recommend the frozen lemonade! A nice treat to beat the Texas Heat! The pulled pork was seasoned well and I appreciate the sauce being served on the side so, it isn’t oozing out all over your hands and plate! The bun was fresh, the onion was definitely potent, dry slaw and I loved marinated cucumbers with a sprig of dill on top of the sandwich! The salad was nothing to write home about but, the feta dressing had a huge feta flavor and wasn’t overpowered by the cream consistency! The BBQ sauce was the perfect median between runny and too thick and had a nice zing to it! It really complimented the flavoring on the pork well!
I didn’t get to try any pies or desserts because I was full from my lunch entrée! I really love a place that has a specialty, does it masterfully and sticks to what they are good at!

Eastside Café makes this place appear busier than it is.
This place is a solid little spot though and when the weather is nice you can forget you are in the middle of town due to the leisurely atmosphere. The sandwiches were solid. I did not get to try the pie. I would recommend this place for a light lunch spot.

3 stars for food/​drink & indoor seating
4 stars if you get to sit outside on the patio & enjoy some wine & chocolate chip cookies.
Honestly, the food didn’t blow my socks off… but it was very simple & affordable & a great central location & a GREAT place for those rare perfect-​outdoor-​weather days.
Service: friendly & patient. no complaints :)
Ambiance: GREAT for outdoor on a nice day… wooden tables, rustic décor, tree with christmas lights (who can say no to that?)… BUT indoor was a bit small & good for a quick stop/​snack (but probably not what I’d want for date night).
Food:
$ 1.50 for each pork taco — fresh veggie toppings & good amount of pork
almost $ 1 for a chocolate chip cookie– chewy, not too sweet. not too crispy or doughy
$ 3 mini pies– tried some samples & they were good– liked the Ancho Chili Chocolate pie
Drinks: coffee, tea, beer, wine. Didn’t order anything but got to try the frozen raspberry lemonade which was good. Can’t comment on the coffee or tea.
I probably wouldn’t come back solely for the food– nothing extremely memorable. more for the ambiance on a nice day with a few friends.
Not much seating for a big group unless you come early & want to sit outside. More like a place you would take 1 – 2 friends.
FYI– owned by Eastside Café & it’s right next door. Parking is available in the front & additional parking in the back.