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Matthew Odam

Critic — Austin restaurants, the city's longest-serving single desk.

Listed with the critics and writers in Austin.

Matthew Odam has been the Austin American-Statesman's restaurant critic since 2011 and is still active in 2026 under Hearst ownership. His annual Austin Food Guide and best-restaurants project is the strongest single-critic signal in the city, and Jeff reads him.

Their own reviews and picks.

Their own judgment, in their own words, by the piece it appeared in.

Austin American-Statesman ↗their review · 2025-10-27
- Barley SwineBrentwood
  “I felt like a baseball fan or color analyst scared to utter the words "perfect game." I had never experienced that at a restaurant before: the desire for a meal to not be spoiled, for the subsequent plates to match the previous ones, to reach perfection.”
- Emmer & RyeRainey Street
  “You've gotta be confident to put out a buttermilk-spuma-capped roasted cabbage dish with sunshiny sections of watermelon, and a snapper crudo contrasting the sweet earthiness of golden beets and puckering blackberry.”
- LaunderetteHolly, East Austin
  “The menu has some trusty staples that have rightfully earned permanent status, the burrata is always good and never feels played, and offers eclecticism without gimmickry, providing many avenues for exploration.”
- Nixta TaqueriaEast Austin
  “Those considered flavors speak to Rico's history in fine dining, and they also hint at the culinary magic that goes on at night inside the taqueria.”
- Odd DuckSouth Lamar
  “Odd Duck was one of Austin's first trailer-to-restaurant successes and it has helped define a soulful but playful style that makes the city's scene unique.”
- SuerteEast Sixth
  “The mole negro shrouding the crunchy duck confit flautas was the best I'd ever eaten in the United States. It was impossibly smooth, with subtle hints of chocolate and toasted seeds, no astringency, no overwhelming smoke or peppers.”
Austin American-Statesman ↗their review · 2025-05-08
- Sunflower Vietnamese CuisineMcNeil
  “The thing that has long set Sunflower apart is the list of specialty items that represent traditional Vietnamese home-style dishes.”
- Titaya's Thai CuisineNorth Loop
  “Titaya Timrerk operates one of Austin’s most popular Thai restaurants, thanks to the coconut milk-sweetened curries, reasonably priced lunch specials and dishes like the seafood-packed basil talay, in which hot chili and garlic buzz the shrimp, squid and green mussels.”
Austin American-Statesman ↗their review · 2018-06-28
- Foreign & DomesticNorth Central Austin
  “The textures, the balance, the subtlety, knowing exactly when is enough”
- Foreign & DomesticNorth Central Austin
  “labels don't really matter when the food is this good and this honest”
Austin American-Statesman ↗their review · 2017-05-26
- DEE DEE : Farm-to-Table Northeastern Thai Food
  “it's exactly the kind of cooking Austin could use more of: dishes rooted in family and tradition from a chef with a story to share”
Austin American-Statesman ↗their review · 2016-09-03
- Tâm Deli & CafeNorth Lamar
  “In addition to restorative bowls of pho and my favorite bánh mì in town, Tam Deli also served delicate and rich cream puff pastries that demanded your attention after every meal.”

Pieces they wrote about these places.

Reporting, openings and roundups. Kept for the trail, and not read as their endorsement — a writer relaying someone else's award is not recommending it.

Austin American-Statesman ↗roundup · 2026-03-10
- Sana SanaDowntown
  “The initial menu from the taqueria that opens Thursday will feature vampiro de ribeye (a crispy concave tortilla somewhere between a taco and a tostada), bistec tacos in estilo Matamoros, mollejas (sweetbreads), chicharrón tacos, queso fresco cheesecake and more.”
Austin American-Statesman ↗roundup · 2025-03-11
- Radius Butcher & GroceryEast Austin
  “In a rare move of a specialty operator taking over the space of a previous business operating in a similar capacity, Radius Butcher & Grocery opens Thursday at 1912 E. Seventh St.”
Austin American-Statesman ↗roundup · 2019-04-15
- The Grove Wine Bar & Kitchen - Westlake
  “Located in Domain Northside, the restaurant serves a New American menu with Italian touches, featuring bruschettas, small plates, entree salads, pastas, sandwiches, pizzas and entrees, and also offers guests an extensive wine list with more than 200 bottles and 50 by-the-glass selections.”

Also tagged to them.

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