I knew that Austin had become a food destination a couple years ago when I visited New York - one of the great food cities in the world. As part of the get-to-know-you small talk when meeting new friends, the inevitable question always came up: "So where are you visiting from?"

When I told them I was from Austin, almost without fail, they would respond with a version of "I've heard amazing things about Austin. I have been DYING to check out the restaurant scene there." Keep in mind, these are people living in New York, where every type of cuisine imaginable is available a subway ride away.

It was then that I knew we had something special going on here in our little (big) town.

As our city has grown there are things that aren't fun about it (traffic, for one) - but the growth has created an environment where some of the best chefs in the world want to be here and our own homegrown chefs have a platform to become nationally or world renowned.

As a person who loves food, I feel completely spoiled by restaurant options we have in Austin. As a designer, it's a dream come true.

I'm completely inspired by the design risks that restaurants take and love to pull elements of what I see in restaurants into my own work. Here's a round-up of a few of the most beautiful restaurants in Austin.