Hard Rock Cafe

When the first Europeans landed in America, the natives they encountered relied on three staple crops—corn, beans and squash—along with wild berries, fruits and other plants. Fishing and hunting filled out their meals.

Here in the heart of Texas, the basic food groups are still Tex-Mex, Southern and BBQ. But as Austin has boomed, from laid-back college town to high-tech mecca, fine dining has bloomed with it.

Behind the scenes, suppliers scrambled, recipes were tweaked, servers got a crash course on alternative greens.