Spring has sprung for the Austin dining (and drinking scene). The area welcomed notable restaurants spanning genres from Americana to sushi, with good new offerings stretching from Round Rock to South Austin.
While it was a season of birth for some, the months of April and May also saw the final days of several beloved restaurants, with locals saying goodbye to longtime Tex-Mex spots and coffee houses.
We take a look at some of the most notable openings and closings of April and May below.
Openings
American
Busty’s Bar and Jukebox. This 70s-vibed dive bar serves all day breakfast, which makes sense given that its chef, James Durham, runs a biscuit pop-up (and worked at Kinda Tropical). The Americana menu also includes burgers, a turkey club and nostalgic pastry specials like pop tarts and an oatmeal creme pie. 6214 Cameron Road. bustysbarandjukebox.com.
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Bagels
David’s Doughie's. Popular farmers market bagel purveyors Devin and Ashley Broder opened a food truck at Fleet Coffee, serving New York-style bagels, schmears and sandwiches. The truck relocated to East Austin after a brief stint at a bar in South Austin. 2427 Webberville Road, davidsdoughies.com.
Cajun
Lil’ Easy. The owners of Sawyer & Co. have opened a new concept to showcase their love for New Orleans at this spot that serves oysters, po'boys, red beans and rice, and frozen co*cktails you’d expect to find in the Big Easy. 5000 E. Cesar Chavez St. 512-631-2812, lileasyatx.com.
Chinese and Southeast Asian
Hui Lau Shaun. The Hong Kong-based dessert shop that specializes in mango dishes, with the mango chewy ball being its calling card, opened next to Bamboo House in North Austin. It is the second Texas location (the first is in Houston) for the brand that has shops around the world. 7020 Easy Wind Drive, Suite 150. Instagram.com/huilaushanaustin/.
Lao’d Bar. After several years running one of Austin’s best food trucks (SXSE Food Co.), chef Bob Somsith opened this restaurant/bar serving a menu of Lao-American cuisine packed with salty, pungent and sour flavors that make it perfectly suited for beer (and co*cktail) drinking. The food blends the flavors of Somsith’s native Laos with his adopted home of Texas (the chef spent his adolescence in Dallas). 9909 FM 969, Building Four. 512-902-5048, laodbar.com.
More details:SXSE food truck owner Bob Somsith opens Lao-inspired restaurant Lao'd Bar in East Austin
P Thai’s Khao Man Gai and Noodle. Thai Kun chef Thai Changthong’s new restaurant, located in the old Vamonos space, serves khao man gai (poached chicken and chicken fat rice) inspired by the food his mother cooked during his childhood and the street food he ate in his native Bangkok's Chinatown neighborhood.
The menu at the restaurant, an outgrowth of his former Hong Supermarket food stall, alsoincludes boat noodles, a traditional Thai rice noodle dish made with a dark, deeply savory broth enriched with Thai five spice; and Thai-Chinese rice dishes like braised five spice pork shank (khao ka moo), marinated roasted chicken (khao gai yang), barbecue pork (khao moo dang), and fried pork belly. 4807 Airport Blvd. Instagram.com/pthaiatx.
More details:One of Austin's best Thai chefs is back with his khao man gai and noodle concept
Sí Baby-Q. The owners of modern Chinese restaurant Zoe Tong opened an Asian barbecue truck next to the restaurant's expansive patio, serving a menu that includes mala pulled lamb, a brisket sandwich on a pretzel bun, Indonesian long peppercorn-spiced spare ribs, and more. 1530 Barton Springs Road. Instagram.com/sibabyq.
Yellow Ranger. Chinese-American bar food is served at this new spot, located underneath the quintessential dive bar, Barfly. Menu includes suds soppers like five spice pork egg rolls, and citrus-glazed fried cauliflower speckled with scallions and sesame seeds. 5420 Airport Blvd. Instagram.com/yellowrangeratx.
Mexican and Tex-Mex
Chuy’s (Mueller). Austin’s most iconic Tex-Mex restaurant moved into the Mueller neighborhood, across the street from Mary Elizabeth Branch Park, home to the Texas Farmers Market. It's the seventh Austin-area location for the brand famous for its enchiladas, fajitas and love of Elvis. 2027 Aldrich St. 737-289-4201, chuys.com.
Details:Chuy's Tex-Mex opening in the Mueller neighborhood in Austin this spring
JewBoy Cantina. Mo Pittle, a Jewish man from Ohio who grew up in El Paso, first brought the flavors of his adopted home state to his burger concept (JewBoy Burgers), and now he’s delivering them in a more expected culinary tableau. The menu at the restaurant located in the back of Hole in the Wall features nachos, flautas, burritos and tacos (and, yes, a couple of sliders). 2513 San Antonio St. 512-300-0235, jewboycantina.com.
La Seareinita. Gabriela Bucio, the prolific entrepreneur who is the chef-operator behind Seareinas (and several other concepts) introduced a scaled-down version of her colorful seafood restaurant. La Seareinita serves a smaller menu than its big sister, featuring some of the hits from that restaurant, which specializes in mariscos, sushi rolls, tostadas and various seafood preparations.
The full bar features an expansive selection of tequilas, mezcals and frozen margaritas on tap, along with the maximalist micheladas and fruit-filled co*cktails for which Seareinas is famous. 2305 Burleson Road. Instagram.com/laseareinita/.
More details:Owner of colorful Austin Mexican restaurant Seareinas opens La Seareinita on Burleson Road
Sushi
Kane Sushi. A menu of about 20 various nigiri pieces, rolls and a few entrees, such as panko-fried pork and chicken, are offered along with a chef’s choice omakase menu at this intriguing new Cedar Park restaurant. 406 W Whitestone Blvd. Cedar Park. 512-294-2078, kanerestaurants.com.
Sushi Yume. People often ask me where to get good, affordable sushi. Saving money is not usually at the top of my list when it comes to picking a place to eat raw or cured fish, but your wallet will certainly be pleased (and so will the sushi lover in you) when you get a lunch special of eight nigiri pieces and a roll for only $28 at this new Round Rock spot. But there is nothing budget about the quality or execution here. 1201 S. I-35. Round Rock. 512-297-2299, sushiyumeatx.com.
Related:Craft Omakase is Austin's best sushi restaurant (where you can actually get a reservation)
Upscale
Prelude. The first concept from chef Matt Peters, a Bocuse d’Or-winning chef with world-class credentials that include time under Thomas Keller, may be a surprise to some. It’s a fancy co*cktail bar serving creative and precise canapes. But, as the name suggests, it is just the first act from the chef, who plans to open a fine dining restaurant on the property next year. 707 W. 10th St. 512-702-9150, prelude-austin.com.
More details:Thomas Keller protégé chef Mathew Peters opening fine dining restaurant in Austin
Closings
1417 French Bistro. The neighborhood bistro that opened in the old Sway building at 1417 South First St. in 2021 closed at the end of May to make way for development of a new building.
Details:1417 French Bistro closes on South First Street amid more South Austin development
Cuvee Coffee. The coffee roaster closed its shop at 2000 E. Sixth St. that operated out of the former U.S. Post Office space for 10 years. Ownership wrote on Instagram that it decided not to renew its lease due to increased rent. The Austin coffee maker also announced a new location at 48 East Ave. in the Rainey District.
Easy Tiger. The East Seventh Street location of the bakery and beer garden closed in late April after announcing at the beginning of the year that a closure was coming. The bakery-restaurant-bar co-founded by baker extraordinaire David Norman still operates locations on South Lamar and at The Linc off I-35.easytigerusa.com.
Family Business Beer Co. The brewery co-owned by Jensen Ackles, an actor best known for "Supernatural," closed its Dripping Springs taproom. Owners say they are looking in Austin for a new home for the drinking space.
Related:‘Supernatural’ star’s Austin-area brewery aims to be a beer destination
Foxtrot. The Chicago-based, venture-capital-fueled, boutique grocery suddenly closed dozens of locations around the country, including all four in Austin.
Details:
House Wine. Comfy home to wine sipping and acoustic-strumming, House Wine, which felt like part of “Old Austin” located near Zilker, announced it was closing in late May. A new location of the 16-year-old wine bar is slated to open at 1711 South First St. in late June.housewineaustin.com.
Madrone Coffee. The unique coffee shop located in the historic Old Rock Store closed in mid-April after three years operating in the building at 6266 US 290 W. that dates back to 1898. Property owner Annetta White, widow of Broken Spoke founder, the late James White, was looking for a new tenant at time of publication.
Details:Oak Hill's Madrone Coffee, in historic Old Rock Store building constructed in 1898, closes
Slab BBQ (Cedar Park). The barbecue restaurant known for its tasty sandwiches closed its Cedar Park location. Owners pointed to inflation, labor shortages, and rent increase as the reasons behind the closure at Cedar Park Town Center. Three Slab locations remain in operation. dopebbq.com.
Spread & Co. The excellent deli, cafe and cheese shop in Jefferson Square closed after almost five years. Rosemary Ewald started the business as a cheese board delivery company in 2016, before expanding to the daytime cafe at 1601 W. 38th St. in 2019 with husband Austin.
Rosemary says a new location for Spread & Co. is in the works and that the couple plans to “get back to the heart of the business, put the cheese and all our house-made items back into focus, and bring people together for all of life’s celebrations.”
Spread & Co. also has an outpost at Laguna Gloria, which will serve as pickup spot for catering orders during the transition. spreadandco.com.
Trudy’s. The Tex-Mex restaurant empire has been whittled down to one location after its South Star location at Little Texas Lane and Interstate 35 closed. The shutter leaves only the Trudy's North Star at Burnet Road and U.S. 183.
North Carolina-based venture capital firm Hargett Hunter Capital Management, which purchased Trudy’s out of bankruptcy in 2020, says, despite the Austin-area closures, the company is "eyeing new locations around the Austin metro area, along with expansion into the Houston and San Antonio markets."
More details:Trudy’s Tex-Mex closes one of two remaining locations, but says it is looking to expand
Try Hard Coffee. Beloved purveyor of grooves and good coffee closed at 1115 E. 11th St., though they are still selling beans and vinyl online at tryhardcoffee.com.
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