Here’s some of what’s happening in Austin’s culinary scene – as wrangled from numerous PR releases, words on the digital street, and even the occasional (verified) IRL eavesdroppings.
New diner-style food truck Lynny’S debuts at MASS Gallery
Yes, citizen, it’s your “Food News Buffet” for the first week of September.
The annual Austin Restaurant Weeks begin on Fri., Sept. 1, wherein you can help the Central Texas Food Bank fight hunger by dining out at some of the best venues in town…
And do we need to remind you, in this column of all places, that The Austin Chronicle’s 33rd annual Hot Sauce Festival is coming up on Sun., Sept. 10, at the Far Out Lounge? Well, hey – we just did!
Texas French Bread’s Murph Willcott tells us that the beloved bakery, destroyed in a fire in 2022, is now open seven days a week for lunch and dinner in their Secret Garden, and that plans are underway to bring the bastion of bready excellence back to full life as a tasty community hub. “The good news,” said Willcott, “is that we’re making progress and getting closer to our goal of resurrecting 2900 Rio Grande. Late last spring we signed up to work with a group of developers and architects who pushed through the Seaholm project Downtown … and we recently finalized a design package in support of a permit application to rebuild our building more or less exactly as it was.” (Mind you, this is a city of Austin permit that’s required; so let’s cheer TFB on and cross all our dough-loving digits, but not hold our breath.) More power to you, Murph & company…
When you come to the fork in the road, you know you’re at Hyde Park Bar & Grill – the one on Duval, not the one on West Gate. In fact, soon there won’t be a Westgate Hyde Park Bar & Grill (4521 West Gate): That second location, open since 2006, is shuttering for good – the last day is Sun., Sept. 3 – so head over and enjoy the down-home vittles there while you still can. But, rest assured, the original Hyde Park location (4206 Duval St.) continues happily into the future, fork raised high, famous French fries and more ready to sate your growliest hunger. (Pro tip: Try that Angus beef Horseshoe entrée, bro, and you’ll see what we mean by sated!)…
Love the kitties, love the hounds; eat the seabugs on these grounds: Lenoir (1807 S. First) is hosting a Backyard Beach-Steak Dinner on Sun., Sept. 3 (with seatings at 6 and 8pm), to benefit Austin Pets Alive! Do right by animals needing rescue and indulge yourself with an all-you-can-eat seafood feast (including a raw and ceviche bar) in the restaurant’s popular wine garden, shaded by a 300-year-old live oak tree, all cooled by a plethora of misting fans…
MASS Gallery (705 Gunter), that Eastside epicenter of visual arts and maker-scene socializing, now has a dedicated food truck. It’s Lynny’s – a diner-inspired joint, family-owned and operated by Lynn Metcalf and Erin Gentry, ready to serve you with a full coffee bar and quick, classic breakfast and lunch. Featuring southern biscuits with all the fixin’s and signature items like espresso soda, Lucky Charms pancakes, grilled cheese, house-made chipotles adobados, and more. Stop by for a faceful of flavor and sustenance (Wed.-Fri., 7am-1pm; Sat.-Sun., 8am-1pm) and peep their Instagram for updates…
Chef Mashama Bailey presents Austin Family Kitchen dinners at the Diner Bar
What’s culinary and worth writing home about, even if you’re local and home is here? The Diner Bar’s James Beard Award-winning chef Mashama Bailey is joining with three guest chefs for an Austin Family Kitchen series (Sept. 7-9) in the welcoming restaurant within the Thompson Hotel (506 San Jacinto), featuring delectable four-course feasts in collaboration with Tracy Malechek (Birdie’s) on Thu., Sept. 7; Sarah Heard (Foreign & Domestic) on Fri., Sept. 8; and Alex Manley (Swedish Hill) on Sat., Sept. 9…
Moonshine, that Southern-inflected eatery with the impressive single-barrel bourbon program and vittles to splurge on – founded in 2003 by Chuck Smith and Larry Perdido – celebrates 20 years of excellence by offering a variety of throwback specials from their original menu: beer-battered asparagus with buttermilk ranch, a flat-iron steak with blue cheese butter and port sauce, the legendary Ruby Slipper cocktail, and red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. You can go forward into the Moonshine past Sept. 8-30…
Let’s see – what else, what else… chef Jam Sanitchat of Thai Fresh fame has brought back her popular in-person cooking classes, dishing up the knowledge at Confituras on South Lamar, and there are still a few spots available… the culinary brilliance of Oseyo (we mean you, chefs Mike Diaz and Laura Sawicki) has launched a program of takeout meals called Lunch Boxes (available Wed.-Sat., 11am-2:30pm) that include a build-your-own bibimbap, japchae, and a Korean bento box… Lick Honest Ice Creams has released new seasonal flavors, and we are totally over the harvest moon about their blackberry lime basil, the chocolate peanut-butter brownie, the near-savory fig and fromage, and that alcohol-spiked Back Porch Iced Tea… after a five-year hiatus, Central Market is bringing back its Passport series of events, starting with Passaporte Portugal (Sept. 13-26), showcasing the most authentic Portuguese flavors, from the seafood-based cuisine of the coast to the hearty dishes of the mountainous region… Foxtrot, that eminently Instagrammable take on the modern convenience store, has opened a new location (2270 Guadalupe) on the Drag… the Chronicle’s own Eric Puga and his Beergardigans bring us a new roundup of kid-friendly beer gardens… Rod Machen reports that new Asian restaurant Zoé Tong is set to open on the Zilker strip this fall… our Food Editor Melanie Haupt tells us how you can “Eat for Free at Korea House”… and Ty Harvey’s oddly compelling and food-enhanced “Tomb Statuette and the Forgotten Person You Were Meant to Be” on Wed., Sept. 6, might still have a few late-night tickets available…
WUXTRY! You wanted another brunch option in this burg, right, citizen? How about a weekend wake-up meal at L’Oca d’Oro in Mueller, where Fiore Tedesco’s crew of talented chefs will present a variety of sweet and savory dishes for your delectation? Yes: every Sunday (11am-2pm), beginning on Sept. 3…
Now eat as well as you can, tip like it’s going out of style, and surprise someone with a kindness.