Editor’s note: This list is not comprehensive. Have a tip? Email us at [email protected].
East Austin is seeing a wave of new activity this month, from a Circuit of the Americas theme park to a fresh lineup of restaurant debuts and a new airport lounge. Here’s a look at what’s opening, closing and changing across the area.
Now Open
Big Slick
A new steakhouse is now open in East Austin from husband-and-wife chefs Phillip Frankland Lee and Margarita Kallas-Lee. The beef is sourced from Lobel’s of New York and dry-aged in-house, according to the restaurant’s website.
Check it out
Hermanas
Austin-born and -raised Chef Silvino Sanchez opened a new restaurant in East Austin. The menu is inspired by Sanchez’s Mexican heritage and summers spent in Guadalajara, and incorporates Southeast Asian techniques. Menu items include a Panang Curry Mole.
Learn more.
Hermanas is named for Chef Silvino Sanchez’s father’s hometown, Ejido Primero de Mayo in Coahuila, Mexico. The town is known locally as Hermanas after its train station that connects the region to Mexico City. (Courtesy Jeff Fierberg)
Alteño
Alteño Austin comes from James Beard-nominated Chef Johnny Curiel and Kasie Curiel of Fonda Fina Hospitality. The Michelin Recommended restaurant concept serves up Mexican flavor inspired by the Jaliscan Highlands. Dinner plates include queso fundido duck carnitas.
Keep reading.
Alteño to serve Mexican cuisine at its third location in Austin this summer. (Courtesy Alteño Austin)
1 Hotel Austin
The hotel brings 252 guest rooms, including 60 luxury suites, as well as restaurants, a wellness spa and additional amenities, according to a news release. 1 Hotel Austin is also equipped with a special events space, offering over 10,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor areas.
Take a look.
1 Hotel Austin is located within the Waterline, a 74-story tower. (Courtesy Mikkel Vang)
Austin Sports Club
Lobos Hospitality and Boardroom Hospitality partnered to open Austin Sports Club, a new dining and entertainment hub downtown. The club will feature American cuisine, including chilled lobster rolls, ribeye and grilled branzino, as well as a lineup of signature cocktails.
Mo Bamba Cards & Collectibles
Former University of Texas at Austin basketball player and NBA player Mo Bamba opened a new card shop in West Campus. Card collectors can find football, baseball, basketball, soccer, hockey, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, One Piece and Magic: The Gathering cards.
Get the details.
Mo Bamba Cards & Collectibles will feature jerseys and memorabilia from Bamba’s basketball career, according to a news release.(Courtesy Mo Bamba Cards & Collectibles)
Ben & Lynn’s
A new chicken spot is headed to East Austin in early September, according to the brand’s Instagram. The new restaurant will serve chicken nuggets, sandwiches, fries and seasonal soft serve ice cream.
COTALAND Theme Park
The new amusement park opened in late September, bringing over 30 experiences, including racing, rollercoasters and attractions, to Circuit of The Americas. COTALAND is slated to feature mini golf, COTA Karting and a zip line.
See what’s next.
COTALAND visitors can ride attractions like the Wacky Worm, which is catered towards families and younger riders, according to the COTALAND website. (Courtesy COTALAND)Coming Soon
Athletic Outcomes
The owners announced the expansion on their website and social media in March. The functional fitness studio offers coached group classes, small-group personal training capped at six people, one-on-one training, pre- and postnatal training and physical therapy.
Dive in here.
Relocations
The Vegan Yacht
Owners Mike and Danielle Wood closed the vegan comfort-food business’s South Austin storefront after eight years and plan to relaunch in the 1967 Airstream trailer format it opened with in 2010. The menu centers on tempeh and soy curl burritos and bowls.
Closings
Marlow
Locals Mike DeBonville, Joe Schumacher and Wade McElroy closed the East 6th bar after nearly three years overlooking Waller Creek. It ran a cocktail program crediting each house drink to the bartender who created it, alongside a martini list and tiki-themed shot menu.
1972 Women’s Sports Pub
Co-founders Debra Hallum and Marlene du Plessis announced the closure of Austin’s dedicated women’s sports bar via Instagram. The pub will need to relocate due to construction for Austin’s light rail project, though a new location hasn’t been announced.
Read the full story.
Taqueria Chapala
Owner Manuel Lopez, who opened the restaurant with his brother, was not offered a lease renewal and will close the business after nearly 30 years, but said he plans to reopen elsewhere. No new location has been announced.
Valhalla
The owners announced the upcoming closure via social media, ending a run in Austin’s Red River Cultural District that started in November 2009 and hosted local live music, shows and festivals.
In the News
Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group
The Austin-based hospitality company is opening a new restaurant at Old 6th, a 200,000-square-foot real estate development along the Sixth Street Historic District. Emmer & Rye is known for its restaurant concepts like Canje, Hestia and Kalimotxo.
Southwest Airlines
The airline will open its first-ever airport lounge at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, part of a new lounge program unveiled Sept. 2. Construction is already underway, with the lounge also planned for airports in Baltimore, Honolulu and Nashville.
Check out the full story.
Dining and Cooking