The restaurant, long known for its gluten-free, peanut-free and seed-oil-free menu, temporarily closed in July. Founder Naomi Seifter said at the time that the restaurant’s identity no longer reflected the mission behind the food trailer she opened in 2013.
Now, Picnik has reopened with a new format centered on one meal per day, along with drinks including what the restaurant calls “intentional wine” and its classic bone broth.
Local Foods added a second Austin location where North Campus meets Hyde Park.
The new location builds on the concept’s downtown Austin restaurant, putting more emphasis on dinner, with seafood, Texas beef and seasonal vegetarian and vegan dishes. The chain is owned and operated in Austin by University of Texas graduates Martin Berson, Benjy Levit and Dylan Murray.
The bar is carrying on the location’s tradition of live music and a menu of bar food.
The bagel chain opened its first Austin location near Pease Park, offering bagel sandwiches ranging from $8 to $19.50, with the classic lox sandwich sitting at the top end of the menu.
The shop has quickly become one of the city’s buzziest new openings, with lines spilling outside during busy periods. Customers can also order ahead, and arriving later in the morning on a weekday can mean a shorter wait. Shug’s also has locations in Dallas, New Orleans and Fort Worth.
Dining and Cooking