Start your Engines

Former East Austin motorcycle shop turned upscale Italian eatery reveals opening date

Intero will offer a contemporary take on Italian food.

If you thought Austin’s Italian restaurant wave was finished after the multitude of openings in 2015, think again. Intero — a new concept from Crave Artisan Chocolate owner Krystal Craig and her husband, chef Ian Thurwachter (an alumnus of Vespiao and several McGuire Moorman Hospitality projects) — is set to open to the public on January 20 at 2612 E. Cesar Chavez St. in the former home of Bud’s Motorcycle Shop.

Intero, which translates to full or complete in English, is an apt name for a restaurant that will be using locally raised whole animals and root-to-leaf vegetables. The menu features a contemporary take on Italian fare, far from the red sauce American-Italian that dominates most of the category. Think Gulf fish crudo with Texas Valley grapefruit, chili padron, a beet crisp, and Brussels sprouts with a pinch of Maldon salt unexpectedly paired with house pickles, fried seeds, and tuna-flavored tonnato sauce.

Heartier palates will find a variety of proteins in the large plates, ranging from seared flounder and dry aged duck breast to pork costoletta and rabbit loin roulade. Larger family meals made up of pork osso buco or whole grilled Gulf snapper will also be on the menu, along with several housemade pastas like pumpkin tortellini and saffron paccheri.

And, of course, since Craig is involved, the shop's chocolate counter will offer truffles and barks to go along with sipping chocolates and a coffee program showcasing local roasters. A curated wine selection and cocktails will also be available, as well as plated desserts like mascarpone semifreddo.

The Intero team tells CultureMap that they prefer to keep most of the interior details mum for now, but they did reveal that the 84-seat dining room will feature tables built and hand-finished by Thurwachter using reused fencing and palettes. The space will include a private dining room, an outdoor garden waiting area, and — perhaps most importantly — plenty of parking.

McVay Bennett, a hospitality pro whose resume includes stints at Jeffrey’s and Jasper’s, will serve as GM and partner. The restaurant will be open Tuesday through Thursday from 4:30-10 pm, Friday and Saturday from 4:30 to “late,” and Sunday from 4:30-9 pm.

Reservations are being accepted now for opening week.

openings

From the Ashes

Barbecue joint with Austin's oldest pit returns after 2020 fire

Photo courtesy of KVUE

The only thing that's not new is the pit.

It may have new walls, kitchen, and staff, but an old staple of Austin is making a comeback.

House Park Bar-B-Que in Downtown Austin reopened on Monday after a devastating fire burned down the long-standing restaurant in 2020.

“This is my baby. I’m happy to be back," Owner Matt Sullivan said. “It's just been a beautiful reincarnation of what we once had.”

The restaurant has been serving Austinites barbeque since 1943, using the oldest fire pit still left in town. Sullivan said the business was owned by the Noel family in the 1950s before it was sold to his parents in the 1970s and 80s. Sullivan then bought it in 2015.

“[Sullivan's father] wanted to save a little piece of Austin, and when I had the opportunity, I wanted to save a piece of Austin myself," Sullivan said. "In a city that’s constantly changing, it was very important for me to keep this place around."

However, in December 2020, a grease fire set the building ablaze.

“We had to rebuild everything from the ground up,” Sullivan said. “We had to replace the plumbing, we had to redo the electrical. The only thing we got to keep was our magnificent [barbeque] pit.”

Sullivan said it took two years just to get permits to rebuild and it was hard not to lose hope.

“After 18 months, it has you wondering if we’re making the wrong choice," Sullivan said. "I'm watching skyscrapers get built faster than I can renovate 1,000 square feet."

However, it was support from customers that kept Sullivan’s passion burning.

“They had the flood, the fire. I mean, basically any kind of natural disaster," Tom Picazo said. "They've been able to plow right through it and keep going."

Read the full story and watch the video at KVUE.com.

openings barbecue old austin