News you can eat

South Austin gets funky new bar and restaurant, plus more food news

The Git-Out is the latest edition to South Austin's bar scene.

Courtesy photo

Editor's note: We get it. It can be difficult to keep up with the what’s what and who’s who of Austin food. We have you covered with our regular roundup of the freshest Austin restaurant news.

A funky new South Austin bar has opened at 4930 S. Congress Ave., C-307. The Git-Out, from El Mercado vet Nate Kinney, serves craft cocktails and approachable fare like empanadas, wings, fried polenta sticks, burgers, and fish fries. After a soft opening on July 10, the concept is now open seven days a week from 4 pm to midnight, with extended hours until 1 am on Saturdays.

A new coffee trailer opened mid-July at 3307 Oak Springs Dr. in the same complex as real estate company Open House Austin. LeverCraft serves waffles and various coffee drinks made on vintage equipment, such as espresso lemonade and nitro cold brew with whipped milk. The tiny shop joins new-school taco trailer Trill Taqueria in the developing East Austin community space.

CultureMap Tastemaker 2019 award-winner Caer Ferguson and nominee Sharon Yeung have launched a Kickstarter campaign to take their Daijoubu cocktail concept on the road. The pop-up bar, which has taken over the Roosevelt Room and Nickel City this year, uses Asian culinary techniques as a way to highlight representation in the food and beverage industry.

Ben’s Friends, a national food and beverage industry support group for professionals dealing with substance abuse and addiction, has launched in Austin. The first weekly group meeting will kick off at 11 am on August 5 at Comedor at 501 Colorado St.

South Congress Hotel is bringing back its annual Ice Cream Showdown from 3-6:30 pm on July 27. Reigning champion Natalie Gazaui (formerly of Eberly) will battle Katie Fisher (Pitchfork Pretty), Maribel Rivero (Yuyo), Augusta Passow (Barley Swine), Krystal Craig (Intero), and Lindsay Flagg (South Congress hotel) for the people’s vote. Tickets for scoops are $3.

Summer’s most masochistic dining event is returning July 24-28. Barbecue trailer LeRoy and Lewis is rolling out Heat Week, its annual celebration of spicy foods featuring incendiary dishes like hot chicken, deviled Sichuan Scotch eggs, and an atomic hot dog with five-alarm chili and a habanero/panella link. Guests who finish all of the specials will be rewarded with a $75 gift card and swag. Special cooling desserts will be available to help get them through the ordeal.

Traveling booze event The WhiskyX is making a stop at East Austin’s Fair Market on September 13. The shindig offers tastings from some of the world’s most acclaimed spirit makers, as well as bites from Emojis Griller Cheese Bar, SXSE Food Company, Cajun Skillet, Tamale Addiction, and My Granny’s Kitchen. Tickers are $75-$125 and available here.

cocktails news-you-can-eat barbecue food-trucks drinks event-planner openings

Back to the Plow

Homey Austin jam and bake shop closing and returning to farmers market

Confituras/Instagram

Confituras Little Kitchen is closing its brick-and-mortar store, but feeling optimistic about the future.

A famers market find is returning to its natural environment after six years in a brick-and-mortar location. Confituras Little Kitchen, which specializes in locally sourced preserves, is closing its jam and biscuit shop after service on Sunday, December 22. However, it will continue selling goods at the Barton Creek Farmers Market and via retailers.

Confituras announced the change in a newsletter to its customers in December. The letter called the news "bittersweet."

"Although the brick and mortar will no longer be, the good news is that this will be a fresh new start for us – we are bursting with energy and creativity at the thought of being back out in the community where it all started for confituras," it said.

The kitchen is closing because the lease is up, and the team has decided to "give up the chase." The newsletter emphasized the ups-and-downs of business over the past several years — ones that were chaotic for just about any business, let alone a small, fairly niche food operation.

"So much has happened since we decided to open a brick + mortar – a wonderful kickstarter fundraiser, THE PANDEMIC, the AFTER-EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC, and an ever growing city," the letter says. "We tried so very hard but never really got our footing. We know we are not alone, many small business are in the same boat. We renewed our lease during the pandemic because we were hopeful we could make it work - the changing times had other ideas."

Finally, it shared how customers could keep enjoying Confituras creations:

The Barton Creek Farmers Market is open at 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy. every Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm.
A list on confituras.net compiles retailers including Royal Blue Grocery, Farmhouse Delivery, and Antonelli's Cheese Shop.
Jam share and Table22 subscription customers will have more instructions coming soon about picking up their goods in January at the same space, 2129 Goodrich Ave.
Customers may also reach out to inquire about continuing to order meals directly.

The kitchen also hosted frequent events and workshops, but the letter did not address this aspect of the business.

A shorter message shared on Instagram has inspired 63 comments so far, five days later. Customers eulogized the shop for its community feel and providing a sense of regularity during the height of the pandemic thanks to weekend pick-ups.