Best New Restaurants

Austin hot spots dominate list of best new restaurants in Texas

The Austin area is well-represented on Texas Monthly food critic Patricia Sharpe's list of the state's best new restaurants. Four restaurants making the cut, up from two in 2015.

"Since I began compiling our annual roundup, in 2002, I’ve never seen as many exceptional new restaurants," Sharpe writes. "Austin in particular was on fire."

To qualify, these places had to open between November 1, 2014, and November 30, 2015.

Leading the pack is Launderette, the east side hot spot that was also one of our favorite new restaurants of 2015. Sharpe praises the modern Mediterranean restaurant for Chef Rene Ortiz's "over-the-top flavors" and "pastry wizard" Laura Sawicki's sticky toffee pudding.

Juniper also makes the top 10, touted for the "picture-perfect" food styling, the restaurant's design, and the Northern Italian menu created by chefs Nicholas Yanes and Kyle Barker.

Next up on the list is South Lamar's Vox Table, helmed by Chef Joe Anguiano. The restaurant's "kitchen chemistry" and its stellar dishes like the smoked trout and hanger steak designate it as one of the best in the state.

Last but certainly not least is grain-focused Emmer & Rye, which opened on Rainey Street in November 2015. Sharpe writes, "the heart and mind behind the operation belong to 31-year-old Kevin Fink," whose unique, locally sourced menu does not disappoint.

Five more Austin eateries — Bullfight, Fukumoto, Italic, Mongers Market + Kitchen, and Apis — earn honorable mentions.

The rest of the top 10 consists of three Houston restaurants (Helen, SaltAir Seafood Kitchen, and Cureight); two from Dallas (Rapscallion, Ten); and one from Fort Worth (Horseshoe Hill Cafe).

Looking ahead to this year? Check out our list of the 15 most anticipated restaurant openings for 2016.

The "kitchen chemistry" at Vox Table earn the restaurant a spot on the top 10 list.

Photo by Melody Fury

The "kitchen chemistry" at Vox Table earn the restaurant a spot on the top 10 list.

news-you-can-eat awards chefs

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.