This restaurant opening proves Austin can never have too much Tex-Mex. From the team behind Vox Table comes El Burro, which debuts in South Austin on Thursday, December 8.
Chef Joe Anguiano, also behind the small-plate lineup at Vox Table, has crafted a menu of Mexican specialties and approachable Tex-Mex standards like fajitas, enchiladas, tacos, and a build-your-own-quesadilla option. Standouts include braised goat, grilled brisket, and ceviche served with a tostada.
When the weather warms up again, the wrap-around patio will be the perfect place to enjoy beer, by the bottle or bucket. You can also look forward a high-quality craft cocktail list with Mexican-inspired faves — like margaritas, micheladas, and sangria.
The restaurant is located at Lamar Union, the same mixed-use development that houses sister restaurant Vox Table, Cantine Italian Cafe & Bar, Delicious, Juice Society, and more. Owner Vincent Manguino hopes El Burro will become another Austin institution for Tex-Mex, like nearby Matt's El Rancho and Maudie's.
This is the second high-profile Mexican restaurant to open in the past month. Grizzelda's, the new concept from Jacoby's Restaurant & Mercantile, debuted on the east side at the end of November.
El Burro will open with dinner service; lunch and weekend brunch are soon to follow.
The menu is a mix of Mexican specialties and approachable Tex-Mex standards.
Photo by Nicole Raney
The menu is a mix of Mexican specialties and approachable Tex-Mex standards.
Christopher Carpenter is known for his minimal intervention approach.
Every year, the Austin Wine & Food Foundation (AWFF) chooses a featured winemaker for its Austin Wine Auction & Gala Weekend. For the 40th installation, that winemaker is Christopher Carpenter of Cardinale Winery, which is based in the Napa Valley, California. The Auction & Gala Weekend is scheduled for November 6 and 7, 2026.
AWFF is a nonprofit that fights food insecurity in Central Texas. It offers grants and scholarships, and it funds them through events and auctions throughout the year.
Carpenter is with more wineries than just Cardinale; he also works with Lokoya, La Jota Vineyard Co., Mt. Brave, and Caladan, according to a press release — all in Napa Valley. He also works with Hickinbotham in South Australia. His career has spanned two decades, and he is best-known for Cabernet Sauvignon and a philosophy of minimal intervention.
On NapaValleyWine.com, he put it succinctly: "Mother Nature does not conform to schedules or expectations."
"We are deeply honored to welcome Chris Carpenter as the featured winemaker for our 40th annual Austin Wine Auction & Gala Weekend," said AWFF executive director Sarah Weeks in the release. "He is one of the most respected figures in the industry today, and we look forward to giving our members and the Austin community the opportunity to experience his exceptional wines and hear more about his story and philosophy.”
Carpenter will show off some of his "most coveted offerings" at a luncheon at the JW Marriott Austin on November 6. The auction will follow the next day, November 7. It'll be hosted by wine auctioneer Charles Antin, who is the global head of wine auctions at Zachys. Then a gala wraps the event up with dinner and wine pairings from Austin pros.
Austinites who want a feel for the types of organizations AWFF supports should look to the following beneficiaries for 2026:
Green Corn Project helps Central Texans grow organic food gardens at home, as well as in schools and community centers. AWFF's support goes toward the spring dig-in program, which is for people who have limited access to healthy food.
Good Work Austin supports hospitality workers and locally owned businesses through community partnerships. AWFF supports the Community Kitchen program, which pays local restaurant workers to cook for people facing food insecurity. It delivers three meals a day to local shelters.
Sustainable Food Center, which Austinites may recognize from the farmers markets it hosts, also provides nutrition education and bolsters access to fresh produce. AWFF’s funding "helps double the benefits for those who use programs like SNAP and WIC to access nutritious foods," the release says.
Caritas of Austin provides housing to unhoused Austinites, and has been around for more than 60 years. AWFF funds help stock the Community Kitchen and its pantries.
Keep Austin Fed "rescues" unused food from restaurants, retailers, farms, and caterers. It then sends it to locals experiencing food insecurity. It helps the planet as well as the people who eat the food.
Sunday Lunchbox sends shelf-stable and easy-to-prepare meals to underserved Austinites. It has a program that utilizes crops that a farm has too many of, and gets them into people's hands before they spoil.
Registration for the 40th annual Austin Wine Auction & Gala Weekend starts April 15, 2026. Members will be able to purchase tickets early. Last year's Wine Auction tickets went for$375
