A very busy holiday season is upon us again. Add to that the fact that many restaurants that announced months ago they'd be opening this fall and winter, and now they're all showing up for the party at once. Here's a rundown of some things that have happened recently, with a few more openings (and very short can't-miss events) over the next two weeks. We'll organize by date, so it's easy to keep track of.
Openings
On Friday, December 13, Tiger Lilly will debut at the former home of Estelle's (400 Colorado St.), a swanky but hectic social club. Tiger Lilly is visually similar — which is a good thing, because Estelle's was nothing if not beautiful — but it's owned by new people: LV Collective, which is the owner of the building, and its VP of hospitality operations Matt Wolski, who also heads local spots like Other Racquet Social Club. A VIP introduction gets the extremely fancy party started on opening night, and then opens up to the public from 8 pm to 2 am offering drink specials, DJ sets, and a sage cleanse (yeah, seriously).
Another one to look forward to is Loro's second Austin location, this time at 11601 Domain Dr. #200 — at The Domain, as the address implies. This popular Asian smokehouse is always busy in South Austin, so it'll probably start off with quite a few long lines. Once you get in, consider trying a smoked burger, a crispy chicken sandwich, or some wonton chips. There are also two weeks of holiday-themed specials to take advantage of. More on those here.
Old Gregg Brewing Co. opened at 1900 E Howard Lane Bldg. H in Pflugerville on November 22. The jokey name is both a reference to the cross street, Old Gregg Lane, and an excuse to make jokes about the famous Mighty Boosh sketch. Even folks who don't care about either reference can enjoy this laid-back brewery, though. It offers a pleasant mix of modern aesthetics and an outdoorsy setting, with beers, cocktails, and two food trucks by chef John Bates of Interstellar BBQ; there, he'll serve up tacos and pizza.
Also new is Teddy's, a "Southwest-inspired restaurant" by the team behind Bill's Oyster. It opened November 18 at 1601 W. 38th St. Ste. 1. A release describes the cuisine as "classic Southwest and Texas dishes with a Mexican influence," which includes lots of heaping dishes of recognizable classics with a twist, like Parker House rolls with cinnamon ancho butter, or a wild mushroom quesadilla.
Day Maker Half Day Cafe opened November 20, continuing the brunch work of the Jack Allen's Kitchen team. It's located next to the two restaurants' shared sister restaurant, Salt Traders Coastal Cooking, at 1101 S. MoPac Expy. Day Maker is serious about the first meals of the day, serving up gooey egg-topped sandwiches, cinnamon rolls, hangover enchiladas, and grab-and-go coffee. A release mentions breakfast, brunch, and lunch, but as long as it's between the operating hours of 7 am and 3 pm, who's keeping track?
There's a lot to cover at Stargazer, the new concept at the previous Austin Eastciders Collaboratory, which switched over as of November 15. Suffice it to say, it has everything you could possibly need: coffee, cocktails, mocktails, beer, cider, indoor and outdoor seating, a play structure for kids, fun art, and a variety of food options. The latter includes the neighboring pizza joint Bambino. Stargazer is open at 979 Springdale Rd., Suite 130.
On November 21, the recognizable Johnny Cash-themed bar Mean Eyed Cat opened its second location, this time in Driftwood at 8750 W RR 150 Ste. 100. Everything that made the original a hit is at the new location: the Cash references, nods to the original location's past as a chainsaw repair shop, outdoor seating, and a straightforward menu highlighting whiskey and classic cocktails (and a lot of beer). The new Mean Eyed Cat will serve a new clientele, but keep the same spirit.
Right next door (8750 W RR 150), Whiskey Ridge opened November 11. As expected, whiskey is the star of the show, but house-cut steaks and seafood create allure for foodies. The new restaurant is an effort by the team behind elevated sports bars Cover 2 and Cover 3, but semi-rustic concept seems to be the most upscale yet.
Other news and notes
The famous New York bakeryMilk Bar is back at Loren Hotel for a second residency through December. Milk Bar was the first business to commit to this residency that's been running since November of 2023.
Wine lovers have until December 20 to get out to the Hill Country and take advantage of Texas Hill Country Wineries' Christmas Wine Affair Passport. The $65 pass includes tastings and discounts around the famous wine region.
Local celebrity pastry chef Amanda Rockman's is already switching things up at Rockman Coffee + Bakeshop, which opened in October. This month is the first of the Chef Residency Series, featuring chefs from Veracruz All Natural, Zee’s Wiener System, and Le Beef Burger. There's a lot on the docket, so we'll let Chef Rockman explain herself.
The widely lauded casual-yet-fine dining restaurant Birdie's is transforming into the annual Bistro Remy pop-up before its winter break, which lasts from December 22 to January 7. The "classic French bistro" will operate December 10-14 and December 17-21. More info at birdiesaustin.com.
Bar Toti, the sister restaurant to Este on the same property, is hosting a pop-up on December 17 to support relief efforts in Lebanon via World Central Kitchen. There will be five courses inspired by Lebanese and Middle Eastern cooking. All proceeds go to WCK.
