COVID-19 closure

Iconic Austin cafe permanently closes Tarrytown location after COVID-19 financial fallout

Magnolia Cafe breakfast diner pancakes eggs

Austin has lost an iconic restaurant to the coronavirus-slammed economy. The owners of Magnolia Cafe — a proud carrier of the “Keep Austin Weird” torch — announced April 16 that they’ve permanently closed their location on Lake Austin Boulevard.

In a Facebook post, the owners said business had been slowing at the Tarrytown restaurant for the past few years. But the “huge hit” from the city’s mandate to temporarily halt dine-in operations and “the incredible uncertainty of the future” forced Magnolia Cafe’s owners “to confront the fact that this location will not survive,” according to the post.

“To our neighbors and loyal customers of that location for so many years, thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” the owners wrote. The West Austin location opened in 1979.

Magnolia Cafe’s location on South Congress Avenue remains in business, but it’s closed for now and will reopen “when it is safe to do so,” the Facebook post says.

Both locations had offered curbside pickup after Austin Mayor Steve Adler issued a citywide stay-at-home order, which includes a ban on dine-in service at restaurants, though it ended up stopping the service.

“The more we learned about how the new coronavirus spreads, the more we have realized the best way we can support our community in these strange times is to temporarily close our doors and help the global effort to keep this virus from spreading,” according to the Magnolia Cafe website.

The eclectic menu at Magnolia Cafe features breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner options. But the restaurant is perhaps best known for its breakfast fare, including gingerbread pancakes, the T. Rex turkey and cheese omelet, Love Migas, and Eggs Zapatino (scrambled eggs on a toasted English muffin smothered in queso and served with home fries).

Other Magnolia Cafe specialties include Mag Mud queso, pasta Alfredo, and the Magnolia brownie.

Representatives of Magnolia Cafe couldn’t be reached for comment.

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Grocery news haul

Grocery service Farmhouse Delivery returns to Austin with fun surprise

Courtesy photo

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After suddenly halting its operations in May, grocery service Farmhouse Delivery is on its way back, with an extra surprise for Austin: a new storefront.

Known for offering locally prepared foods and produce from small Central Texas farms, the subscription-based service emailed its loyal customers on Monday, November 18, to share the relaunch news and outline its plans for the future.

“We’ve missed you and are beyond grateful for your patience as we’ve been hard at work planning the next chapter of Farmhouse Delivery,” the newsletter reads. “Soon, you’ll once again have fresh, local food delivered straight to your doorstep[.]”

Farmhouse Delivery is aiming for a December date to resume deliveries, they say. They've used the intervening six months to not only revamp their existing business model, but to expand their offerings.

The biggest surprise in the newsletter was a revelation of plans for a new storefront in Austin, blending a cozy farmer’s market vibe with what they call “the best parts of your favorite grocer — where you can discover fresh foods, refill on essentials, connect with other members on sustainable living, and, of course, [shop] our best local products — all in innovative, reusable packaging.”

The email did not divulge details for the location or timing of the storefront project.

The company also plans to introduce a new membership model with exclusive benefits such as sneak peeks of new products and promotions.

Underscoring its commitment to sustainability, Farmhouse also announced that it’s working toward a completely plastic-free delivery:

“Expect to see your favorite items in sustainable packaging, with rewards for returning and reusing Farmhouse materials. Together, let’s reduce waste and make sustainable choices the coolest thing to do.”

The newsletter invited customers to complete a survey to help shape the ongoing Farmhouse experience. There, customers can indicate their desired delivery day (or days) and the factors that influence that preference (meal planning, work schedule, etc.), as well as specific products they would like to see in future deliveries.

Survey participants can also designate their preferred price point for memberships and the most appealing benefits from a long list, including free deliveries, additional delivery days, free products, members-only cooking classes, exclusive content, and more.

Neither the newsletter nor the Farmhouse website announced a specific date for relaunching, but returning and new customers can keep an eye on the website and social media for further details.

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