News you can eat
5 things to know in Austin food right now: Acclaimed taqueria makes local debut
Editor’s note: We get it. It can be difficult to keep up with the fast pace of Austin’s restaurant and bar scene. We have you covered with our regular roundup of essential food news.
Openings and expansions
Salsa Limón, the favorite Fort Worth-born taqueria, will enter the Austin market on April 27. Owned by Oaxacan sisters, Salsa Limón offers harder-to-find taco meats like lengua (beef tongue) and tripa (beef stomach), and four salsas from completely mild to comes-with-a-warning. The new Austin location, at 3001 Guadalupe St., sits just two blocks from Hemphill Park in Central Austin, perfect for a Mexican picnic. This is the small chain’s seventh location, and its first venture outside of the metroplex.
Central Texas barbecue chain Smokey Mo’s has announced a bold franchising expansion, tripling the prominence of its 16 existing locations with 32 additions rolling out from Austin; first, Austin and San Antonio, then Houston, DFW and the Waco-Temple-Bryan area. The new locations come with a new look, led by New York branding and design firm Love & War. Renderings show rustic wood paneling and oxidized metal, for a modern no-nonsense country look. This roll-out is slated through 2025, with the first additions coming this summer and fall.
Other news and notes
As if this spring weren’t refreshing enough, Blenders and Bowls is partnering with Austin CBD storeRestart CBD for a relaxing new treat. The Springtime bowl includes an islandy flavor profile of vanilla, banana, and pineapple, with some spinach to get you going and 10 milligrams of Restart’s isolate CBD oil. That means there’s no THC (i.e. it won’t make you high), and the low dosage means you probably won’t even notice it until you wonder where all your stress went. This bowl is available at all locations into early July.
Pershing, a social club in East Austin that would be secret were it not so renowned, has introduced Chef Chris Galluccio and a new menu for members-only dining. Galluccio’s eye-popping résumé includes Michelin-starred restaurants Gramercy Tavern and Blue Hill at Stone Barns, plus Austin’s own Juniper. Some international menu additions include ribeye with Japanese sweet potato and scallion ash puree, and grill brick chicken with polenta. Non-members can stop by for 150 live music events in 2022.
To celebrate Cinco de Mayo, family-owned grain-free brand Siete Foods is teaming up with Asian-Texan barbecue fusion restaurant Loro for a twist on a Tex-Mex classic. The Collaborative Queso plate pairs Siete’s cashew queso with Loro’s brisket and wonton chips, adding spice with Thai green salsa and chili oil. This unusual pairing caters to meat eaters, while introducing a vegan option they can buy at the grocery store as a regular home routine. This special collaboration will be available at all Loro locations for dine-in and takeout on May 5.
