Opening Alert

Here are the 3 hottest restaurant openings in Austin right now

Austin is on fire with restaurant openings. Three new eateries opened on Monday, July 17, including a modern Mexican restaurant, an all-female venture, and a new location of an old favorite.

ATX Cocinais now open in the 2nd Street District on the ground floor of the Northshore building. The concept comes from local restaurateurs Larry Foles and Guy Villavaso, who are also behind Hopdoddy Burger Bar, Red Ash Italia, and Eddie V's Prime Seafood.

Executive chef Kevin Taylor is whipping up modern Mexican cuisine like chili-roasted chicken and shrimp al carbon for dinner. Lunch and brunch service will start soon.

"We are focusing on fresh, all-natural ingredients and doing everything we can in-house, from masa to cheese to chorizo," Taylor says in a release.

For drinks, expect margaritas, craft cocktails, beer, wine, and Mexican tequila and mezcal. It can all be enjoyed in the Michael Hsu-designed restaurant, complete with open kitchen, communal tables, two bars, and patio seating.

Holy Roller, located in the former Wahoo's Tacos space downtown, is now offering diner vibes and all-day brunch. The all-female team led by chef/owner Callie Speer is rounded out by pastry chef Britt Castro, beverage director Jen Keyser, and general manager Sarah Bevil.

The restaurant opens at 8 am with Chameleon Cold-Brew coffee and lighter fare, followed by full service dining at 10 am. The breakfast-heavy menu features migas kolaches, sweet tea-brined chicken, hearty sandwiches, and yellow corn pancakes, in addition to weekend brunch specials. The craft cocktails are designed to be enjoyed all day, and the wine list showcases a lot of bubbly.

"It was important to us that we had something for everybody, from families to partiers, and it was equally important to me to serve a menu of dishes that we really wanted to eat," Speer says in a release. "It plays on the nostalgia with new takes on food you probably ate growing up, but with a little more."

The space, designed by architect Lee Alexander, includes a grab-and-go counter, lounge area, 24-seat bar, 66-seat dining room, and semi-private area that can seat up to 40 people.

Finally, the fourth location of Jack Allen's Kitchen is now open on Anderson Lane in the former Fork & Vine space. This is the first outpost in the heart of Austin.

The space was revamped by Dick Clark Architecture and includes an improved patio. The menu will be familiar to fans of Jack Allen's Kitchen, and beverage director David Toby has debuted a new drink program that includes two wines on tap and a cocktail called the Allandale Spritz.

"We are so excited to open a Jack Allen's Kitchen in our neighborhood. I took my wife on a date there over 30 years ago, and it means a lot to step into this spot," says chef/owner Jack Gilmore in a release. "It's hard to believe how much North Austin has changed — it's practically midtown. We are lucky to do what we do and to serve the community with an incredible space right on Shoal Creek."

The Anderson Lane locale will start off with dinner service; lunch and brunch will follow.

Three hot new restaurants — ATX Cocina (pictured), Holy Roller, and Jack Allen's Kitchen — opened in Austin on July 17.

Photo courtesy of Bethany Ross Photography

Three hot new restaurants — ATX Cocina (pictured), Holy Roller, and Jack Allen's Kitchen — opened in Austin on July 17.

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Near and Deer

Vespaio-trained chef serves venison from trailer at Austin's Sign Bar

Photo courtesy of Sign Bar.

Born and Braised, specializing in native ingredients and braised meats, is now open at Sign Bar.

Born and Braised, a food trailer specializing in native ingredients and braised meats, has just opened for business at Sign Bar. Chef and owner William Woodland, a.k.a. Woody, says so far things are going great.

"They're doing a great job promoting us at Sign Bar. I feel really special," says Woodland.

This is a big change from several years ago when sign bar first opened and Woodland says he "pestered" the folks behind the cool new space.

"I think at that time they wanted to see a couple of years of good experience," says Woodland. "And now my reviews are insanely good — so I think that helped!"

Born and Braised started out at Lustre Pearl back in 2022, and then quickly moved over to Sage Brush where it stayed for more than a year. More recently, Woodland has been operating out of Bastrop and is happy to be closer to town again at Sign Bar, which is located in East Austin. It's still a bit of a drive for many, but not as far south.

Some of the menu items include birria tacos, homemade birria ramen, and multiple venison-based dishes: chili, a smash burger, and bratwurst. There's also grilled cheese, street corn, and other sides.

"I think it's one of only a couple of places in town where you can get venison any time," says Woodland. He adds that the main focus of any foods he prepares is minimal waste and using good, quality, native ingredients. "I'm kind of an ingredient hippie," he laughs.

These cooking roots can be traced back to Woodland's days at his grandparents' out in the country, where his uncles butchering deer in the garage was the norm, and venison was always on the table. As an adult, Woodland got his "formal" education in the kitchen at Vespaio under the tutelage of Ryan Samson.

"He gave me his culinary book from when he went to school and quizzed me everyday; basically took me to culinary school through that job," says Woodland. "I cry thinking about him all the time. Great guy; a really good mentor."

Born and Braised is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 4 pm to 2 am, and Saturdays from 11 am to 2 am, at Sign Bar Austin (9909 FM 969, Bldg. 3). The bar, decorated with more than 75 retired signs from legendary local businesses, offers a variety of beers, wines, and cocktails.

Sign Bar Holiday Tree This miniature Zilker Tree is the newest permanent installation at Sign Bar. Photo courtesy of Sign Bar

As of early December, guests can enjoy all Sign Bar has to offer next to the Sign Bar Holiday Tree. This 64-foot tall tree is an homage to the Zilker Tree, and unlike most holiday displays, this tree will be up year-round. Guests can even spin under this mini-Zilker Tree — but may want to give it a minute after a bowl of venison chili.

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