Another One Bites the Dust

Popular Tex-Mex chain suddenly closes downtown Austin outpost

Austin's Cantina Laredo closed its doors on July 21.

Photo courtesy of Cantina Laredo

Here we go again: Another restaurant has closed. On Thursday, downtown Tex-Mex restaurant Cantina Laredo announced its immediate closure.

Cantina Laredo was scheduled to close Saturday, but a miscommunication with a health inspector led to a somewhat dramatic shutter during lunch service.

"I wanted to close down the restaurant in a dignified manner," says proprietor Al LoCascio in a press release. "It's a difficult day to end 11 years of hard work and success under unfortunate circumstances."

Known for its table-side guacamole and drink specials, Cantina Laredo is a Dallas-based restaurant chain with locations across the U.S. LoCascio, a graduate of the University of Texas, opened the Austin outpost in 2003. Since then, Cantina Laredo has become a staple of the 2nd Street District restaurant and bar scene.

"Due to the amount of competitors that saturated the area and high overhead costs, Consolidated Restaurant Operations decided to close the restaurant," says the release.

"At some point you have to be realistic with the things you have accomplished and what makes sense with the bottom line," said LoCascio. "We had decided to pass the torch on and allow a new concept to enrich the experience of the 2nd Street District."

Consolidated Restaurant Operations also owns III Forks, as well as a handful of other small chains in the U.S. There's no word yet regarding what will take over the space.

Refill, revere, rejoice

Austin distiller will refill Kentucky Bourbon bottles for $1 in gameday stunt

Photo courtesy of Still Austin Whiskey Co.

Still Austin is filling up empty Kentucky Bourbon bottles and adding its own label in a display of Texas dominance.

Cheap bourbon isn't usually something people line up for, but in this case they know it's good. Still Austin Whiskey Co., a favorite Austin distiller, is offering $1 refills of its own Cask Strength Bourbon on empty Kentucky Bourbon bottles on November 23.

The promotion celebrates the Texas Longhorns vs. Kentucky Wildcats football match the same day. This is a highly anticipated game because the two teams have only been matched up once, back in 1951. Kentucky coach Mike Stoops reportedly also upped the ante by saying the Longhorns have "no weaknesses."

Essentially, this is a parallel challenge by Still Austin: Replace your Kentucky Bourbon with our Texas spirit and watch the Lone Star State win again.

"Why would I ever taint your bourbon with dried up Kentucky juice[?]" asked a (frankly, terrifying) customer on Instagram.

There is a misconception that bourbon has to be made in Kentucky. The Kentucky Distillers’ Association itself points out that, "According to the 1964 Congressional Resolution, in order to have “Bourbon” on the label it must be made in the United States of America and meet all other federal “standards of identity” for Bourbon."

Still Austin CEO and co-founder Chris Seals is setting the record straight with a little snark, inviting both fans and "skeptics" to stop by to take advantage of the deal.

“We’re deeply grateful to Kentucky for inventing the stuff, but after 200 years of the same old bourbon, people want something new,” said Seals in a press release.“The idea that great bourbon can only come from Kentucky is a myth based on decades of misinformation. We’re inviting everyone still holding onto this old guard notion to ‘Kentucky Fill Up’ to experience the difference for themselves.”

The product he's chosen to represent the brand, the Cask Strength Bourbon, is described as "a deeper more 'metal' version of our beloved straight bourbon." It's 116 proof (58 percent ABV) and has won double gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition twice, in 2022 and 2023.

Still Austin will only refill 500 bottles. Here are the rules: The bottles have to be 750 milliliters, clean, intact (with the original cap on hand), and they must have originally contained bourbon from a Kentucky Distillery. There are two time slots for refilling at 9 am and 11:30 am. Patrons can get tickets ahead of time at stillaustin.com.

In addition to the fill-ups, Still Austin will host a watch party starting at 2:30 pm. More Texas-Kentucky crossover will include Frozen Texas Julep cocktails, Texas fried chicken, and an armadillo derby race. There will also be exclusive merch and giveaways. Still Austin is the official corporate partner of Texas Athletics.

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