The Hill Country south of Austin is booming — at least when it comes to restaurants right now. Three notable restaurants opening a few weeks apart have set up shop in historic buildings and are awaiting visitors, likely from all over Texas.
Whether Austin readers are looking to fold these spots into their barely-out-of-town routines or visitors from farther afield are hoping to make a road trip out of it, here's a rundown of these three new destination restaurants.
Roxie's — 308 S Main St., Ste. 101, Buda
At the top of the "highly anticipated" list is Roxie's, a Southern restaurant in Buda by Scott Roberts, current owner of famous barbecue joint The Salt Lick in Driftwood. In fact, the property even made Bon Appetit's 2025 list of "The 8 Must-Visit Restaurants to Try This Fall" — back when it seemed like it'd be open by then.
It wasn't too late on the draw, opening on January 28, 2026, almost exactly a year after it was announced.
Roxie's is named after Roberts' grandmother, and the restaurant further ties him to Buda, the own where he went to elementary school. The food on offer — dishes including pimento cheese with crudites and crackers, Hill Country sliders, fried chicken wings, burgers, chili dogs, and Roxie’s famous biscuit — nod to Roxie's home cooking. Appropriately, there's also a family-style dinner that groups can share.
The building's heritage is almost as interesting as the concept's. Roxie's is located in the Buda Mill & Grain, a farm structure that was renovated into a 27,000-square-foot retail center. Guests at Roxie's may stop by several other stores on the property, totaling a dozen more local businesses. Those including tasting room Water2Wine, home goods shop The Mercantile at Mill + Grain, and the lush Saint Montogren’s Florist.
¡Saludos! Cocina + Bar — 388 E. San Antonio St., New Braunfels
¡Saludos! Cocina + Bar greeted the bedroom community of New Braunfels on February 2, bringing Mexican cuisine to the historic Dittlinger Roller Mills downtown.
Brothers Israel Trevino (Las Fontanas in New Braunfels) and Daniel Trevino (Box St. All Day in San Antonio) teamed up with Edward Garcia III and Allen Shy (CRAFThouse and Blind Salamander Cantina in San Marcos) to give the 1887 former flour mill new life.
The menu is inspired by Mexican street food, with standout dishes including vampiro-style tacos, rajas con crema, and cochinita pibil flautas, fajitas and enchiladas rojas, and a few cross-cultural surprises like a Caesar salad. The spot also has a “dinner” menu that gives diners a little more variety with dishes like a fish of the day, schnitzel, burgers, and vegan tofu skewers. There's a vast dessert menu and a full bar program with premium spirits, beer, and wine.
Given the Instagram-friendly interiors of Box Street, it’s no surprise that the restaurant is decked to the nines. A dusty terracotta and grass green color scheme is accented by Talavera tiles and contemporary Mexican artwork and accents.
Old City Hall Restaurant and Bar — 200 N. Seguin Ave., New Braunfels
New Braunfels’ Old City Hall will soon be back in session, this time for dinner. On February 17, the team behind some of the city’s most popular eateries will open Old City Hall Restaurant and Bar inside a landmark former municipal building.
The project comes from Wiggins Hospitality Group, the local team behind Hill Country hot spots like McAdoo's Seafood Company and La Cosecha Mexican Table. The company has been hard at work transforming the nearly century-old building into a dining destination. Previously, the site has served as New Braunfels Police Department headquarters, a World War II medic training site, a museum archive, and, most recently, city hall itself.
The menu features refined takes on classic American fare. Menu highlights include Texas beef or tuna tartare, spicy vodka rigatoni, peppercorn filet mignon, and The Mayor’s Cheeseburger — double beef patties sandwiched with American cheese, house pickles, caramelized onion, and a béarnaise aïoli.
The cocktail program is equally timeless. Guests can sip on ice-cold martinis (both traditional and newfangled), negronis, frozen gin and tonics, and originals like the Beretta with Still Austin cask-strength Bourbon or a margarita with egg white foam.
