News You Can Eat

5 things to know right now in Austin food: Anticipated rooftop restaurant opens at Lady Bird Lake

Nido is now open, just in time for F1.

Photo by Mackenzie Smith Kelley

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

Nido, the much-anticipated rooftop restaurant on top of The Loren at Lady Bird Lake, is finally open for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner, starting Thursday, October 20. A press release makes an old-fashioned claim in a city obsessed with being different: Nido will “focus on classic technique, offering a sense of familiarity to diners.” This hotel restaurant is high class, high above the city, and looks the part. Dinner menu highlights include kabocha squash beignets, wild mushrooms with sourdough fusilli, and Texas pork belly. The cocktail menu offers up more classics with interesting twists, like “Mule Variations” with Desert Door sotol. Reserve on Opentable.

Other news and notes

Biscuit shop Little Ola's is turning one year old. To celebrate, it’s giving away one ticket for free biscuit sandwiches every day for a year. (It lists this as a $3,700 value, if you can actually make it there daily.) Check out the Instagram post and follow the directions to sign up to win. No purchase is necessary. The restaurant is also transitioning to 7-day-a-week service, so customers can enjoy chicken sandwiches, breakfast, and sweet treats all week.

A virtual pie auction with a cause — getting Austin-area students the funds they need for culinary programs — is going on now through October 27. The Piehole Project comprises 20 pies by widely recognized local chefs like Aaron Franklin (Brisket Cottage Pie), Abby Love (Buttermilk Grits Pie), and Amanda Turner (Spiced Heirloom Tomato Pie). This is Austin’s first year running the Dallas-born fundraiser. More pies (starting at $95) and bidding at auctria.com.

The Sustainable Food Center (SFC), a nonprofit that supports farmers and families for healthy food access, shares in a press release that “14.4% of people in Travis County experience food insecurity.” On October 21, SFC is sending a team to Meanwhile Brewing to meet the community. Stopping by is free, but supporters who make a recurring donation of at least $5 will get two drink tickets, a pumpkin to decorate on-site, and a raffle entry for a Patagonia vest. RSVP at sustainablefoodcenter.org.

If you missed the state fair or just couldn’t get enough, Independence Brewing Co. is throwing a state fair-themed party on October 22, to celebrate 18 years in business. From 3-10 pm that means 18 beer tappings along with carnival foods and games. It would be easy to phone this one in with beer and corn dogs, but this free event is pulling out all the fried food stops from oreos to kimchi pancakes. There’s also live music, screen printing, and CBD drinks. RSVP on Eventbrite.

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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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