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.
Photo courtesy of Sign Bar
More than 75 famous Austin signs get a second life at Sign Bar.
Openings
Austinites feeling nostalgic about the weirdness of Austin past can't revisit some of their favorite old businesses, but they can at least enjoy a drink among those businesses' widely recognized signs. The aptly named, to-the-point Sign Bar brings signs from Gordough's Public House, Nutty Brown Cafe, Spider House, and many more. Some of the signs have been acquired after the business upgraded but stayed in business, like Gibson Street Bar. Like the Neon Boneyard in Las Vegas, this area may draw tourists, but old locals have will a deeper perspective. The bar is open now from Monday to Thursday 4 pm to 2 am, and Friday to Sunday from 11 am to 2 am. More businesses will join as food trucks as the space develops.
Other news and notes
Lots of Austinites want more Este, and the restaurant is delivering with a new weekend lunch service. The coastal Mexican restaurant is now open for lunch on Fridays and Saturdays from 11:30 am to 4 pm. There will be new menu items like enchiladas, tortas, tuna and heirloom tomato salad, carnitas tacos, lobster, and more. Fans of the existing menu will also see items from the raw bar, starters, tacos, and other sections, and can enjoy happy hour discounts on Fridays until 5 pm.
Although some Tatsu-ya fans are likely having a hard time with the premature closing of BBQ Ramen Tatsu-ya, the restaurant group's other properties are softening the blow. Spicy chilled ramen has returned to all Ramen Tatsu-ya locations, featuring "ice cold noodles," chopped veggies, and a citrus soy dressing. Kemuri Tatsu-ya has brought back its “Munchie Hour” with discounts Monday through Thursday from 5-7 pm, and DipDipDip Ice Cream is now opening two hours earlier every day.
Yes, Austin is barreling into summer and in this case, there's nothing wrong with a healthy dose of denial to keep you going. Tiff's Treats, the famous cookie delivery service, has prepared a "Tiff's Remix" box with all its usually one-off seasonal treats for the year, to jumble your perception of the current season and offer a reward for Austinites' suffering. The six-flavor box contains lemon sugar, pumpkin spice, red velvet, rocky road, salted caramel, and triple chocolate cookies, and can be ordered from June 21 to August 31 at cookiedelivery.com.
Where there's smoke, there's bourbon, at least at Camp Lucy on June 22. BBQ & Bourbon is back for its third year, with more than 10 Southern chefs including Andy Knudson and Meredith Shaffer of Tillie’s at Camp Lucy, Allie McMillan of ATX Cocina, Lance Eaker of Eaker BBQ in Fredericksburg, and Rick Mace of Tropical Smoke in West Palm Beach. Bites by these pit masters will be served alongside smoky cocktails with spirits by local distilleries. Tickets ($95) available on Eventbrite.
There are plenty of drag brunches around Austin this Pride Month, but one venue has scheduled much further out. Rules & Regsat the Fairmont Austin just added bimonthly drag brunches to its recurring calendar, in partnership with the popular drag booking service Extragrams. Sunday, June 25, will kick off the new tradition with performances starting at 1 pm. (Apologies to any early risers.) Bingo — for this event only — is hosted by Celia Light and Ritzy Bitz. Reserve on OpenTable.
If local prestige makes your mouth water, a collaboration between Dai Due and William Chris Vineyards will have you practically drooling. A five-course dinner on June 26 pairs the best of Texas ingredients with fine Texas wines. The menu is a mystery so far, but the restaurant promises an emphasis on live fire cooking. Whatever the courses are, they're sure to suit the guest of honor, Dai Due owner and hunting and foraging cookbook author Jesse Griffiths. Reserve ($185) on OpenTable.
