add a little spice

Bloody Mary fest plots Austin return for 7th year of outrageous cocktails

There's more than a full breakfast to be had in garnishes alone while sampling these drinks.

Photo courtesy of the Bloody Mary Festival

There are two types of people in the world: People who order mimosas with brunch, and people who prefer Bloody Marys. If you’re in the latter group, mark your calendar for April 6, when the Bloody Mary Festival returns to Austin.

The traveling festival will stop in six cities this year on a mission to find the best Bloody Mary in each location, featuring local bars, restaurants and cocktail mix companies.

Festival attendees will get to taste each Bloody Mary then vote on their favorites to win the “People’s Choice Award.” A panel of judges will also taste each submission and officially declare the Best Bloody Mary in Austin. This is the seventh year the festival has been held at Fair Market, an event venue in East Austin that often lends itself to tasting events.

Austin’s participants include Snooze, 1417 French Bistro, Cisco’s, Yellow Jacket Social Club, Industry, The Cavalier, Hillside Farmacy, The Pretty Farmer, Momo’s Michelada Mix, Fat E's Spicy Mator Mix and Fever Tree, and more to be announced soon.

Some of the participants are returning champions from last year. The 2023 judges' winner in the traditional category was Yellow Jacket Social Club, and the "original" category winner was The Cavalier, both of which were runners-up in their respective sessions for the People's Choice Award. Laurel at the Hotel Viata and Cisco's Restaurant Bakery & Bar won the first People's Choice prize.

Some of the flavor profiles stick to the classics, while others go bold. Consider last year's careful and classic concoction by Salt Traders Coastal Cooking that combined horseradish, Worcestershire, clam juice, lemon, and celery salt. Now, compare that to Industry's adventurous, yet sophisticated twist, using garlic- and jalapeño-infused vodka and house-smoked tomatoes.

The possibilities are basically limitless: One outrageous submission by a participating restaurant in Milwaukee and Waukesha, Wisconsin, included an entire fried chicken as a garnish.

Proceeds from the event benefit Girls Empowerment Network, a local nonprofit that works with girls in grades 3-12 to teach them self-efficacy, which the American Psychological Association defines as “confidence in the ability to control one's motivation, behavior, performance and social environment.”

The festival is divided into two “sessions”: one from 11:15 am to 1:30 pm, and one from 3:45-6 pm. Tickets ($49.95 for general admission, $67.50 for VIP) include unlimited Bloody Marys and other food and drink samples, and are available at thebloodymaryfest.com. The VIP upgrade gets attendees into the session 45 minutes early.

cocktails awards bloody marys

News You Can Eat

New bodega and farm-focused brunch warm up Austin dining news

Photo courtesy of Foreign & Domestic

Foreign & Domestic has refreshed its brunch menu.

It may be cold outside, but the Austin food scene always stays warm with openings and events. This week we heard about a new bodega, a tried-and-true brunch, and charitable cupcakes.

Openings and closings

A new bodega opening in Austin takes inspiration from "the timeless, laid-back feel of Texas marinas and bait shops," according to a press release. Handsome Dan's is soft opening at 979 Springdale Rd. #124 on January 20; that period runs until February 6, followed by a grand opening February 8 with a buy-a-sandwich, get-a-beverage promotion. The bodega will serve grab-and-go goods, sandwiches, and a wide range of beers including some brewed on-site, plus THC and non-alcoholic brews by Rick's Near Beer, which happens to be brewed by Handsome Dan's founder Josh Hare. He's joined in this effort by industry vet Brian O’Neill. Hours are daily from 11 am to 10 pm.

Keith Shaw at Handsome Dan's Keith Shaw, director of brewing operations at Handsome Dan's.Photo courtesy of Handsome Dan's

The famous Tex-Mex chain Chuy's is opening its first Hutto location on January 21. Every Chuy's is a little different, but this one contains an Elvis shrine, metal palm trees, a school of wooden fish, and a "Hutto Hippo." It'll be the same menu Chuy's fans know: Chicka-Chicka Boom-Boom Enchiladas, Chuy’s Famous Big As Yo’ Face Burritos, Chuy’s Famous ‘Ritas, and more. Another special Hutto connection comes from the restaurant's two local nonprofit partners, the Sandbox at Madeline’s Place and Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter. Hours are Sundays through Thursdays from 11 am to 9:30 pm, and Fridays and Saturdays from 11 am to 10:30 pm.

Aris, a "modern Mediterranean steakhouse,” opened at 1111 W. 6th Street on January 6. The concept is a new one by the Houston restaurant group Sof Hospitality; co-founder Itai Ben Eli told CultureMap Houston it will be similar to the group's Israeli steakhouse, Doris Metropolitan. Aris will use the same dry aging techniques that Sof Hospitality restaurants are known for, and will also showcase dishes like a sweetbread cigar appetizer, crudo, Chateaubriand tartare, slow-cooked short ribs, and fish. Hours are 5-10 pm Sundays through Thursdays, and 5-11 pm Fridays and Saturdays.

In December, one of Austin's longest-running vegan restaurants, the Beer Plant, closed permanently. The Beer Plant was known for its gastropub-style menu that was friendly to people with many diets — it offered vegan comfort food that was also appealing to non-vegans, plus beer and cocktails. The announcement on Instagram cited financial pressures: "Our model of a plant-based kitchen, using scratch ingredients, is a costly one—that combined with inflation and declining sales in the post-Covid era have proven more than we can sustain."

ICYMI: Two very different but popular taco closures changed the Austin landscape in the past week. Trudy's Tex-Mex has been around since the 70s, but it has now closed its final location. The much newer, but widely lauded trailer Con Todo also packed it up, but Chef Joseph Gomez says Austin hasn't seen the end of him at all.

Other news and notes

Although Austin Eastciders gave fans a scare in closing its taproom, a recent win suggests the brand is doing just fine. The Original Dry Cider won gold twice at the PR%F Awards (pronounced "proof"), a competition judged by industry professional beverage buyers and distributors, according to a press release. It won both a blind tasting and an unmasked competition. All the places Austinites can get some ciders can be found at austineastciders.com.

Austinites who want to supplement their California wildfire response with some shareable sweets can pick up some cupcakes at SusieCakes, a bakery chain that started in Los Angeles and now has two locations in Austin. The chain is donating 100 percent of proceeds to organizations supporting wildfire victims: the American Red Cross, the LA Fire Department Foundation, and Canine Rescue Club. Orders can be made online individually ($5.99) or as a 4-pack.

SusieCakes cupcakes These friendly cupcakes support wildfire victims.Photo courtesy of SusieCakes

Brunch in Austin already doesn't get better than it does at Foreign & Domestic, but the restaurant is upping the ante regardless. A refreshed brunch menu at the farm-to-table restaurant includes blackberry and lemon crepes, fried chicken biscuits, 44 Farms steak and eggs, and Croque Madame, among other treats. That's available every Sunday from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm. There are also some new happy hour offerings every Wednesday to Saturday from 5-6 pm, plus a new deal for $1 oysters every Tuesday from 5-9:30 pm.

One of Austin's favorite breweries, Lazarus, is celebrating its 8th anniversary this weekend at 1902 E. 6th St. All day on Saturday, January 18, there will be new beer releases, food specials, merch releases, and other special offerings like a s'mores pit from 1-5 pm. If those community vibes feed the soul, check out Lazarus' events calendar for reasons to hang out more often, like a book club, comedy shows, and more.

Speaking of Sixth Street, the Liberty Bar is hosting its 14th Annual Chili Cook-off on Sunday, January 19. It'll be chilly, but not punishingly cold if you get there during the day; the event kicks off at 2 pm and the tasting starts at 5 pm. There are 10 contestants in this spicy competition, plus raffle prizes and drink specials.