Talk about nostalgia — this is the romantic term The Driskill, one of Austin’s most recognizable hotels and landmarks, uses to describe its new restaurant. Besides the charm of the old architecture, something else contributes to that been-there-before feeling: The Driskill Grill has served the hotel in the past, and in the same dining room, making this a reopening.
After its first opening in 1930, the Driskill Grill made it nearly a century before closing in 2020. From this perspective, closing for three years is barely a nap. It had been open for four years when President Lyndon B. and Lady Bird Johnson had their first date, and 39 when the entire hotel shut down for a complete remodeling that never happened and kept the building closed for an additional four.
Spotlighting all this history, of course the new menu must be classic and Texan. It calls special attention to the different eras of the hotel’s development over the decades, like oysters Rockefeller and steak tartare, two dishes with storied pasts in the 19th century when the hotel opened, that are recently coming back into style.
“We’re thrilled to have three Texas-inspired culinary concepts for our neighbors and guests to enjoy,” said General Manager Markus Puereschitz in a press release. “Reopening The Driskill Grill is another way to preserve the property’s reputation as a beloved icon in downtown Austin and provide visitors with top-notch hospitality.”
Executive chef and food and beverage director Mark Dayanandan heads this menu shift, with the help of restaurant chef Cliff Benavides and pastry chef Kristen Groth, combining influences from around the world; Dayanandan brings experience from Europe and Canada, Benavides from across the United States, and Groth represents Austin, her hometown, as well as West Texas.
These dynamics become clear looking at seasonal main dishes like Tournedos Rossini, a French steak dish with foie gras, truffle sauce, and duck fat rösti — essentially a Swiss potato pancake. More Texas influence is added to equally European ideas including whiskey-infused duck breast with wild mushroom risotto, and roasted chicken breast with wild mushroom ravioli.
Meanwhile, Benavides works on “modernizing” (scallops with bacon lardon, tequila beurre blanc and salmon roe), and Groth leans into the alcoholic experimentation (epi bread and Texas whiskey pâté, olive tapenade, and farm butter). The latter chef’s desserts wrap up the meal in similar refinement: citrus panna cotta, apple tart, and homemade gelato, plus a chocolate cake well-known at the elegant brunch-focused corner of the hotel, 1886 Café & Bakery.
The famous cocktail bar on the second floor of the hotel also makes its contribution in mixology: the Durango Cowboy (Desert Door Texas Sotol, grand marnier, a sour mix, and muddled strawberries) or other cocktails with local spirits and house-made mixers. Although not explicitly connected, the restaurant’s holiday and pre-theater prix fixe menus (to be announced later) seem to be following the same recipe for success that made the cocktail bar a game-day favorite.
Photo by Jane Yun
The Driskill Grill, opened in 1930, has returned to the famous hotel.
Since the venue has not changed, the menu offers the biggest changes — something Driskill fans should be happy about, if preserving history through architecture is a priority. The space seats 82, and is intended to further nurture the style of the rest of the hotel, increasingly at odds with Austin’s modern evolution.
“Having The Driskill Grill reopen is the beginning of a new era for this hotel where we’re back to offering our guests a dining experience that has been sorely missed,” said Dayanandan. “I’m confident that under the leadership of Benavides and the support of a talented culinary team we will be able to bring back the great days of this historic restaurant and make our unique mark on Austin’s diverse culinary landscape.”
The Driskill Grill is open at 604 Brazos Street from Tuesday to Saturday, 5-9 pm. Reserve on OpenTable.
