cocktail shakeup
Emmer & Rye Group shuffles wine and tapas bar with new concept
Kalimotxo is moving to East 6th Street, and Hestia Bar is taking its place.
Kalimotxo, the Emmer & Rye Hospitality's Spanish restaurant and bar, has been charming visitors who have gone in search of it since its opening in 2019. It currently shares a space with Hestia — on East 3rd Street along Shoal Creek — but it's not something most Austinites stumble upon. Events and a unique viewpoint have led visitors down the nearly dead-end path, but a new home may bring new foot traffic.
The bar will soon relocate to the Arrive Austin hotel on East 6th Street "later this year" according to a press release, with a final service date on 3rd Street set for March 16. Once that space is empty, a new Hestia will get its own "upscale bar concept" called Hestia Bar, opening March 21.
“With the move, we had a lot of fun reimagining Kalimotxo’s space at Hestia and look forward to introducing Hestia Bar," said executive chef Kevin Fink in the release. "Our goal for Hestia Bar is to be the perfect complement to Hestia’s menu centered around the hearth, while also serving as a great standalone bar with cocktails."
The Arrive space was formerly occupied by Vixen's Wedding, a worldly bistro that combined influences by Goa, India, Portugal, and of course, Texas. The niche, airy space was well-liked, but not as widely talked about as its neighbors: Suerte, Lazarus Brewing Co., and Canje. The latter is also part of Emmer & Rye.
Kalimotxo, known for its wine, cocktails, and tapas including Chef Tavel Bristol-Joseph's famous Basque cheesecake, will presumably remain the same. The release also promises some new cocktails and a new Spanish-inspired dinner menu. Located on the hotel's first level, hopefully the bar will be able to take advantage of a more auspicious location among other big-name bars and high foot traffic.
“We are excited to partner with Arrive Austin for Kalimotxo 2.0," said Fink. "The new, larger space will allow us to offer a full dinner menu and expand Kalimotxo’s bar offerings. We also feel that Kalimotxo, a concept that celebrates the spirit of the Basque’s social bar culture, is a perfect fit for the vibrant East 6th Street neighborhood.”
Hestia Bar will offer "ice-cold martinis, a raw bar, and other specialty items from the Hestia menu," which includes a variety of simple, but elevated American dishes, and an emphasis on seafood. Cocktails fall under the domain of the hospitality group's bar director, Kate Houser. The space will be redecorated, and a release hints that the "swanky bar" will elevate what was previously fairly minimalist and industrial.
Hestia Bar will open on March 21 at 607 W. 3rd St. It will be open weekdays from 5-10 pm, and Fridays and Saturdays until 11 pm. The opening date of Kalimotxo has not been announced as of this publication.
