Austinites who regularly drive through Sunset Valley have been watching a highly anticipated project unfold since it broke ground nearly a year and a half ago: Leona Botanical Café & Bar. The five-acre garden, which will eventually contain three restaurants, will open November 11.

One of the reasons locals have been looking forward to Leona is the team behind it. Two respected culinary teams — married duo Lakana and Justin Trubiana of Thai restaurant Dee Dee and sisters Reyna and Maritza Vazquez of taquería Veracruz All Natural — have come together to shape the project. Each restaurant will operate a service counter and a third concept, created in tandem, will open later in 2025.

However, even if Austinites have no prior interest in these two existing restaurants, the site at 6405 Brodie Ln. is an exciting one for many people who live nearby. Sunset Valley, a hub for South Austinites doing almost any kind of necessary shopping, has some locally owned restaurants but is full of strip malls. This address in particular is right across from Lowe's and diagonal to H-E-B, making it a common stomping grounds.

The new restaurant compound will also feature a botanical garden (meaning one that houses plants for public display or scientific research), a main cafe and bar, and a pavilion. This is Dee Dee's first brick-and-mortar location, allowing the menu to double in size compared to the food truck's. Even the broadly established Veracruz will offer some new breakfast and lunch menu items including a torta.

The new counter service concept will be Bun Bun Burger, and all we know so far is that it'll offer "a new take on handcrafted burgers," according to a press release.

“We’ve been dreaming of making this project a reality since we first met when our two food trucks were neighbors on the east side back in 2018, said Justin Trubiana in the release. "We’re blessed to have such wonderful friends and partners in the Veracruz team join us in creating LEONA."

The beverage program at Leona is also a collaboration between the two restaurants, but it's also shaped by Caer Maiko Ferguson, CultureMap Austin's Bartender of the Year at the 2019 Tastemaker Awards. She spent a decade in Austin before moving to Los Angeles about a year ago, and is best-known for her traveling Asian cocktail pop-up Daijoubu. She's also managed bars locally at Peche, The Roosevelt Room, and DrinkWell.

The cocktail menu will blend influences from East Asian, Southeast Asian, and Mexican cuisines. Among the drinks on offer there's a Green Papaya Margarita that's inspired by a Thai salad, a vegan frozen horchata, and seasonal drinks like the Red Curry Lion's Tail. Some of these were designed with options to add or remove alcohol in mind.

The coffee menu dresses up beans from Proud Mary Coffee, including some more adventurous specialty drinks like banana milk hojicha and a Thai pumpkin latte. Non-coffee drinkers might enjoy a hibiscus piloncillo tea. Finally, there will be pastries from a rotating list of local bakers, starting with Amanda Rockman at Rockman Bakery. Every three months, a new bakery will step in. More to look forward to include Teal House, Sour Duck Market, and Texas French Bread.

It sounds like Leona will be worth visiting for the atmosphere alone. The garden has more than 7,000 plants of 80 species. More than 90 trees already on the property were preserved as local architecture firm Clayton Korte built around them. A cistern on the property feeds a stream where aquatic plants and animals will live.

"After years of dreaming, building and collaborating, we’re thrilled to finally open LEONA in Austin. What began as a shared vision has grown into a space where culture, food and community come together to celebrate connection and creativity,” said Maritza and Reyna Vazquez in a joint statement. “Many hands and hearts have shaped this journey, and we’re deeply grateful for our incredible partners at DEE DEE, whose spirit and dedication have helped bring LEONA to life."

Leona will be open daily from 7:30 am to 11 pm. Dee Dee will serve food from 10:30 am to 9:30 pm, and Veracruz All Natural will serve from 7:30 am to 9:30 pm.