Let them eat king cake

10 Austin bars and restaurants let loose for Mardi Gras bashes

Mardi Gras fare at Uptown Sports Club Kim Light Pearson

Mardi Gras, historically signaling the end of pre-Lenten season, is the world's (or at least, New Orleans') grandest excuse to throw a party.

Check out an array of Mardi Gras-themed events and specials around Austin, from gumbo cookoffs to King Cake specials, live music and more.

Unless otherwise stated, these events are free to attend.

Uptown Sports Club
1200 E. 6th St.
Mardi Gras and this Louisiana-inspired East Austin staple are a perfect match. Debuting special menu items for four days of festivities, Uptown Sports Club's Mardi Gras menu will feature selections such as crawfish-stuffed hand pies, beignets, oyster po’boys, chicken fried Franklin Barbecue brisket, scratch-made king cake and more.

Specialty libations include the Bayou Bliss, a cheeky nod to a classic Pimm's Cup, Uptown's spin on an Irish coffee, a clarified Hurricane cocktail, and more. The party kicks off on Saturday, March 1, running through Tuesday, March 4. And yes, the historic bar will be decked out in Mardi Gras decor, vibrant beads and all.

The Cabana Club
5012 E. 7th St.
The Cabana Club's Mardi Gras soiree has a special opportunity for gumbo-making gurus to show off their skills. From 2-5 pm on Saturday, March 1, partygoers can participate in a gumbo cookoff, make their own Mardi Gras masks, and enjoy Hurricane drink specials. There will also be a costume contest, and other fun surprises for Saturday's shindig.

The Hive
10542 Menchaca Rd.
Dust off your dancing shoes and mambo on over to The Hive. From 5-9 pm, guests can enjoy themed beverages (boozy and non-alcoholic), crafts for kids, and live music from The Numbers from 5:30-7:30 pm. Base ticket price is $10 for one adult and one child, with discounted add-ons from there.

Meanwhile Brewing
3901 Promontory Point Dr.
Big Wy's Brass Band strikes a downbeat at 4:30 pm on Sunday, March 2, at Meanwhile Brewing's free Mardi Gras bash. Enjoy live music and dancing until 6 pm. Strike up an appetite? Grab themed food specials from food trucks onsite — from Distant Relatives' Texas BBQ gumbo and Songbird's shrimp po'boy to Bésame's King Cake ice cream.

Kerbey Lane Cafe
Multiple locations
Need a caffeinated pick-me-up after a few Mardi Gras parties? Head on over to Kerbey Lane Cafe. The cozy, all-day cafe has several themed specials for the holiday, including a King Cake latte topped off with vibrant sprinkles and whipped cream. Have a hankering for a sweet treat? Kerbey Lane's King Cake pancake, a buttermilk cinnamon swirl cake with powdered sugar and sprinkles, pairs well with the morning after a NOLA-inspired night out.

Parker Jazz Club
117 W. 4th St., #107B
Ring in the weekend with New Orleans night at Parker Jazz Club. On Friday, March 7, the intimate venue will alight with melodies from the Parker House Band and local musicians — enjoy tunes from Kris Kimura, Ryan Davis, Ben Triesch, Jeremy Bruch, Brad Scheele and more. Showtimes are 7 pm and 9:30 pm. Tickets are $40 per person, and guests will reserve tables when purchasing online.

Nomadic Beerworks
3804 Woodbury Dr., Ste. A
Show off your King Cake for glory and prizes at Nomadic Beerworks on Sunday, March 2. A new NOLA-inspired brew will make its debut during Nomadic's Mardi Gras party, in addition to themed food specials and other festive activities.

Suds Monkey Kitchen and Brewery
12024 US-290
Two words sum up the Suds Monkey Brewing Company party on Saturday, March 1, and they aren't Mardi Gras: Baby. Goats. Grab a boost of serotonin from the baby goats onsite at Suds from 2-3:30 pm. The brewery's Mardi Gras bash will also involve their first crawfish boil of the year, mask-making opportunities, and more. Enjoy the event from 2-6 pm. Preorders for the crawfish boil ($10 for a pound) can be made at sudsmonkeybrew.com.

The Cavalier
2400 Webberville Rd., Ste. A
Check out the great gumbo fest at The Cavalier on Saturday, March 1. The East Austin watering hole has a whole slate of Big Easy-inspired activities for the afternoon — enjoy live music, Louisiana-inspired libations, the great gumbo cook-off, and more from 3-7 pm. The event is free, but proceeds from the day's sales will go towards the Central Texas Food Bank. Want to enter the gumbo cook-off? Email getspicy@thecavalieratx.com

Gibson Street Bar
1109 S. Lamar Blvd.
Grab Texas-inspired Mardi Gras cocktails at Gibson Street Bar on Saturday, March 1. The drinks are an ideal pairing for the Pops Crawfish boil onsite. The Gibson Street Bar party takes place from noon to 4 pm.

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Beverage news

Austin-based Poppi acquired by behemoth soda brand for $2 billion

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PepsiCo is acquiring the Austin-based prebiotic soda brand Poppi for $1.95 billion.

The acquisition, announced Monday, March 17, gives PepsiCo a fast-growing brand in the popular functional beverage category.

“More than ever, consumers are looking for convenient and great-tasting options that fit their lifestyles and respond to their growing interest in health and wellness,” PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Ramon Laguarta said in a statement.

PepsiCo said the transaction includes $300 million of anticipated cash benefits, bringing the net purchase price to $1.65 billion.

Allison Ellsworth, the Austin co-founder of Poppi, said the combination with PepsiCo will expand Poppi’s reach.

“We can’t wait to begin this next chapter with PepsiCo to bring our soda to more people — and I know they will honor what makes Poppi so special while supporting our next phase of growth and innovation,” Ellsworth said in a statement.

Ellsworth developed Poppi — then known as Mother Beverage — in her kitchen in 2015 because she loved soda but was tired of the way it made her feel. She mixed fruit juices with apple cider vinegar, sparkling water and prebiotics, and sold the drink at farmer's markets.

The brand took off in 2018 when Ellsworth and her husband pitched it on Shark Tank. An investor on the show, Rohan Oza, took a stake in Mother Beverage and undertook a major rebrand. Poppi, with its brightly-colored, fruit-forward cans, was born.

“We’re beyond thrilled to be partnering with PepsiCo so that even more consumers across America, and the world, can enjoy Poppi,” said Oza, the co-founder CAVU Consumer Partners, which has also invested in beverage brands like Oatly and Bai.

But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing for Poppi. Last summer, multiple class-action lawsuits were filed against the brand by consumers who said its products don’t improve gut health as much as their marketing suggests.

Poppi denied those claims, and noted that it removed references to “gut health” from its packaging in late 2023. But according to a court filing last week, Poppi has agreed to a settlement that includes an $8.9 million fund for payments to consumers. A hearing on the settlement is scheduled for May 8.

PepsiCo shares rose nearly 2 percent in morning trading Monday.

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