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World-famous chicken chain Nando's Peri-Peri roosts in Austin

Nando's has made this South African staple a global phenomenon.

Photo courtesy of Nando's PERi-PERi

After much anticipation, Nando's Peri-Peri is ready to open its first Austin location at 1825 McBee St. on November 13. The South African chain specializes in a spicy Portuguese-African style of barbecue chicken, and has locations around the world, including three existing locations in Texas.

Announced in August of 2023, this newcomer has been in the works for more than a year.

"Peri-Peri" (sometimes piri piri) refers to a pepper that was introduced to South Africa via former Portuguese territories in Africa — namely Mozambique, where most of Nando's peppers are grown — so it's traveled a long way. Nando's was founded in 1987 in Johannesburg, South Africa, and has since become very popular in the United Kingdom; so much so that some Austinites may not realize it's not a British brand.

$\u200bNando's PERi-PERi Austin interior$ There are some cool African elements sprinkled throughout the interior.Photo courtesy of Nando's PERi-PERi

It's a great culinary match for Austin, though, considering how similar peri-peri chicken is to American barbecue (although Texas barbecue specifically is a bit more minimalist with the spices). This type of chicken is spicy without knocking diners off their feet, plus a bit tangy. Nando's says its 24-hour marinade features salt, garlic, lemon, onion, oil, and vinegar.

There are varying levels of spice available, but the peri-peri pepper is about 20 times hotter than a jalapeño, so there will always be a little heat, even if diluted.

The menu at Nando's gets its variety from sides, but the star of the show is always the chicken. Diners can pair with it rice, mashed potatoes, corn, coleslaw, fries, or other sides; add it to a salad; enjoy in a sandwich, and more. For beverages, guests can enjoy beer and wine on tap or bottled, plus cocktails.

Nando's PERi-PERi Austin interior This fast-casual restaurant is a bit more upscale than others in the arena.Photo courtesy of Nando's PERi-PERi

“Austin has a reputation for welcoming bold flavors and experiences, so we’re thrilled to be opening our doors in the vibrant Mueller neighborhood," said Sepanta Bagherpour, the chief marketing officer of Nando’s North America, in a press release. “This location has elements you won’t find at any other Nando’s, from exclusive South African art to handcrafted furniture pieces. We’ve gone above and beyond to create an atmosphere as exciting and dynamic as our menu.”

Michael Hsu Office of Architecture — the firm behind P. Terry's flagship, several Hai Hospitality projects (Uchi, Uchiko, Loro), and many other restaurants and hotels — designed the 61-seat space. According to the release, pendant lights by Mash.t Design reference Johannesburg’s skyline, shades by Ashanti Design support communities in Madagascar and Malawi, and a woven waiting bench by Dokter & Misses in collaboration with Katlego Tshuma also ties in more African aesthetics.

Nando's PERi-PERi Austin patio A patio is a must-have in the Mueller neighborhood.Photo courtesy of Nando's PERi-PERi

Nando’s Peri-Peri in Mueller is now open daily from 10:30 am to 10 pm.

openings international african cuisine

Back to the Plow

Homey Austin jam and bake shop closing and returning to farmers market

Confituras/Instagram

Confituras Little Kitchen is closing its brick-and-mortar store, but feeling optimistic about the future.

A famers market find is returning to its natural environment after six years in a brick-and-mortar location. Confituras Little Kitchen, which specializes in locally sourced preserves, is closing its jam and biscuit shop after service on Sunday, December 22. However, it will continue selling goods at the Barton Creek Farmers Market and via retailers.

Confituras announced the change in a newsletter to its customers in December. The letter called the news "bittersweet."

"Although the brick and mortar will no longer be, the good news is that this will be a fresh new start for us – we are bursting with energy and creativity at the thought of being back out in the community where it all started for confituras," it said.

The kitchen is closing because the lease is up, and the team has decided to "give up the chase." The newsletter emphasized the ups-and-downs of business over the past several years — ones that were chaotic for just about any business, let alone a small, fairly niche food operation.

"So much has happened since we decided to open a brick + mortar – a wonderful kickstarter fundraiser, THE PANDEMIC, the AFTER-EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC, and an ever growing city," the letter says. "We tried so very hard but never really got our footing. We know we are not alone, many small business are in the same boat. We renewed our lease during the pandemic because we were hopeful we could make it work - the changing times had other ideas."

Finally, it shared how customers could keep enjoying Confituras creations:

The Barton Creek Farmers Market is open at 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy. every Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm.
A list on confituras.net compiles retailers including Royal Blue Grocery, Farmhouse Delivery, and Antonelli's Cheese Shop.
Jam share and Table22 subscription customers will have more instructions coming soon about picking up their goods in January at the same space, 2129 Goodrich Ave.
Customers may also reach out to inquire about continuing to order meals directly.

The kitchen also hosted frequent events and workshops, but the letter did not address this aspect of the business.

A shorter message shared on Instagram has inspired 63 comments so far, five days later. Customers eulogized the shop for its community feel and providing a sense of regularity during the height of the pandemic thanks to weekend pick-ups.