bottoms up

Groundbreaking: Dunlap's Container Bar on the way

Bridget Dunlap and her team ready to cut the ribbon.
Photo by Jessica Pages
With golden shovels they break ground for Container Bar.
Photo by Jessica Pages
Plans for the new Container Bar.
Photo by Jessica Pages
Architects and designers talk over the plans at Clive Bar.
Photo by Jessica Pages

A small group of supporters and investors gathered across the street from Clive bar to celebrate the start of Container Bar, almost 3 years after the idea was hatched. Owner Bridget Dunlap hopes to start construction by Labor day, and hopes to celebrate the opening New Years Eve. That'll be a party. Only a few city building permits stand in the way. They hope to have those within a month.

Oh to have been there when they began construction on the Colosseum! Or to have seen the Eiffel Tower erected! There are just some structures you wish you could have seen from the beginning. The newest bar of Bridget Dunlap, owner of Bar 96, Lustre Pearl and Clive in the Rainey Street Historic District, will be a history maker.

The Container Bar will be a first for Austin — several shipping containers, 8' x 8' x 40' will be transformed with new flooring, windows and lots of stylish design elements — and they’ll be stacked and positioned to create a large courtyard in the middle, perfect for laughing over beers and cocktails with friends. Full-service bars, outdoor and indoor seating, eco-friendly LED lighting, a dramatic 30-foot entry, a retractable canopy and a big screen HD video projection system are just a few of the neat things this new Austin hang-out spot will sport.

We don’t mean to be too flattering, but we’re pretty sure this is gonna be awesome. The ground-breaking ceremony was held at 90 Rainey Street by Bridget Dunlap — ceremonial shovel in hand — and a few of her key team members, and immediately afterwards a celebration at Clive Bar (not made of containers, but still pretty nice) complete with complimentary drinks.

You can read more about the Container Bar and how rockstar owner Bridget Dunlap works her magic, in our piece "Bar-owning and life tips from Rainey Street bad-ass Bridget Dunlap."

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Taste of 2025

Austin's Wine & Food Foundation announces 3 big events for 2025

Photo by Erica Wilkins Photography

Theses Wine & Food Foundation events raise funds for local initiatives.

Austin's food scene is booming, but smaller businesses could always use support. The Wine & Food Foundation is one of Austin's leading industry protectors, and it's just announced three events to help support its mission over the next year.

The three events — Big Reds and Bubbles, Toast of Texas, and the Rare & Fine Wine Auction Gala — are spread out between March and November of 2025, and all offer something a bit different.

They'll all benefit the Wine & Food Foundation and, by extension, the local organizations it supports. Those include Keep Austin Fed, which diverts food surpluses from grocery stores, catered events, and other sites of professional food service; and Sustainable Food Center, which helps Texans access healthy food through SNAP and WIC incentives, hosts farmers markets, connects farmers with resources, and more. The Wine & Food Foundation also offers scholarships for hospitality professionals.

Big Reds and Bubbles, held Friday, March 28, will bring together more than 100 red and sparkling wines for a tasting event. In addition to comparing wines back-to-back, guests will get to try them with bites from popular Austin restaurants to discover interesting new pairings. They'll also get to dress to impress and see the new LZR space — formerly La Zona Rosa, an old Austin music venue that had its last official performance in 2013.

Next up is Toast of Texas on June 8. This is another tasting event that focuses instead on 20 local wineries. The food menu at this event is also more specific, featuring local barbecue and paella, among other local tastes. It'll be located at Assembly Hall, an event space on East 7th Street adjacent to the East Austin Hotel.

Finally, there's the premier event: the Rare & Fine Wine Auction Gala on November 8. This is a big fundraising opportunity not just because of potentially high auction tickets, but the chance to experience something truly out of the ordinary for the wine industry. Guests will also enjoy "an elegant dinner" according to the press release and wines by a featured maker. It'll all happen at the JW Marriott Austin.

The release counts more than 50 other events slated for the year, so there are plenty more opportunities between the big three. Some of these include wine tasting courses, which will be available again soon.

wine tasting small businesses wineries nonprofits galas