Steakhouse news

Austin chef duo behind Bill's Oyster sears up new casual steakhouse

A burger from VanHorn's.

Courtesy photo

Although chefs Daniel Berg and Dylan Salisbury only opened their first restaurant two-and-a-half years ago, they're on a roll, welcoming a third concept this fall. VanHorn’s, a New York-inspired steakhouse at 238 W. 2nd St., will offer an "approachable" take on a classic dining style, says a press release.

Berg and Salisbury certainly seem to have found a pace that works for them — and it's fast. In April 2023, they launched the buzzy Bill's Oyster, followed by food truck spinoff Bill's Dips in October 2024 and Teddy’s Restaurant & Bar in November. They're calling the restaurant group Berg & Sons Hospitality — not to be confused with Houston's Berg Hospitality Group.

Berg is from New York, and spent a significant portion of his culinary career there. The steakhouse will carry on some of those traditions — including sourcing steaks from New York City’s Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors, plus New York-inspired design by Johanna Barger and MMD Architecture — but the main narrative is about accessibility.

“With each of our restaurants, the vision has been to create a place where we would be personally excited to dine — in the case of VanHorn’s, that was a quintessential steakhouse experience in a beautiful setting,” said Berg in the release.

The dining room, bar, and patio will seat 95 guests, and feature warm lighting, wood, and leather details.

“Too often, steakhouses are associated with stuffy, corporate atmospheres with menus at price points too steep for regular dining," he specified. "We hope VanHorn’s will break tradition and become the neighborhood joint for locals: a place where guests can come in for a casual night out with friends or celebrate with a dry aged Porterhouse and Old-World red.”

Diners can expect a menu featuring prime dry aged cuts and signature dishes including braised lamb shepherd's pie and Dover sole. There will also be salads and sides built for sharing, plus a raw bar that changes with the seasons.

Burgers have always had a place on each Berg & Sons menu, and VanHorn's is also joining that tradition. (Perhaps this comes from Salisbury's experience as the executive sous chef and operation manager at Grub Burger Bar, which opened 22 locations with him onboard and was later acquired by Hopdoddy.)

On the beverage side, VanHorn's will serve "refined classic cocktails" and wines by the bottle at various price points.

“We’re excited to introduce Austin to VanHorn’s this fall and usher in a new generation of Texas steakhouse,” said Salisbury.

Out to Pasture

New hotel and restaurant open at historic Austin 'pastures'

Photo by Casey Dunn

Henry's gives a chic, updated look to an old property.

Mattie's at Green Pastures, a Southern restaurant on a historic property with famous peacocks, already felt like a retreat from the more urban parts of Austin. Now the property at 811 W. Live Oak St. has reached its hospitality potential with the addition of the Inn at Green Pastures, with 63 new guest rooms, a private pool, a lounge, a bar, and even a whole new restaurant called Henry's. Room reservations will open Friday, December 12.

The Green Pastures property in the Bouldin Creek neighborhood used to cover 50 rural acres, but now it's down to seven — still a healthy size considering its always-changing surroundings. The pièce de résistance is a 120-year-old Victorian farmhouse that was built by local minister and physician Dr. Eugene W. Herndon and later purchased by lawyer Henry Faulk, who moved his family in and ran the surrounding land as a farm.

By 1946, the owner's daughter Mary Faulk Koock and her husband, Chester Koock, turned the home into a restaurant — the first racially integrated restaurant in Austin, according to Green Pastures — and more family members stewarded the property until it was sold by a local investment group of more than 100 members in 2015. The restaurant became Mattie's in 2017.

The biggest news for Austinites is the new restaurant, which will be open day-to-night for morning coffee service, snacks, full meals, and cocktails. For now, it's just open from 4-11 pm, and will open in its full capacity starting December 12.

Foodies can still get the famous mini-biscuits from Mattie's, plus hot smoked salmon on a bagel, a hotdog with relish, a burger using beef from Grassfield Farm in Hondo (about 50 miles west of San Antonio), and grilled redfish with German potato salad. These dishes will be served in the restaurant as well as to guests in their rooms. Small plates like charcuterie boards and oysters will be available at the pool.

Henry's at Green Pastures hotdog Not everything at Green Pastures is fancy.Photo by Jessica Stephens

Cocktails aren't relegated to the nighttime hours. Guests can order a breakfast martini with gin, red berry liqueur, lemon and strawberry jam; then they can come back at lunch or dinner for a Hugo Spritz or a signature cocktail. Draft cocktails like an Artemis Cup, Back Porch Tea, and Espresso Martini keep things simple and can be served without alcohol.

For travelers and staycationers, the guest rooms and nine suites in the newly constructed, three-story hotel offer a "quiet, restorative retreat," according to a press release. Both room styles show off high ceilings and windows that maximize that height, plus hardwood floors, marble sinks, anddeep bathtubs. The suites are all named after wildlife that might be found on the property, and the building is shaped like an "L" to work around existing live oaks. Even parking is out of the way, hidden underground.

Inn at Green Pastures guest rooms The guest rooms keep things simple and serene.Photo by Casey Dunn

The new structure was designed by the highly regarded local architecture firm Clayton Korte. Its many recognizable projects include other historically sensitive builds, like major renovations just announced in November at Austin's Paramount and State Theatres. On the interior, local design studio Noah Marion is responsible for leather goods around the property including catchall tray, decor, games, apparel, and more that will all be for sale to guests.

Completing the resort feel, a luxury spa is planned for a 2028 opening.

Finally, the property will also be available for events, including weddings, with access to its gardens, event hall at Mattie's, and Green Pastures ballroom. A cottage also provides a space to get ready for the events to come.

Inn at Green Pastures The new addition looks nothing like the Victorian farmhouse it accompanies.Photo by Casey Dunn

“The Inn at Green Pastures is our way of offering guests a deeper connection to this special place,” said Jeff Trigger, chairman of the investor board and president of La Corsha Hospitality Group, in a press release. “Whether you're here for a wedding, a quiet getaway or drinks at Henry’s, we want every stay to feel personal, elevated and rooted in the beauty of Austin.”

Rooms at the Inn at Green Pastures start at $395.

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