Start your weekends early every Friday this summer with a special “Summer Fridays” happy hour at TRACE. The downtown restaurant is transforming its lush outdoor lounge, shaded by ample canopy coverage, into a “Secret Garden” this summer.      

Guests enter through the garden door before snapping a pic by the Instagram wall and lounging on the transformed patio complete with a breeze from nearby Lady Bird Lake. The ultimate secret hideaway (for sneaking out of work and kicking off the weekend early) presents a themed menu featuring light garden bites including English tea sandwiches, salmon rillette profiteroles, prosciutto flatbread, mini crab cakes, summer macarons, and more, with an option to order a la carte or three for $25.

To help cool down as temps start to climb are summer garden cocktails including the boozy sno cone, The “Chav” Can, (moet rose over a bellini snow cone); Salt of the Earth (Hendrick’s Gin, lemon, passionfruit, orgeat, topped with Austin Eastciders original and a pinch of salt); Rosé All Day spritz; The Petal and Thorn (hibiscus infused vodka, desert pear, fiery ginger, grapefruit soda, lemon); and many others. 

Frozen drinks and large format cocktails for the table including Summer Sangria and Hendrick’s Tea Party which turns your grandmother’s front porch tea on its head are also available. 

To celebrate the kickoff of TRACE’s Secret Garden and its new happy hour offerings, guests are encouraged to join on Friday, June 7 at 3pm, for complimentary light bites, bubbles and signature sips, as well as entertainment by Ruby Jane & The Reckless, and a living garden performer.

To RSVP for the June 7 kickoff party, guests are encouraged to visit traceaustin.com/secretgardenatx.