Amid the COVID-19 pandemic affecting Texas, Austinites remain vigilant by supporting Austin area restaurants with limited dine-in and takeout options. Despite the devastating impact to the hospitality industry, area chefs and restauranteurs continue to push forward to open their establishments, inviting guests for in-house dining wherever possible, as well as takeout and curbside options.
See our list of the newest restaurants and eateries to open in the greater Austin area.
Jump Ahead To
612 West 6th Street | Verbena, a new restaurant adjacent to the Canopy by Hilton, is helmed by Chef Nic Yanes of Juniper and Uncle Nicky’s. Verbena features an open kitchen and wood-burning hearth. with an eight-person, chef’s table is thoughtfully positioned along the open kitchen for optimal viewing. In the 60-seat main dining area, Verbena will feature a grab-and-go morning coffee counter with house-made pastries and breads and handcrafted espresso beverages in the morning. The evening menu delivers a menu reminiscent of old-world farm to table fare that is artfully composed in a modern presentation to delight guests. Patrons can expect a well-rounded menu with an assortment of perfectly balanced seasoning and light sauces to enhance natural flavors.
1530 Barton Springs Road | Austin Eastciders has opened its second taproom and first restaurant on Barton Springs Rd, formerly occupied by Uncle Billy’s Smokehouse leading to the iconic Zilker Park. The new location offers a menu that features cider brined cured meats, pizzas, sandwiches, salads, and other sharables that deliciously pair with their cider creations. Restaurant operations expert Harlan Scott is the lead consultant and operations manager that has recruited the culinary team lead by Ben Cachila, to create the ultimate casual experience for all. The new space boasts a spacious contemporary open-plan, including an outdoor area, which highlights a cider garden viewable from Barton Springs Road, a small play area for kids, and a walk-up coffee and cider window.
2304 Lake Austin Blvd. | The newest Tumble 22 location is located in the previously believed Magnolia West spot. The Tumble 22 team took great care when revamping the space to continue to honor the Magnolia location’s legacy and highlight its impact on the Austin community over the years, including a magnolia mural. Current hours of operation are 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Sunday – Thursday and 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. There is limited patio and dine in seating available and curbside pickup is also available through online ordering HERE.
109 Jacob Fontaine Lane, Suite 600 | Bennu Coffee’s new location features a spacious library design motif complete with a secret door, and plenty of room for distanced seating, one-way customer flow and will have plexiglass dividers for ordering and some seating areas. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the new location is forgoing an opening event for an ongoing open house style approach in order to allow people to safely visit the new location. Parking is available in the free covered parking garage and masks will be required on the premises unless seated at a distance of six feet or more indoors. Outdoor seating areas are also available in the plaza.
11410 Century Oaks Terrace #112 | Opening in mid-August, Sweet Paris Crêperie & Café is opening its first Austin location at The Domain in mid-August! Sweet Paris is an irresistibly charming restaurant offering an extensive selection of sweet and savory crêpes, waffles, salads, paninis, soups, milkshakes, hot drinks, and wine. Sweet Paris is excited to be partnering with the Central Texas Food Bank with its ‘Eat Here, Feed There’ initiative to raise funds for the local community. Diners will be able to purchase three special crêpes on the menu designated by the Central Texas Food Bank logo. For each of these crêpes sold, Sweet Paris will donate one meal to help children in need.
8023 Burnet Road | Bao’d Up has recently celebrated the opening of its newest location at Kitchen United Mix on Burnet Rd. in North Austin. The restaurant’s new app facilitates contact-free service and is available to download from the App Store and Google Play Store. Technology has always been important to Bao’d Up since co-founder Alex Wu came from a tech start-up.
8023 Burnet Road | The craft-casual concept known for its gourmet all-beef hot dogs, handcrafted sausages, humanely raised Black Angus beef burgers, one-of-a-kind fried chicken sandwiches – is now serving “The Absolute Würst” to everyone in Austin! Located in Austin’s Kitchen United facility, Guests are invited to order via the Kitchen United website to order from a selection of Dog Haus’ seven signature hot dog creations, featuring all-beef handcrafted dogs with premium toppings, served on grilled King’s Hawaiian rolls.
8023 Burnet Road | Created by Dog Haus’ founders, The Absolute Brands is a new restaurant group comprised of Dog Haus and eight unique concepts. Each new concept offers items that are off-shoots of Dog Haus’ signature menu. These concepts will be available to order from Kitchen United Austin and third-party delivery apps. Each kitchen is open every day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Delivery and pickup orders can be placed online through kitchenunited.com or via third-party delivery apps, such as GrubHub or DoorDash. Customers can also order onsite using kiosks at Kitchen United.
4005 W Parmer Ln | Aviator Pizza & Drafthouse recently opened their 4th location and 250 seat beer gardent for limited occupancy seating. Five minutes from the new Apple campus and in the heart of multiple family-friendly communities, Aviator North will sell pizza by the slice (only available at Aviator North) and grab and go options such as salads and sandwiches. The outdoor space boasts a 5000 sq. ft. beer garden with an updated playscape, covered seating, beer garden tables, pendant lighting, and plans for a stage to host a weekly live music series. Aviator North has expanded their beer offerings and will have 50 taps with rotating beers and ciders and wine bar showcasing eight Texas wines.
FoliePop’s a new French pastry and coffee house at Hill Country Galleria, with online ordering only to start. The FoliePop’s space at the Galleria will open for retail and dine-in service in the coming weeks, dependent on COVID-19 developments. Guests are invited to preview the new family-owned concept and the innovative, never-before-seen pastries by Chef Antoine Chassonnery. Guests will be able to pre-order for pick-up and delivery starting on Sunday, Aug 2.
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New Orleans, LA - On October 22, 2024, I recently had an opportunity to attend the grand opening of Caesars New Orleans, marking the completion of a stunning $435 million transformation of the former Harrah’s New Orleans. It was an evening to remember, filled with excitement, luxury, and the vibrant spirit of New Orleans. The festivities began on Canal Street with an exhilarating ceremony led by Caesars Entertainment CEO Tom Reeg, President & COO Anthony Carano, and Caesars New Orleans General Manager Samir Mowad. The atmosphere was electric as they joined Caesar himself and an iconic New Orleans second-line band in a lively procession into the casino. It felt like the entire city had come out to celebrate, with Caesars New Orleans team members and Mayor LaToya Cantrell also joining the event to commemorate this historic occasion. Anthony Carano’s pride in introducing Caesars to New Orleans was palpable. “From local favorite Emeril Lagasse to our long-time partner, Chef Nobu, to the beautiful state-of-the-art Caesars Sportsbook, all-new rooms and gaming floor, and of course, our gorgeous new center bar, Octavia, Caesars New Orleans offers something for everyone. It’s a world-class resort in the heart of the Big Easy, and we can’t wait for our guests to experience it,” he said. The ceremony was a spectacle, kicking off with an iconic Mardi Gras float featuring Caesar and his court, and a dazzling firework show that lit up the New Orleans sky. The second-line band then led us revelers into the resort’s elegant center bar, Octavia, where we indulged in a “Taste of Caesars New Orleans.” Each bite from the six on-property restaurants was a delightful journey, capturing the essence of New Orleans’ rich culinary scene. Throughout the night, elemental entertainers, including the Saints Cheer Krewe, Mardi Gras Indians, Zulu Tramps, and showgirls, created an authentic and unforgettable Big Easy experience. Everywhere I turned, there was something new to marvel at, each performance more mesmerizing than the last. Samir Mowad, SVP and GM of Caesars New Orleans, highlighted the significance of the transformation, stating, “This year marks 25 years since we opened in New Orleans, and the completion of this project is the perfect way to usher in a new era with Caesars. Synonymous with the Caesars name, our new resort is pure elegance, and we’re excited to introduce a luxury brand like this to New Orleans. We are extremely grateful for the support of the community, our team members, and our guests as we come to the finish line of this tremendous transformation.” The hotel itself is impressive,…