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Midway Food Park Offers Good Food and Family Fun

May 15, 2014 by Matthew Champion Leave a Comment

Busy day at Midway Food Park (Photo credit: Midway Food Park)

Editor’s Note: Midway Food Park shuttered in 2018.

Texas weather can be crazy, but living in Austin does provide you with a hefty share of beautiful days throughout the year. A good place to take advantage of those pretty days is the Midway Food Park, which offers a variety of fresh cooking and has plenty of room to stretch your legs and let the kids run all their energy out before they get home.

Midway Food Park is right off 360, about a mile shy of Westlake just past Barton Creek Mall (1905 S. Capitol of Texas Hwy). It’s also a stone’s throw from the Greenbelt, if you’re looking for more outside activities afterward. It has ten food trucks, a nice playground, an air-conditioned restroom trailer, plenty of parking and ample space to grab a table or spread out a blanket and eat picnic-style. [Read more…]

Best Austin Craft Beer Joints: Porter Ale House and Gastropub

April 21, 2014 by Edgar Barguiarena Leave a Comment

Your friendly neighborhood bar, set to the background of South 1st traffic

Editor’s Note: Porter Ale House closed on July 27, 2017.

The craft beer scene in Austin is blowing up. For every new brewery that opens, there are at least three bars that pop up, eager to serve you the best local beers that Austin has to offer.

Continuing the tradition Eric started with his Best Burger Joint in Austin series, I’m profiling and reviewing the best craft beer joints in Austin, with the occasional stop or two at bars that have room for improvement. I’ll take into consideration everything from beer selection to ambiance to overall value, and everything in between.

Please join me as I try to catalog your favorite watering holes in Austin, and let me know what you think in a comment below.

First Impressions: Porter Ale House and Gastropub

The 78704 zip is home to plenty of good bars and some of the best restaurants in town, but it was never quite considered a craft beer destination. The opening of ABGB last year started to change that reputation and the recent debut of Austin’s first dedicated craft beer bottle shop, Whichcraft, further solidified this status. Further south, just within the boundaries of the 78704 zip code on South 1st near 71, Porter Ale House and Gastropub is another welcome addition to the now thriving craft beer scene in South Austin. [Read more…]

Winflo Osteria: Modern Italian Gem in Old West Austin

March 10, 2014 by Samantha Champion Leave a Comment

Editor’s Note: Winflo Osteria closed at the end of March 2018.

If you’re over the age of 22, you’ve probably already realized there is a Sixth Street beyond Congress Avenue. In fact, it extends west of Guadalupe, even beyond Lamar. This is Old West Austin, where historic charm and fresh modernity seamlessly blend together to create a different kind of Sixth Street.

Between Mopac and Lamar, the cracked sidewalks of West Sixth are lined with restaurants brimming with laid-back coolness. Among them are seasoned (pun intended) favorites like Z’Tejas (1110 W 6th), Cafe Josie (1200B W 6th), and Sweetish Hill Bakery (1120 W 6th). Newer additions to Old West Austin include Clark’s Oyster Bar (1200 W 6th), Blake’s On Sixth (1221 W 6th), and my favorite, Winflo Osteria (1315 W 6th). [Read more…]

New Cafe Causing Coffee Ruckus in Downtown Austin

February 21, 2014 by Lizzy Newsome 2 Comments

Cafe Ruckus is located at 409 W 2nd St.

Editor’s Note: Cafe Ruckus closed in July 2017.

Every day, the population of Austin is growing. I have heard many different numbers thrown out, but they all point to the same thing. A booming population. While opinions vary on the growing influx to our fair city, one thing is certain…we are going to need more coffee.

If seating is scarce at your favorite wi-fi-enabled caffeine dealer, there is a new spot for you at Cafe Ruckus. Located in Austin’s new “Coffee District” (aka the 2nd Street District), this fresh locale is eager to win over new regulars. [Read more…]

Flipnotics Features Live Music Every Night of the Week

February 12, 2014 by Guest Blogger 2 Comments

Flipnotics is located at 1601 Barton Springs Rd. (Photo credit: KateBartonART via Flickr CC)

Editor’s Note: Flipnotics closed in March 2014 due to a rent dispute. So passes another well-loved local business.

This guest blog article is by Michal Ann Morrison.

Austin is the city of live music, with bluegrass being a popular intersection between a nod to the past and the youthful exuberance that celebrates it. Flipnotics, a coffee bar on Barton Springs that boasts live music every night of the week, showcases bluegrass on Monday nights that rivals any other venue in the city.

Gathering with friends at Flipnotics, with its spacious, covered patio area and cozy indoor seating, makes it easy to wile away the evening hours over a beer or espresso. Eaters of all kinds are welcome, with a menu offering pastries, breakfast tacos, vegetarian empanadas and vegan snacks. Hoboken Pie pairs deliciously with a local brew from behind the bar.

On any given night, you will see an eclectic array of patrons enjoying the laid-back environment, from devoted, Patagonia-clad college students to talented musicians with gray in their beards. But musically oriented or no, it would be hard to find anyone who wouldn’t enjoy the music coming from the indoor stage. [Read more…]

Chavez: Shawn Cirkiel’s Newest Restaurant Gets It Just Right

February 6, 2014 by Edgar Barguiarena Leave a Comment

Uttering the name Cesar Chavez in Austin can mean a lot of things to a lot of different people. For some, it evokes memories of the Mexican-American civil rights activist, Cesar Estrada Chavez, who co-founded the National Farm Workers Association. Many others are reminded of East 1st St. in downtown Austin, renamed Cesar Chavez Boulevard in 1993. And now, with the opening of Shawn Cirkiel’s newest restaurant, the Chavez name lives on as one of downtown Austin’s hottest new eateries. If the name Shawn Cirkiel sounds familiar, you might have been to one of his other downtown venues, Parkside or Backspace.

Chavez, housed inside the Radisson Hotel off Congress and Cesar Chavez, focuses on the various flavors that make up the history and culture of Austin, Texas. The menu combines the flavors that define Texas, the Southwest U.S., and traditional Mexican dishes and wraps them up with unique Austin flair. “It is all the flavors and food that we like to eat and cook with that we grew up with,” said Cirkiel. “For us, being from Texas, it’s a mixture of chiles, beans, rice, grilled meats, grilled fish, homemade tortillas, and [Read more…]

Savor the Past and Present at Freedmen’s Bar

February 3, 2014 by Matthew Champion 3 Comments

Freedmen’s Bar exterior at 2402 San Gabriel St. (Credit: Freedmen’s)

Editor’s Note: Freedmen’s is closing Aug. 31, 2018, at its West Campus location.

These winter months provide an ideal opportunity to savor mouth-watering BBQ and enjoy a warming cocktail or two. Freedmen’s Bar over in West Campus allows you to do just that in a cozy atmosphere that has aged like a fine wine or a hard cheese – well. The bar sits in a historic landmark that was built by former slave George Franklin nearly 150 years ago. Over the years, the building has housed everything from a church to a grocery store.

When Cuatro’s owner Cuatro Kowalski saw the space, he envisioned a place where you could drink fine whiskey and eat smoked meat with both your friends and your ancestors. He renovated the building with some modern touches and imported an antique bar from Brownsville, all while maintaining the classic elegance and charm that a century and a half naturally provides. [Read more…]

3 Austin Comedy Showcases You Can’t Miss

December 17, 2013 by David Thomas Leave a Comment

Matt Bearden drives the Punch! Showcase to continuously sold out shows

I should open this with a joke. After all, this is a comedy article. I won’t though. While I do have my moments, I will leave the jokes to the professionals and simply tell you where to find them.

Comedians come with different styles, personalities and preferences. For some reason, folks don’t always understand this. Brendon K. O’Grady, local comedian and co-host of the Sure Thing showcase, put it into perspective: “Comedy should be treated like music. You don’t go to a concert, hate the band and the next time you get invited to a concert say, ‘Oh, I went to music once. I didn’t like it.’”

Showcases are designed to fight this perspective by giving options to audience members. I have three Austin comedy showcases you should definitely attend to test your taste in comedy. [Read more…]

Old Austin Still Alive at North Loop Food Park

November 29, 2013 by Dustin Vegas Leave a Comment

Photo credit: North Loop House & Yard

The North Loop House & Yard is a slice of Austin located just off of 53rd and Airport Blvd. Despite showcasing some of our city’s most unique food and people, it’s an easy place to pass without noticing. If you get the chance, stop by. You won’t be disappointed.

This small cluster of trailers is the center of Austin renaissance. Many Austinites are worried about how quickly Austin is changing. Dozens of people (including me) move here every day. The massive growth of our city has been good in many ways, but there are some who are concerned about Austin losing its weird, “small town” vibe.

Enter our own North Loop food park, taking a Braveheart-like stand for Austin’s traditions and neighborliness. Oh, and food. They do a lot of that, too. [Read more…]

Departure Lounge Takes Dine and Dash to a Whole New Level

November 25, 2013 by Edgar Barguiarena Leave a Comment

Departure Lounge in downtown Austin is cozy and comfortable

Editor’s Note: Departure Lounge closed its downtown location in July 2017. Owner Keith Waldon plans to open a new location in the airport.

Austin loves to mix things up. We want great food and drinks while watching the latest releases at the Drafthouse, or a quick round of embarrassing karaoke after rolling a few frames at The Goodnight. Austin entrepreneurs are taking mixed-use concepts to a whole new level. The latest to hit the downtown scene is a travel agency with a wine bar built in. Or maybe it’s the other way around? [Read more…]

First Impressions: Porter Ale House and Gastropub

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