Food & Drink Archives - Page 58 Of 74

Austin’s Newest Brewery Preps for Biggest Beer Festival in U.S.

September 22, 2014 by Edgar Barguiarena 2 Comments

The spectacular views at Oasis Brewing are amongst the best at any brewery, anywhere in the country (Credit: Oasis Texas Brewing Company)

Hops, Grain, Yeast, Water. A combination of these basic ingredients drives competitive brewers and beer nerds alike to Denver every year for the Great American Beer Festival.

Just as the first snow begins to coat the top of the Rockies, breweries and beer fans from across the country gather at the Denver Convention Center for a three-day beer festival of epic proportions.

By the end of the festival, only a few of the 600+ breweries that formally enter the competition will walk away with a coveted GABF medal.

Bringing home a medal can put a brewery on the map. Just ask Josh Hare of Hops & Grain. In 2012, Hops & Grain brought home a gold medal for their ALTeration, a German style alt-bier.

Yes, bringing gold back to Austin before even celebrating your first anniversary in business buys you instant credibility. This is the level of success Spencer Tielkemeier of Oasis Texas Brewing Company hopes to achieve less than two weeks from now. [Read more…]

Cuvee Coffee Finds New Home in East Austin

September 15, 2014 by Matthew Champion 1 Comment

Cuvee Coffee Bar exterior

Cuvee Coffee has long been in the hearts of Texans and Austinites alike, and visiting their new location in East Austin is an experience you’ll want to have again and again.

The company, founded over a decade and a half ago, has taken their time opening a cafe for customers and fans, and it shows. Everything from the modern, stripped down decor to the individualized ordering process makes it obvious that a lot of thought and hard work were put into opening the operation.

I recently stopped by their new place (2000 E 6th) and was immediately greeted with smiles and genuine warmth, something you won’t find at every coffee shop in Austin.

Having never been there, I asked for a recommendation and was astounded by [Read more…]

Move Over, Pumpkin Spice Latte! 6 Local Autumn Treats

September 11, 2014 by Guest Blogger Leave a Comment

Guest article by Mia Moore

Like many others, as soon as the first autumn breeze hits, I go nuts for all things pumpkins spice. But I’ll be the first to admit that pumpkin is not the be-all, end-all of fall flavors. Apple, cinnamon, pecan, salted caramel, chai…there is so much more to choose from than your typical pumpkin spice latte.

This fall, why not challenge yourself to enjoy ALL the flavors of the season? Luckily, with Austin’s focus on keeping it local, many businesses offer seasonal treats for your delight. Here are a few of my personal favorite local Autumn treats.

Kerbey Lane Cafe – Pumpkin-Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Kerbey Lane Cafe pumpkin cinnamon pancakes (Credit: Kerbey Lane on Facebook)

It’s no secret that Kerbey Lane Cafe has a weekly pancake flavor. But once Autumn hits, Kerbey begins serving pumpkin pancakes and sometimes even pumpkin-cinnamon roll pancakes. With a pumpkin flavored base and cinnamon sugar swirl, one taste of these pancakes may inspire [Read more…]

Ranch to Table with River View at Jacoby’s

September 1, 2014 by Samantha Champion Leave a Comment

Jacoby's Restaurant and Mercantile Austin

Jacoby’s Restaurant & Mercantile on East Cesar Chavez in East Austin

Austin just gained something special, an exciting new addition to our city’s already impressive repertoire of dining and drinking options.

Jacoby’s Opens on Colorado River

Jacoby’s Restaurant & Mercantile opened its doors on August 20, 2014. Austinites are welcomed into a modern dining room with rustic overtones that leads out to an equally charming, breezy back porch. This ranch to table spot is located on East Cesar Chavez at the far east side of town, along the banks of the Colorado River. [Read more…]

You’re All in the Family at Eastside’s School House Pub

August 28, 2014 by Matthew Champion Leave a Comment

School House Pub Edgar and Christina Torres

Edgar and Christina Torres outside School House Pub

School is back in session, and there’s no better place to get “studious” than School House Pub in East Austin. Located off Manor Road among what seems to be an ever expanding collection of go-to bars and restaurants, School House Pub brings you inside the classroom where food and drinks are always allowed.

The small, but cozy interior is cleverly decorated with schoolbooks, chalkboards and charts galore. Their cocktails are quirkily named (Teacher’s Pet, Intro to Spanish, Extra Credit) and are some of the most reasonably priced in town ($7-9). When you walk in, look up and you’ll be staring at the pub’s flagship school bell hanging from a well-lit tower. [Read more…]

Best Austin Craft Beer Joints: North by Northwest

August 26, 2014 by Edgar Barguiarena Leave a Comment

Now this is how you do a Vertical! NXNW has a flight of their barleywine from the last 4 years on tap during the holidays.

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.

North by Northwest

What is the oldest, still active craft brewery in Austin? If you guessed North by Northwest because of the title of this article, you’d be wrong. But not by much. Live Oak lays claim to being the first still active brewery, founded in 1997. Having opened their doors just two years later in 1999, NXNW is a relatively close second. It’s hard to believe that one of Austin’s first brewpubs has been open for 15 years now. [Read more…]

6 Late Night Eats in Austin

August 26, 2014 by Cris Mueller Leave a Comment

Also check out our recently published – 20 Restaurants Open Late in Austin!

The time comes at the end of every great night when you hear the famous last words from your friendly bartender, “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.” In that moment, my mind goes a flutter with flashback images of every late night food venue I’ve stepped foot in. As this happens, my inner writer creates a list of the best places to find a bite late at night. Today, I’ll share with you exactly what this food flutter looks like…dessert first.

Sweets First

Mrs. Johnson’s Bakery

Freshly baked! Credit: Mrs. Johnson’s Bakery

Since 1948, Mrs. Johnson’s Bakery has been serving up hot donuts [Read more…]

Elizabeth Street Cafe Brings French-Vietnamese to South First

August 25, 2014 by Erin May 1 Comment

Elizabeth Street Cafe on South First Street in Austin

Influenced by the colonial history between France and what is now Vietnam, Elizabeth Street Cafe offers the quaint atmosphere and charm of a French bistro while serving complex and flavorful Vietnamese style food.

The appearance of the restaurant itself is picturesque, with sea green shutters, striped canopies and a pink door. Bright blue iron chairs topped with sea green cushions dot the patio. A large striped canopy and outstretched umbrella shade the waitresses, themselves a crucial part of the atmosphere, clothed as they are in Vietnamese inspired dresses with [Read more…]

4 Brunch Spots You AND Your Vegan Friends Will Love

August 21, 2014 by Guest Blogger 3 Comments

Guest article by Mia Moore

Brunch (noun): The lazy Sunday morning afternoon tradition of breakfast lovers who never wake up in time for proper breakfast.

First and foremost, I am a foodie. I love indulging in the unique food culture Austin has to offer, and brunch is by far my favorite meal. I’m also a vegan. While there are tons of awesome, vegan-specific businesses, I’ve struggled to find brunch options that would appeal to both me and my omnivore friends. Something tells me that my omnivore friends probably don’t want noochy tofu scramble for breakfast any more than I want bacon.

Through vigorous, brunch-eating research, I’ve compiled my top Austin brunch picks that will please both vegans and omnivores. If a restaurant offers gluten-free options, I have done my best to include them here too.

The Steeping Room

The Steeping Room (Credit: Laura Taylor via Flickr CC)

The Steeping Room lives up to its name with an impressively extensive tea menu, but the real beauty is how seamlessly it caters to a variety of diets. The menu is labeled to make substitutions for vegan and gluten-free diets a breeze. [Read more…]

Cypress Grill Brings the Bayou to South Austin

August 18, 2014 by Samantha Champion Leave a Comment

Fresh Gulf shrimp in our landlocked city at Cypress Grill

New Orleans will always hold a special place in my heart. The Mighty Mississippi, soulful music, and vibrant energy make up some of my favorite travel memories.

These memories immediately rush back the moment I step into Cypress Grill, a straight-from-New-Orleans cafe tucked back into a strip mall off of William Cannon Drive.

Despite its unassuming location, Cypress Grill creates an atmosphere that is true to both Austin and New Orleans, with a funky bar, walls covered in local art and a garage door that [Read more…]