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When I walked into Central Machine Works, the first word to leave my mouth after picking up my dropped jaw was, “Whoa!” The sheer size of the place, along with the hustle and bustle, compels you to see what all the buzz is about. Turns out it’s quite a lot!
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There are three sections of Sixth Street in Austin: West, East, and what locals refer to as Dirty. West Sixth is the section of Sixth Street that runs west from Congress Avenue. For the most part, the nightlife scene ends at North Lamar Boulevard.
For locals, Dirty Sixth runs from Congress to I-35 even though technically, and according to street signs, East Sixth Street starts at Congress Avenue and runs east. But when you hear locals talk about East Sixth, we are referencing anything east of I-35. Don’t get confused by the street signs; you’ll be talking like a local in no time.
East Sixth as we know and love it today is an eclectic blend of shops, restaurants, dives, and cocktail bars. It’s also quite new–in relation to Dirty or West Sixth–with the gentrification of east Austin surging in the past 10 years.
Here are 15 of my favorite East Sixth Street establishments you won’t want to miss.
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After nine profiles on downtown speakeasies, my series is coming to a close. It’s been quite a ride, filled with cocktails that stretch the imagination (and the taste buds), secret entrances, ghost stories, and reminders of Austin’s rich history. This series has provided a glimpse into the speed at which Austin is changing, as well as the importance of not forgetting our city’s roots.
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If Dripping Springs is the gateway to Texas Hill Country, then Belterra Village is the gateway to Dripping Springs. Located halfway between Austin and Dripping Springs on Highway 290, Belterra Village is a booming community that continues to grow.
It’s called a village for a reason. It’s a 93-acre mixed use development with residences and retail space. In other words, it’s one of the Austin area’s newest adult playgrounds. You can spend a whole day exploring, or stop for a bite on your way to Dripping Springs for a day trip.
In this list, I highlight some of the Austin-based businesses that have found a home at Belterra Village.
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Guest article by James Lipari
The collaborative spirit of the craft beer industry is part of what draws so many of us to it. While individual breweries are direct competitors, they’re also often friends that regularly help each other out. And when you’re two of the newest breweries in town, joining forces to announce your presence is a strong move. Actually, you might go ahead and dub your collaboration beer “New Kids on the Block.”
New Kids on the Block is a real thing, a collaboration celebrating the 2019 openings of two Austin brewhouses. Central District Brewing marked its grand opening in May 2019, and Nomadic Beerworks subsequently opened in June. Both breweries have won accolades and fans in a short amount of time.
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Guest article by James Lipari
A short day trip to Texas Hill Country is always a good idea, and one of my absolute favorite destinations is Vista Brewing. The big, rolling property is perfect for a family outing. Here’s why.
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Austin patios are joyous gathering places for eating, drinking, people-watching, and–ideally–basking in the golden glow of the setting sun with a glorious view. Happily for us, we have Gabriela’s Downtown for all of the above.
Gabriela’s seems to have hit the ground running, almost immediately attracting friendly crowds to its beautiful patio. Besides tasty margarita flights, massive micheladas with over-the-top extras, and homemade horchata that alone is worth a visit, Gabriela’s also has great food.
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Guest article by James Lipari
With the new year approaching, I asked several Austin breweries to gaze into their crystal balls (or planning software, whatever), and tell us what magical things we can expect in 2020. Here’s the inside scoop on what they told us.
[Read more…]For the latest installment of my Austin speakeasy series, I visited Garage, a cocktail bar in–you guessed it–a garage. Like so many speakeasies in Austin, if you don’t know what you’re looking for, you may miss it.
Look for a parking garage on Colorado Street, directly south of Dirty Sixth. There, set back away from the street, is a set of doors where entering may stop time altogether. At least, I learned, that is the intent.
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Speakeasies tend to latch on to the creepy and salacious. During the course of my speakeasy series, I’ve visited horror film-themed bars, heard multiple stories of ghosts haunting the premises, and learned that brothels existed in the heart of Austin not long ago. When I found out Austin’s newest speakeasy is named after J. Stephens, who came to his end in the late 1920s via suicide, due to drinking the equivalent of Lysol, it felt rather on-brand.
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