Editor’s Note: It’s the end of an era. The last day of service for Hill’s Cafe is Sept. 12, 2018. As the sun sets, the string lights wrapped around the majestic oak trees seem to burn brighter. You know you’ve come to a special place in Austin: Hill’s Cafe. Hill’s Cafe has been a prominent part of […]
You Can’t Miss Torchy’s Tacos Flagship Location on South Congress
Guest article by Jonatan Contreras I’m new to Austin, and I was (quite unreasonably) excited to find out it has a pretty big Mexican food scene. Let me back up. I’m from El Paso, Texas, land of the border culture. In El Paso, every time a new Mexican restaurant pops up, we tend to wonder […]
Café No Sé on South Congress Combines Elegant and Funky
Although no se means “I don’t know” in Spanish, Café No Sé knows how to hold its own along one of Austin’s most well-known streets. From my perspective, South Congress Hotel serves as a peek into Austin’s future. The minds behind this hotel that hosts Cafe No Sé are greater in number than Austin’s typical local business, but this doesn’t mean […]
Yard Dog Gallery: Folk and Outsider Art on South Congress
For almost 20 years, Yard Dog Gallery has resided at 1510 S Congress Ave. When I first moved to Austin and visited the South Congress shops, I was excited to find a gallery space full of intriguing art. Since my curiosity was piqued back then, I’ve always wanted to know more about this space and […]
How to Dress Like an Austin Local
Guest article by Dawn Sarnecky Every Austinite knows that dressing appropriately for the Texas weather is an absolutely necessary task each day. The trick is to be comfortable as the beads of sweat drip down during summer and to be cozy during the winter (a.k.a. fall?). If you to dress like an Austin local with […]
South Congress Opens House on First Thursday
I’m always excited to find our city supporting local artists, like you’ll find at 23rd Street Artists Market. It’s even cooler when it’s a whole neighborhood affair. First Thursday Is About Community For several years now, businesses of all sizes have been congregating on South Congress Ave. for a monthly event called First Thursday. You can probably guess […]
SoCo’s Hotel San Jose Holds Charm for Austin Locals
You may be familiar with Hotel San Jose, or its big red Jeep parked out front, or the famous Jo’s coffee shop which sits in the hotel’s parking lot. But did you know you can listen to live music at the San Jose? Did you know you can have your tarot cards read at the […]
Battle of the Brunches Round 4: Magnolia Cafe
I knew when I started the Battle of the Brunches series that there was one place I had to include just for me, no matter how many shiny new brunch spots sprouted up in Austin or how many recommendations I received. Long-Term Love Magnolia Cafe has been a longtime favorite of yours truly (along with most Austinites) […]
Battle of the Brunches Round 1: South Congress Cafe
Today marks the beginning of a six-part series entitled Battle of the Brunches, where a handful of the hundreds of brunch-serving spots in town will be evaluated based on the rigid criteria of deliciousness, enjoyableness, and overall awesomeness. All six spots have been previously determined to be well above average, so think of my series as more […]
Old, Quirky Treasures Fill the Shelves at Austin’s Uncommon Objects
Are you looking for some alabaster eagle bookends? How about a meat puzzle or some vintage typography? Whatever tickles your fancy, you’ll most likely be able to find something of interest at Uncommon Objects. It’s best to go without a particular item in mind and see where you end up. The shop offers you a […]