The Austinot

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Hill’s Cafe, South Austin Landmark Since 1947

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Hill's Cafe Sign South Austin

Texas sunset at Hill’s Cafe (Credit: Jessica Pino)

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 south Austin since 1947. Over the years, it has provided the backdrop for many musical nights and has given locals a place to get Texas comfort food.

Here are the reasons Hill’s Cafe might become your new favorite spot. [Read more…]

You Can’t Miss Torchy’s Tacos Flagship Location on South Congress

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Torchy's Tacos Flagship South Congress

Torchy’s Tacos flagship location on South Congress (Credit: John Cabuena)

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 “Another one?” Needless to say, I know my way around a taco. Which, ironically, was the reason I was excited to try out Austin staple Torchy’s Tacos. Word in town was, a flagship location had just opened on South Congress Avenue, where Fran’s Hamburgers used to be.

Torchy’s Tacos, you did not disappoint. [Read more…]

Café No Sé on South Congress Combines Elegant and Funky

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Cafe No Se on South Congress in Austin

A visit to Café No Sé is a sweet treat for any patron. (Credit: Nick Simonite)

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 they’re any less invested in the spirit of our city than the mom and pop shop down the street. These Austin entrepreneurs have gone to great lengths to grow their hotel with Austin, as the city changes from a once-hidden gem of a town to a top destination. They acknowledge and embrace the cranes permanently caressing the skyline, but strive to preserve the infamous weirdness that put this city on the map. [Read more…]

Yard Dog Gallery: Folk and Outsider Art on South Congress

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View from the entrance of Yard Dog

View from the entrance of Yard Dog

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 the artists whose work lines the walls. Last week, I spoke with owner Randy Franklin about what makes Yard Dog a uniquely Austin art gallery.

Defining an Art Gallery

Jan, Randy’s wife, had considered the idea of a Southern Folk Art gallery for a while. Once the perfect space opened on South Congress, they had to act fast to get started. They dove in without a business plan, consulted their folk art book collection and reviewed art shows done in museums in order to track down artists. From there, Yard Dog was born. [Read more…]

How to Dress Like an Austin Local

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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 wardrobe pieces no one else will have, skip the mall action and check out these local stores.

Tip of the Brim at Hatbox

Hatbox in Austin

Hatbox (Credit: Ashley Brinkman)

If you are looking to cover your dome from the severe sun with style, then look no further than

[Read more…]

South Congress Opens House on First Thursday

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First Thursday Austin

Vintage First Thursday (Credit: David Ingram via Flickr CC)

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 when this event takes place. Yes, the first Thursday of every month.

It is a neighborhood affair. The businesses up and down South Congress stay open late, many until about 10 PM. The bars in the area are known to offer drink specials for the monthly gathering, and parking areas and lot spaces are opened for artists to set up tents and sell their wares. [Read more…]

SoCo’s Hotel San Jose Holds Charm for Austin Locals

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Hotel San Jose Austin

Ivy-covered facade at Hotel San Jose (Credit: Bunkhouse Group)

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 San Jose? And most importantly, did you know you don’t have to be a guest to enjoy these events or to simply hang out in the lounge and bar area? Yes, you read that right. One of the best kept secrets in Austin is [Read more…]

Battle of the Brunches Round 4: Magnolia Cafe

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Magnolia Cafe Sign

Magnolia Cafe has two locations: one off South Congress and the original on Lake Austin Blvd.

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) for as long as I can remember. There’s just something about the tacky tables, flying dinosaur, Mag Mud and hibiscus mint tea that I just cannot get enough of.

As a teenager, queso at 3 AM seemed rebellious, and in college I constantly dragged my boyfriend and our friends to the vegetarian-friendly joint for the meatless Reuben.

Even now, as a sleeping, meat-eating adult, Magnolia is still on the top of the list of my favorite places to go. [Read more…]

Battle of the Brunches Round 1: South Congress Cafe

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South Congress Cafe Austin

South Congress Cafe is located at 1600 S Congress Avenue. (Photo credit: 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 of a brunch bucket list than a head-to-head bloodbath, if you will. I just really liked the image of quiche and frittata going at it in some underground fight club.

To kick us off, I’m honing in on what seems to be one of the most beloved brunch spots in Austin: South Congress Cafe. Nestled neatly among other ’04 favorites such as Vespaio, Uncommon Objects and Home Slice, South Congress Cafe has been serving some of the best food south of the river since 2003. Owned by the same folks as Trudy’s, South Congress is like the Tex-Mex joint’s hipper, more sophisticated sister. [Read more…]

Old, Quirky Treasures Fill the Shelves at Austin’s Uncommon Objects

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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.

Meat Puzzle at Uncommon Objects Austin

Meat puzzle at Uncommon Objects in Austin

It’s best to go without a particular item in mind and see where you end up. The shop offers you a chance to step into the past and explore with as much depth as you please. With over twenty dedicated vendors working together to create a one-of-a-kind medley of items, there’s no telling what you’ll stumble upon. [Read more…]

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