The Austinot

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Escape City Bustle with Charming Krave Wine Bar in Round Rock

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Krave Wine Bar Round Rock

Historic exterior of Krave Wine Bar in Round Rock

Take a trip to see our northern neighbors, down the humble, brick lined Main Street of Round Rock’s up and coming town center. There you’ll find Krave Wine Bar & Bistro on a bustling block of inviting, dimly lit picture windows overflowing with the warmth and charm you would expect from one of America’s safest and fastest growing cities.

Sister act Susan Mendenhall and Kim Hiler began scouting for this perfectly placed gem in 2011 with visions of a pastry shop venture.

Instead, the two conjured up a different kind of sweet spot. Krave Wine Bar & Bistro offers quality cuisine and a thoughtful menu of wine and craft beers that challenge downtown Austin wine rooms and leave the commute and overzealous crowds behind. [Read more…]

Hill Country’s Lewis Wines Characterizes the Future of Texas Wine

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Doug Lewis and Duncan McNabb Lewis Wines

Doug Lewis and Duncan McNabb (Photo credit: Texas Wine Lover)

This guest blog post is by Matt Champion.

The Texas wine industry is rapidly expanding every year, and it’s not just the big operations that are making noise. A little place called Lewis Wines, just outside of Johnson City, is a prime example of quality over quantity. The winery opened earlier this year and has been creating buzz ever since.

Owners Doug Lewis and Duncan McNabb (both in their twenties) met in college. They got their start working at Pedernales Cellars and haven’t looked back. [Read more…]

Eleven Plates & Wine: Extraordinary Food Amid Elegant Style

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Eleven Plates & Wine Fine Dining AustinThis guest blog post is by Meagan Vitek.

Editor’s Note: Eleven Plates closed in 2016.

Eleven small plates, eleven dinner plates and eleven wines line the menu at Eleven Plates & Wine in Austin. My curiosity about the concept and food resulted in a delicious dining experience last weekend.

Nestled among a cluster of shops along the scenic Capital of Texas Highway, Eleven Plates & Wine is just a hop away from the well-known Austin 360 bridge (the Pennybacker Bridge) overlook. [Read more…]

Texas Hill Country Olive Company Is Inviting Day Trip Destination

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Texas Hill Country Olive Company

Texas Hill Country Olive Company in Dripping Springs, TX

The end of 2008 found John Gambini sitting in a doctor’s office, reading an article in Texas Co-op Power Magazine about the fledgling olive oil industry in Texas. John loved the romance of the Texas Hill Country and had already decided that he wanted to plant firm roots in the area (pun intended).

But more than putting a stake in the ground, John wanted to do some pioneering, accomplishing something that would stand out from other Hill Country offerings. After reading the article, he realized that he could be one of the early pioneers in the olive oil industry in Texas.

So John set out with a dream: to create a destination-class olive oil business here in Texas.

And that’s exactly what he did. [Read more…]

Austin Food and Wine Festival Delights the Senses

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Austin Food and Wine Festival

Austin Food and Wine Festival at Butler Park

A foodie and wine lovers paradise, the Austin Food and Wine Festival gathers the top chefs in the country to participate in food competitions and cooking demonstrations.

Combine this with live music, countless food samples that make you melt, and the most exquisite wines and spirits and you have one hell of a party. [Read more…]

Have a Perfect Day in Driftwood: The Salt Lick & Duchman Family Winery

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The Salt Lick in Driftwood

Entrance to The Salt Lick in Driftwood, TX | Credit: Cris Mueller

This guest blog post is by Cris Mueller.

Just thirty minutes southwest of Austin is our coy, neighboring hill country town of Driftwood that offers a posh day-trip, worthy to share.

Don’t be fooled by its peaceful nature. Rather, open your palette to experience a day chock full of infamous Texas cuisine and wineries on the Texas Wine Trail.

It’s the greatest time of year to pack up the car, take out your camera and venture off to Driftwood for wide open Texas skies, colorful wildflowers and foodie pics to make mouths water. Although there are many ways to wander the beautiful outdoors of Driftwood, I recommend you include two stops: a lunch of traditional Texas BBQ and a picturesque family vineyard. [Read more…]

Austin Wine Bars: Apothe-Carry Me Home

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Exterior at Apothecary Austin Cafe & Wine Bar

Unassuming exterior at Apothecary Cafe & Wine Bar

Editor’s Note: Apothecary closed in May 2017.

Not every evening in Austin calls for beer and BBQ. We at the Austinot aim to find some of the town’s great wine bars too, where one can go after a rough day at work and just sit for a quiet glass of vino.

Which led me to Apothecary Cafe & Wine Bar one evening after work. Located in the Rosedale Village Center at 4800 Burnet, close to 45th Street, Apothecary is a bit difficult to find. The signage along Burnet are blink-and-you-miss-it. It was, in fact, my failure to find Apothecary that originally led me to Gusto. [Read more…]

Drinking with Gusto at One of My Favorite Austin Wine Bars

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Gusto is one of the best Austin wine bars

Good crowd even on a weeknight

Our guest blogger Rob Moshein has written about relaxing Austin wine bars downtown, but there also happen to be some great wine spots in North Austin that should be shared as well!

I first discovered Gusto Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar when I was on Burnet Road looking for another wine bar in the same neighborhood. Considering how I wandered in, lost and confused, it turned out to be a wonderful treat and surprise, boasting an impressive list and variety of wines.

And while Gusto is a great place to have some appetizers and a glass or two of wine, it also has delicious, fresh-tasting food and excellent happy hour specials. When we get just a LITTLE bit more warmth in Austin, we’ll really appreciate their fantastic outdoor patio space! [Read more…]

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