Austin's Most Anticipated Restaurant Openings, Fall 2014

With temperatures topping 100 degrees, it might not feel like fall, but Austin's fall restaurant season is already off to a running start. Several long-anticipated projects preparing to open their doors, and many more new dining options are well underway. Modern Southern Olamaie will finally (finally!) open their doors later this month, and new projects from both the Uchi team and chef duo Rene Ortiz and Laura Sawicki are hot on their heels.

Looking further ahead, cult-inspiring burger chain Shake Shack's first Texas location will launch by the end of 2014. Read on for the latest updates on what's shaping up to be a busy, buzzy fall.

[Photo: Giant Noise/Official]

Olamaie

Address: 1610 San Antonio Street
Major Players: Michael Fojtasek, Grae Nonas, Ben Hickerson
The Situation: This very long anticipated modern Southern restaurant is finally getting ready to open. Co-owners Fojtasek and Nonas wowed Austin last fall with a series of pop-up dinners.
Projected Opening: Late August
[All Coverage of Olamaie]

[Photo: Jeff Amador/EATX]

Jacoby's

Address: 3235 E. Cesar Chavez
Major Players: Adam Jacoby, Kris Swift, Phillip Anderson
The Situation: Adam Jacoby's family restaurant in Melvin, TX serves as inspiration for this new outpost on East Cesar Chavez. The ranch-to-table menu will feature beef from the family's ranch and other seasonal preparations.
Projected Opening: August 20
[All Coverage of Jacoby's Restaurant and Mercantile]

[Photo: Nicolai McCrary/EATX]

Dai Due

Address: 2406 Manor Road
Major Players: Jesse Griffiths, Tamara Mayfield
The Situation: This new restaurant and butcher shop from the long time farmers' market stand and supper club is kinda-sorta almost open. Their butcher shop opened officially today, and they're serving up dinner to newsletter subscribers. Look for the forever opening soon, featuring their hyper-local Texan cuisine.
Projected Opening: Late August
[All Coverage of Dai Due]

[Photo: Sawyer & Co/Twitter]

Sawyer & Co

Address: 4827 East Cesar Chavez Street
Major Players: Stephen Shallcross, Mickie Spencer, Greg Randle
The Situation: This stylish mid-century inspired diner will serve New Orleans-style fare at approachable prices. Designer Mickie Spencer has gone seriously all-out on the modernist details, and Shallcross has been previewing a menu of new-school Cajun at his Swoop House supper club.
Projected Opening: Late August / early September
[All Coverage of Sawyer & Co]

St. Philip/Facebook]

St. Philip

Address: 4715 South Lamar
Major Players: Philip Speer, Tyson Cole
The Situation:
Projected Opening: Uchi director of culinary operations Philip Speer heads a project where dough is the canvas. Expect pizzas, pastries, sandwiches, and more casual Uchi-style small plates.
Projected Opening: Early fall
[All Coverage of St. Philip]

[Photo: Fork & Taco/Official]

Fork & Taco

Address: 4801 Burnet Road
Major Players: Casey Fannin
The Situation: Uchi alum Fannin has designed a menu of playful, fusiony tacos, often featuring fruit and meat pairings. The restaurant will also offer soft serve to the booming Brentwood neighborhood.
Projected Opening: Late August / Early September
[All Coverage of Fork & Taco]

[Photo: Meghan McCarron/EATX]

Launderette

Address: 2115 Holly Street
Major Players: Rene Ortiz, Laura Sawicki, Margaret Vera, Tracy Overath
The Situation: Ortiz & Sawicki will launch the first step of their dramatic transformation of a former gas station and laundromat this fall with Launderette. The team has been tight-lipped about menu details for the cafe, but expect approachable menu items and lots of Sawicki's ice creams. They will further transform the site with Szechuan take-out Angry Bear and a grocery in the coming months.
Projected Opening: Mid-October
[All Coverage of Launderette]

[Photo: Meghan McCarron/EATX]

Gardner

Address: 1914 E. 6th Street
Major Players: Andrew Wiseheart, Ben Edgerton
The Situation: This new project from the Contigo team will focus on vegetables, much in the way Contigo made its name with charcuterie and other meat-centric preparations. Their preview dishes at Austin Food & Wine wowed the crowd.
Projected Opening: October-ish
[All Coverage of Gardner]

[Photo: Meghan McCarron/Fixe/Official]

Fixe

Address: 500 W. 5th
Major Players: James Robert, Keith House, Zach Hunter
The Situation: One of two restaurants to open in the newly-constructed IBC bank building, Fixe will serve "progressive Southern cuisine" with a Louisiana accent.
Projected Opening: Fall 2014

[Photo: Patrick Michels/EATX]

Wu Chow

Address: 500 W. 5th
Major Players: C.K. Chin, Mat Clouser
The Situation: Swift's Attic owner C.K. Chin will open a modern Chinese restaurant with a serious focus on dim sum, also in the newly constructed IBC Bank building. In addition to working with Swift's Attic veterans Clouser and pastry chef Callie Speer, Chin will be drawing on his family's recipes and hiring talent with strong Asian cuisine credentials.
Projected Opening:Fall 2014
[All Coverage of Wu Chow]

[Photo: Courtesy of Al Fico]

Al Fico

Address: 1700 E. 2nd Street
Major Players: Jeff Courington
The Situation: Vino Vino owner Courington's new Italian project has been long in the works, and he tells Eater they're hoping to open by late October "if the city cooperates." Courington hopes to raise the bar on the city's Italian cuisine.
Projected Opening: October 2014
[All Coverage of Al Fico]

[Photo: Fork & Vine/Dick Clark Architecture]

Fork & Vine

Address: 3010 W Anderson Lane
Major Players: Camden Stuerzenberger, Brendan Puthoff, Nate Howry, Mason Wheeless
The Situation: Several alums of the now-shuttered Hickory Street have teamed up to open a creekside restaurant focused on wine and New American cuisine. Expect lots of patio.
Projected Opening: Early fall
[All Coverage of Fork & Vine]

[Photo: Monger's/Facebook]

Mongers Market and Kitchen

Address: 2401 East Cesar Chavez
Major Players: Roberto San Miguel, Shane Stark
The Situation: This fishmonger and restaurant will serve fresh gulf seafood both to dine in and to take home. San Miguel has long run his own seafood company, and chef Shane Stark previously cooked at Kenichi.
Projected Opening: Fall 2014
[All Coverage of Mongers Market + Kitchen]

[Photo: Black's Barbecue Truck/Twitter]

Black's Barbecue Austin

Address: 3110 Guadalupe Street
Major Players: Kent Black
The Situation: The legendary Lockhart institution will open an Austin branch, as well as a food truck. They'll be shipping up meat smoked in Lockhart daily for both stores.
Projected Opening: Early fall
[All Coverage of Black's Barbecue]

The original Lonesome Dove in Fort Worth[Photo: Malcolm Mayhew/EDFW]

Lonesome Dove

Address: 419 Colorado St.
Major Players: Tim Love
The Situation: Fort Worth chef and Austin Food and Wine Festival grill master Tim Love will invade Austin this fall with a branch of his Lonesome Dove Western Bistro. The Fort Worth branch features lots of taxidermy and meats like rattlesnake and antelope.
Projected Opening: Fall 2014
[All Coverage of Lonesome Dove]

[Photo: Peached Tortilla/Google]

Peached Tortilla

Address: 5520 Burnet Road
Major Players: Eric Silverstein
The Situation: This hyper-popular Asian food truck will go brick and mortar in Allandale. Expect their popular casual offerings, as well as larger entrees currently available at their pop-up dinners.
Projected Opening: Fall 2014
[All Coverage of The Peached Tortilla]

Counter 3. Five. VII

Address: 315 Congress, Suite 100
Major Players: Unknown
The Situation: Not much is known about this new tasting-menu only restaurant, but it is slated to open this fall. They will feature three, five, and seven course meals served exclusively at a large counter, as well as a wine and charcuterie bar.
Projected Opening: Fall 2014
[All Counter 3. Five. VII Coverage]

Shake Shack

Address: Lamar Union Complex
Major Players: Union Square Hospitality Group, Danny Meyer
The Situation: The hyper-popular burgers and custard chain will open its first Texas location in the new Lamar Union complex. They built goodwill (and lines) giving away free burgers at SXSW this year, and the mania should only grow from there.
Projected Opening: Very Late 2014
[]

Also tracking at Lamar Union: several other restaurant projects could open by very late 2014 in the complex. VOX Table and Cantine should both receive their spaces for build-out later this year. Here's a full guide to Lamar Union's massive number of restaurants.
· All Fall Tracking [EATX]

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Al Fico [CLOSED]

1700 E 2nd St, Austin, TX 78702