The Most Anticipated New Austin Restaurants, Fall 2015

Now that summer is almost over, it’s time to look ahead to fall and the bevy of restaurants that are about to open within this quarter of the year. Here is Eater's seasonal guide to the biggest upcoming openings, including Paul Qui’s hotly anticipated return to sushi, the Italian stragglers, and Spanish tapas.

Otoko

Location: 1603 South Congress Ave., SoCo
Major Players: Paul Qui, Jesse Herman, New Waterloo
Projected Opening: October 2015 January 2016
The South Congress Hotel will finally open on September 7, but sushi lovers will have to wait until next month later for empire building Paul Qui’s 12-counter-seat omakase restaurant. Tucked away in a windowless room accessible through a staircase in the hotel’s courtyard, the menu will feature Tokyo-style sushi and Kyoto-style seasonal kaiseki. Ticketed reservations using Tock will hover around $120. The hotel will also be home to two other restaurants, Central Standard (opening later this year) and Café No Se (Status: Now open).
All Otoko Coverage [EATX]

South Congress Hotel's plywood. [Photo: EATX]

Boiler Nine Bar + Grill

Location: 214 West Ave., Downtown
Major Players: Jason Stude, Jason Stevens, La Corsha Hospitality Group
Projected Opening: Fall 2015 Spring 2016
In the intriguing setting of the defunct Seaholm power plant, the four-story restaurant will showcase fire-focused cooking techniques, soon to be seen with the wood-fired grill in the open kitchen. There will be multiple bars, including one on the rooftop deck overlooking the Colorado River, and an intimate basement lounge.
All Boiler Nine Bar + Grill Coverage [EATX]

Boiler Nine Bar + Grill's plywood. [Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/EATX]

Bullfight

Location: 4807 Airport Blvd., Hyde Park
Major Players: Shawn Cirkiel, Parkside Projects
Projected Opening: Late August/early September 2015
With a preview this Saturday on August 29, Shawn Cirkiel’s next project is opening any day now. Using Spain as its inspiration, the menu features meats and cheese sourced from the country, tapas, elevated churros, and more. The wine list will be all-Spanish, with a focus on sherry and vermouth, and the bar will feature housemade gin and tonics.
Status: Now open
All Bullfight Coverage [EATX]

Bullfight's plywood. [Photo: Parkside Projects/Official]

Wu Chow

Location: 500 W. 5th St., Downtown
Major Players: C.K. Chin, Callie Speer, Stuart Thomajan
Projected Opening: Early fall 2015
Swift’s Attic’s modern Chinese venture will open its doors in downtown Austin this season after teasing the city with promises of dim sum (those soup dumplings) through pop-ups and tasting dinners. The staff includes former Toki Underground Howard Chang as general manager, and dim sum chef Ling Qi Wu, Callie Speer heading the sweets department.
Status: Now open
All Wu Chow Coverage [EATX]

Ling Qi Wu and Ji Peng Chen. [Photo: Wu Chow/Official]

Geraldine’s

Location: 605 Davis St., Rainey Street
Major Players: Frank Mnuk, Kyle McKinney, Jennifer Keyser
Projected Opening: Late September November 2015
Sharable feasts are the centerpiece of Uchi alum Frank Mnuk's hotel restaurant, named after the late Rainey Street mascot guinea hen. He snagged staffers from Barley Swine (Kyle McKinney) and Odd Duck (Stephen Bonin), with Contigo’s Jennifer Keyser heading the whiskey-heavy cocktail program.
Status: Now open
All Geraldine’s Coverage [EATX]

[Rendering: Courtesy of Geraldine's]

Emmer & Rye

Location: 51 Rainey St.
Major Players: Kevin Fink, Page Pressley
Projected Opening: Early fall 2015
The contemporary American fare from the other Rainey Street newcomer will be served two ways: small plates from the roaming dim sum cart service, or the seasonal menu, which changes weekly. The ode to grains will have handmade pasta and bread.
Status: Now open
All Emmer & Rye Coverage [EATX]

[Rendering: Kevin Stewart]

Juniper

Location: 2400 E. Cesar Chavez
Major Players: Nicholas Yanes
Projected Opening: Fall 2015
One of Austin’s newer Italian contenders will be from Nicholas Yanes, formerly of Uchi, with his take on northern Italian fare with a central Texan bent. Pastry chef Kerstin Bellah, who worked at St. Philip, joins him. The bar’s cocktail program will highlight gin and the East Cesar Chavez space will have an open kitchen and a 12 seat chef counter.
Status: Now open
All Juniper Coverage [EATX]

Juniper’s plywood. [Photo: Juniper/Official]

Small Victory

Location: 108 East 7th, Downtown
Major Players: Josh Loving, Brian Stubbs
Projected Opening: Fall 2015
Cocktail magic from the two industry veterans will happen on East 7th in the very intimate space dedicated to drinks, sherry, wine, and bar snacks.
All Small Victory Coverage [EATX]

[Rendering: Dick Clark Architecture]

Blue Cat Cafe

Location: 95 Navasota St., East Side
Major Players: Rebecca Gray
Projected Opening: September 2015
Cat’s the word for Austin’s first feline cafe, which Gray funded through Kickstarter and a lot of hustling. Inside the building, adoptable cats will roam catwalks in the comfortable setting; outside, a dedicated food truck will serve coffee and vegan dishes.
Status: Now open
All Blue Cat Cafe Coverage [EATX]

Blue Cat Cafe's plywood. [Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/EATX]

Al Fico

Location: 1700 E. 2nd St., East Side
Major Players: Jeff Courington
Projected Opening: Fall 2015
After three years of construction and delays, it’s finally Al Fico’s time. The osteria-style Italian restaurant will have Vespaio’s Clinton Bertrand as executive chef and Kendall Melton from Sugar Mama’s as pastry chef.
Status: Now open
All Al Fico Coverage [EATX]

[Photo: Al Fico/Official]

Barley Swine

Location: 6555 Burnet Road, Brentwood
Major Players: Bryce Gilmore
Projected Opening: Late fall 2015 January 2016
The news that Barley Swine was leaving its South Lamar spot for Burnet was a big one. The new space means Gilmore will be able to expand beyond the tasting menu and 60 minute happy hour with daily a la carte offerings, a full bar, and chef’s garden table.
All Barley Swine Coverage [EATX]

Barley Swine's plywood. [Photo: Barley Swine/Official]

Irene’s

Location: 506 West Ave., Downtown
Major Players: Andrew Curren, Craig Collins, ELM Group
Projected Opening: November/December 2015 January/February 2016
ELM Group’s next concept is focusing on New American. Diners can partake in counter-window breakfast, classic lunch, and dinner dishes like Philly cheesesteak and cast-iron steak. Enjoy boozy punches on the patio along Shoal Creek.
All Irene’s Coverage [EATX]

Irene's plywood. [Photo: Irene's/Official]

Voodoo Doughnut

Location: 212 E. 6th St., Dirty Sixth
Major Players: Kenneth "Cat Daddy" Pogson, Tres Shannon
Projected Opening: Mid- to late fall 2015
The iconic Portland doughnut shop chose Austin’s Dirty Sixth for its second out-of-state location. Along with the famed peculiarly shaped sweets and unpredictable signature flavors, the new space will feature music.
Status: Now open
All Voodoo Doughnut Coverage [EATX]

[Photo: Voodoo Doughnut/Official]

Spun

Location: 1912 E. 7th St, Suite C, East Side
Major Players: Ashley Cheng, Christina Cheng
Projected Opening: September 2015
Made-to-order ice cream using liquid nitrogen is on the way next month from the Cheng sisters. Expect flavors like dark chocolate, vegan coconut mint, and a seasonal fruit jam, with corn cookie crumble and cake croutons toppings. The opening special will be The Crackerjack: popcorn ice cream with salted caramel popcorn, brown butter powder, peanut brittle, and a hidden edible surprise inside.
States: Opening soon
All Spun Ice Cream Coverage [EATX]

[Photo: Spun Ice Cream/Facebook]

Also tracking:

— French and Southern influences combine this October next year at L’Estelle on Rainey Street.

— Dessert bar Nightcap from shuttered Kenichi’s Christin Rowan and Josh Matlock new executive chef Drew Dunston should open October 21 a November opening.

— East Side King Thai Kun's impending brick and mortar in The Domain’s budding new Rock Rose district is set to debut sometime in late fall or early winter.

— Austin is getting more Italian with Hotel Granduca’s Visconti out in Westlake in October. Status: Now open.

— Helmed by Patrick Pierce and Lorenzo Perkins from Cuvee Coffee and Caffé Medici respectively, Fleet Coffee will create coffee cocktails using tonics and botanical ingredients this September sometime this fall on 2427 Webberville Road.

— Along with Thai Kun, four new bars and restaurants are being added to The Domain’s Rock Rose this fall: 77 Degrees, The Rose Room, Saint Genevieve, and Jack and Ginger’s Irish Pub, all opening in the late fall.

— The campus institution Dog and Duck Pub’s move to East Austin is well underway.

— Bridget Dunlap’s often-changing East 6th restaurant will now tackle pizza with Burn this September. Status: Now open.

— Another relocation of an iconic Austin establishment, The Horseshoe Lounge is still working on its East Riverside home for a fall opening.

— Jodi Elliott’s making her boozy sweets dreams come true with the second location of Bribery Bakery. The bakeshop/dessert bar will open in late November as part of the AMLI at Mueller development.

— In-N-Out’s fourth Austin location on South Lamar is oh so close to being done.

— Pinthouse Pizza’s South Lamar expansion will have more room for brewing and diners this fall.

— Urban Outfitter’s foray into the restaurant game with Space 24 isn’t complete yet: it’s looking for a third vendor to join Pizzeria Vetri (Status: Now open) and Michael Symon’s burger spot for November.

— Cured meat and fish will be found from Lox, Box, and Barrel, run by Celtic Seafare’s Sebastien Caillabet, starting in November 1 January.

Stay tuned for winter: Bufalina Due, Flyrite.

Still unknown for 2015: Steampunk Saloon, Vinaigrette.

Not happening until 2016: Second Bar + Kitchen (second location), Easy Tiger (second location), Fresa’s Chicken Al Carbon (second location), Odelay and The Upper East Side, Musashino (relocation), Snooze, Coconut's Fish Cafe.