The Most Anticipated Austin Restaurant Openings, Fall 2016

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Nadia Chaudhury is the editor of Eater Austin covering food and pop culture, as well as a photographer, writer, and frequent panel moderator and podcast guest.

While summer was surprisingly busy in Austin with a ton of openings, the beginning of a new season ushers along a fresh lineup of restaurants, bars, and breweries set to serve the city’s dining and drinking needs this fall. There are a few absolutely brand new restaurants, like the Chinese-American offerings of Old Thousand and sit-down barbecue cocktail spot ~~Rustic East~~ EastSide Tavern. Then there are established restaurants branching out, like Jacoby’s and Vox Table both dipping into Mexican fare, or Qui stripping away completely into simple Japanese eatery Kuneho. Plus, there are the usual leftovers from the summer.

See an impending restaurant opening missing below? Send it through the tipline. This guide will be updated throughout the season as details change and places open.

Also tracking:

— Iconic Green Pastures got a sprucing courtesy of La Corsha Hospitality Group, and the new digs will be unveiled sometime ~~this fall~~ winter 2017.

— Austin's favorite jam maker Confituras is opening up a cafe and shop this ~~October~~ winter on South Lamar, with those lovable spreadables, coffee, fruit sodas, tea, and grab-and-go lunch and breakfast items. It’ll also host pop-up dinners and events.

— Conveyor belt sushi makes its way to Austin when Kula Revolving Sushi expands to the city, alongside with Asian supermarket and food court 99 Ranch, which will open later. Update: Kula will open in February 2017.

— Local sandwich shop Austin Daily Press is expanding with a second location with a bakery, indoor seating, and a slight reangling on Tex-Mex fare with its new location on East Cesar Chavez in ~~November~~. Status: It'll open in early 2017.

— While El Chipiron, the Spanish tapas restaurant on the corner of South Lamar and Manchaca, had been delayed, it’s looking to start plating out pinchos and plates in ~~early October~~. Every drink served (there’s an emphasis on gin and tonics) will come with a free tapa. Update: The opening has been postponed to sometime ~~this fall~~ winter.

— In & Out’s Austin-area takeover is going strong, with the opening of the Tech Ridge drive-thru in about a month, followed by the campus one on Guadalupe in a few months after. Status: Tech Ridge is open, Guadalupe is now open.

— On the heels of Second Bar + Kitchen’s Domain debut in the Archer Hotel, the original downtown location’s takeover of departed sibling Congress will be completed ~~in October~~ in the winter. Cocktail fans, this means that Bar Congress will reopen, too.

— The shuttered Dallas Nightclub will become The Local Post under the eyes of Union Venture Group (the business behind the Rock Rose block of bars), becoming a neighborhood spot with food and drink sometime in ~~late fall~~ in the winter.

— Many breweries are coming to Austin. First, there’s Austin’s St. Elmo, ~~soft~~ opening in ~~October~~ November with a taproom full of beers, coffee, and Southeast Asian food trailer Soursop, found within The Yard (not to be confused with the nearby St. Elmo Public Market) on Saint Elmo Road. Then there is Idle Vine out in Pflugerville, debuting in late October with a taproom. Lastly, Sud’s Monkey Brewing is ambitiously aiming for an early fall opening on Circle Drive. Statuses: St. Elmo is now open.

— Downtown’s booze boom continues with Belgian beer bar Mort Subite, soft opening in September serving drinks from the country and elsewhere in Europe. Keep an eye out for bottle sabering, available for special occasions. Status: Now open.

— Find waffles, coffees, and swinging seats when Factory opens very soon on West Anderson Lane. Status: Now open.

— 27/7 cupcake vending machine? The dream will become a reality when Sprinkles opens in Domain Northside in ~~November~~ winter. Alongside the vending machine, the bakery will dish out cupcake sundaes, shakes, and cupcake ice cream sandwiches.

— A Clockwork Orange-inspired bar is coming to East 12th Street with the eventual opening of Moloko, with a very surreal vibe and cocktail menu to match. Status: Now open.

— Vegan gastropub Beer Plant, focusing only on plant-based food and drink, is coming oh so soon this fall. Status: Now open.

— Dive bar Horseshoe Lounge’s rebirth on East Riverside is still pending, but hey, there’s a liquor license now.

— The revamp of Hudson on the Bend, under new ownership, will be brought to light in October, flashing a wine cellar and expanded patio, plus mostly the same menu. Status: Now open.

— Hopdoddy Burger Bar gets bigger with its third Austin-based expansion in the Triangle, opening on Monday, September 19. Status: Now open.

— As part of the Hilton Austin’s renovations, the first of two new restaurants, Cannon + Belle, will open in mid- to late October under chef Peter Maffei (of the hotel’s shuttered Finn & Porter) with Texas eats and drinks. Status: Now open. The second, Austin Taco Project, will follow.

— Italian surges on with Red Ash from the original founders of Eddie V's, opening in mid-September in downtown Austin with pastas, a full bar, and more. Status: Now open.

— Fast casual Mediterranean is still in the works for campus with Mezze Me with meaty shawarmas, falalfel, and more, ~~coming this October~~ winter.

— Also heading to the Domain Northside is California chain Paul Martin’s American Grill, opening in October with familiar fare. Status: Now open.

— Nordstrom restaurant Bazille debuts with the rest of the upscale department store in the Domain Northside on Friday, September 30. Status: Now open.

— Icenhauer’s downtown bar Sellers took over Castro’s Warehouse on West 4th Street, turning the space into a cocktail bar with a lot of drinks with a ’70s basement lounge vibe, opening in mid-October. Status: Now open.

— Healthy chain Flower Child joins the party in Rock Rose in late fall, doling out fast casual customizable eats like grain bowls, salads, and wraps. The expansion comes via Sam Fox, who is helming Culinary Dropout (see below), as well as True Food Kitchen in Seaholm and North Italia). Status: Now open.

— Rock Rose gets another gastropub with the expansion of Culinary Dropout this fall, with the usual fare and drink. Status: Now open.

— Dual Italian restaurants Gatto Nero and Enoteca Gattino were supposed to open on East 6th Street. ~~this spring~~ The opening is unknown at this point.

Winter 2016/2017: B.D. Riley, Brewtorium, Bonhomie, Chez Nada, Employees Only, Feral Tuna Brewing, Flemish Fox Brewery, Greater Goods, Halcyon, Home Slice (North Loop expansion), JT Youngblood’s, Lick Honest Ice Creams, Modern Market (downtown expansion), Native, Oddwood Ales, P. Terry’s (Lake Creek Parkway expansion), Pitchfork Pretty, Stella Public House, Stone House Coffee Bar, Sway (Rock Rose and West Lake Hill expansions), Taco Bell Cantina, Velvet Taco, Vigilante