Downtown Food Hall Fareground Is Opening in January 2018

Austin’s first downtown food hall Fareground finally announced its opening date: Thursday, January 18, 2018. The space will feature the best of Austin's chefs and restaurants, curated by ELM Restaurant Group: Easy Tiger, Emmer & Rye, Dai Due, Contigo, Kome/Daruma Ramen, and Antonelli's Cheese Shop.

Some of those restaurants will offer different or specific menus. Dai Due Taqueria, from chefs Jesse Griffiths and Gabe Erales, will feature tacos (naturally) made with wild game and fish, as is the restaurant's predilection. Also on deck are tortas, molletes, salsas, and agua frescas. Tortillas and masa will be house-made with on-site milled Mexican heirloom corn.

Dai Due is previewing its dishes with a dinner on Monday, December 18, at its Manor Road restaurant. The menu includes tacos al pastor and de hongos, tortas, pambazo, churros, conchas, and more. The dinner is already sold-out.

Emmer & Rye will debut Henbit from chefs Kevin Fink, Page Pressley, and Tavel Bristol-Joseph, which will focus on locally sourced all-day menus. Think red fife kolaches with chorizo, breakfast burritos with cheese and chilies, redtail shrimp poke, crispy rice salads, spaghetti squash, as well as superfood lattes like matcha and spiced golden milk drinks. It looks like desserts cart Honeybit isn’t happening anymore.

Kayo and Take Asazu, the owners of Kome and Daruma Ramen, are mashing up their two restaurants into Ni-Kome, which will dish out nigiri, rolls, and chicken broth- and vegan-based ramen.

Easy Tiger will do what chef Andrew Curren does best: cured meats, sausages, and sandwiches. Pastries and bread will be made courtesy of baker David Norman. The two on-site bars will be overseen by ELM’s beverage director Craig Collins, serving draft beers, wine, sake, and draft cocktails. While the bar found within the food hall is opening in January, the street-level bar is opening later in the spring.

For Contigo’s downtown outpost, Andrew Wiseheart is sticking to his repertoire with burgers, rotisserie chicken, crispy greens, and more. Antonelli's will offer cheese and charcuterie boards, mac and cheese, grilled cheese sandwiches, soups, and melty raclettes.

Fareground’s full hours will be from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the weekdays, and then 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the weekends. Contigo, Dai Due Taqueria, Easy Tiger and Henbit will open in the mornings for breakfast. Antonelli’s and Ni-Kome will open at lunchtime.

Fareground is hosting a job fair on Monday, December 18 and Tuesday, December 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the food hall, as well as Easy Tiger, Antonelli’s, Contigo, Dai Due, and Ni-Kome. People are encouraged to bring their resumes to the Congress Avenue location.

• Austin's First Food Hall Fareground Announces An All-Star Lineup [EATX]
• All Coverage of Fareground [EATX]