New Rosewood Avenue Restaurant Highlights Southern Texas Fare in a Homey Setting

Rosewood, the once-mysterious Rosewood Avenue restaurant, is opening this month. The restaurant, found within the Victorian building that used to house East End Wines on the hill at 1209 Rosewood Avenue, will focus on South Texas cuisine and in-house, whole-animal butchering under chef Jesse DeLeon.

Update, May 10: The opening has been delayed after an incident last night with the wood fire grill. No one was injured, but the restaurant has delayed the opening to make the necessary changes to the heat barrier.

Update, May 18: Rosewood’s new opening date is on Friday, May 25.

The Central East Austin’s menu makes South Texas cuisine making use of Hill Country produce and meats, and seafood from the Gulf Coast. This means beef tartare with bone marrow and preserved egg served in the bone, barbacoa with fried egg mayonnaise and tostadas, shrimp jambalaya, glazed strawberries with goat cheese, and more. There will be whole fish at market prices as well as the chef’s choice based on what’s available that day.

As for desserts, pastry chef Aria Alba is whipping up takes on traditional sweets, like mint ice cream with chocolate buckwheat Swiss rolls and strawberry shortcake with mallow fluff and strawberry fennel compote. Then there are smaller desserts (interestingly referred to as “pintxos) like lemongrass-lime bars and cookies.

Logan Crable

Chase Daniel

Cocktails, under beverage director Benjamin Levario, feature updated approaches to classic cocktails. Take the gin and tonic with grapefruit and lavender or the sangria with grilled fruit. Beers are all Texas as well. The lengthy wine list, under general manager and sommelier Jeb Russell, is all about family-owned and sustainable wineries, which means a bunch of Texas places. Scope out the full menus below.

The building was updated by architecture firm Mark Odom Studio, keeping the homey look with the white fence patio, sprawling lawn with seating, and fun flamingo wallpaper in the bathrooms. There’s a bar area, main dining room private dining room, and the seven-seat chef’s counter.

DeLeon had helmed pop-up dinner series Victoria Provisions, which focused on a similar menu, along with Rosewood partners Chas Spence and Clark Evans. Alba previously worked at Mattie’s at Green Pastures, Odd Duck, and McGuire Moorman Hospitality

Rosewood will start out with dinner service, and eventually expand into lunch and brunch in the summer. Dinner hours are from 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

• Mysterious Rosewood Avenue Restaurant Will Focus on South Texas Food [EATX]
• All Coverage of Rosewood [EATX]