Members-Only South Congress Listening Bar Will Open to the Public

Soho House’s listening bar Dante’s HiFi, which had been operating only for members since August, is now going to open up to the public. Its public hours at 1011 South Congress Avenue, Building 2, Suite 100, begin on Friday, February 10

The bar features a high-end audio system with vintage speakers, plus loads of vinyl. There are also house cocktails and other drinks. The Austin Dante’s had been pegged to open for only a year, which means it’ll close down in August 2023.

Public hours are from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday, with reservations from 7 to 9 p.m. and 9 to 11 p.m. blocks; walk-ins are available too. Bookable reservations range from $25 to $30, of which will be used for the bar tab.

Nearby, Hotel Magdalena’s similar listening bar Equipment Room will open sometime this year.

New book and wine club

Central East Austin bookstore and wine bar Vintage is teaming up with Austin-based company Drink Boxt a new book and wine delivery service, Book Club in a Boxt. It’s $125 per month with the first delivery happening in March. It includes one Boxt delivery which contains its box of wine that is worth four bottles of wine, a book, a Zoom book discussion, a special members-only forum, and access to member parties every quarter. The kickoff party takes place on Monday, February 13 from 5 to 8 p.m. Free RSVPs are recommended.

Restaurant closure

The restaurant that took over the original longtime Hudson’s on the Bend location in the Hill Country, Hudson’s Fine Hill Country Dining, closed in December, as reported by Community Impact. It opened in 2018.

Tracking Austin food events

San Antonio dessert pop-up Honeysuckle is back in action after taking a pandemic break. Now owner Sara Lauren Hinojosa will teach baking/decorating/cocktail classes. The first Cake & Cocktails takes place on Friday, February 10 from 1 to 3 p.m. in downtown Austin. The Valentine’s Day-themed event includes cupcakes and hibiscus-rose margaritas. Tickets are $57.46.

Diner Bar Austin chef and James Beard Award-winning Mashama Bailey is hosting a muli-part dinner series starting this month dubbed overall the Mashama Bailey in Residence. First there’s the Ones to Watch series, four-course dinners featuring Black winemakers from wineries such as La Fête du Rosé, McBride Sisters, and others. These take place from Thursday, February 16 through Saturday, February 18 with seatings at 5 and 8:15 p.m. Tickets are $125. The next series will happen in mid-May in conjunction with the Hot Luck Festival and then early September highlighting women chefs, cooks, etc.

Coming restaurants and the such

Austin chef Gabe Erales — who was fired from Mexican restaurant Comedor in December 2020 for harassment but still won Top Chef the next season in 2021 — announced that on top of his forthcoming downtown restaurant Bacalar that he is also opening a casual taco/agua fresca/coffee shop called Tomalo, as reported by Austin Business Journal. Both are opening in the spring in the 44 East Avenue development in Rainey.

International hotel chain CitizenM is opening an Austin location this year at 617 Colorado Street in downtown. It’ll include a rooftop pool and bar that will only be available for hotel guests. The bar will serve up cocktails, mocktails, and other drinks, and will serve food. The hotel itself will include a breakfast buffet. This is the brand’s third rooftop pool, including two in Miami.