Campus Bar Cain & Abel’s Is Closing but Will Reopen Somewhere Else

Campus bar Cain & Abel’s is going to close at the end of April because of a forthcoming development, as reported by Statesman. The 2313 Rio Grande Street building is going to be demolished for student housing. Cain owner Ellis Winstanley tells the newspaper that he plans on moving the business into a yet-to-be-disclosed location, which will open before the original bar (which opened in 1991) closes.

Recently, Winstanley closed one of his other businesses, Abel’s on the Lake at the end of 2022, declining to renew the lease. That space is being turned into a new location for Mexico-based restaurant Quince later this year.

Natural wine festival

Natural wine and fermentation festival Wild World is back this year with a new location. This time it’ll take place at East Austin Mexican restaurant Nixta Taqueria on Sunday and Monday, April 23 and 24. On deck will be natural winemakers and fermenters with samples and panel discussion, plus a food stand by the host restaurant with New York City seafood restaurant Dame. Tickets are $99 for both days. Founder Byron Bates started Wild World in 2019, which had taken place at Hill Country brewery Jester King, until this year. Hours are from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday and then from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday.

There’s also a special dinner with Nixta and Dame taking place on Saturday, April 22 with 6 and 8 p.m. seatings. The prix fixe menu will include dishes like smoked mussel and cucumber tostadas, grilled quail with mole negro, and trifle. Tickets are $225.

Hotel cafe opening

Zilker hotel the Loren opened its on-site cafe today, Monday, April 10. Cafe at the Loren is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with coffee, Sour Duck Market pastries, breakfast tacos, salads, sandwiches, flatbreads, and more from 7:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. now through April 26 and from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. starting on April 27.

Austin restaurant community leader award

Adam Orman, the co-owner and general manager of Italian restaurant L’Oca d’Oro and co-owner of Good Work Austin, won the community leadership award at the Bar & Restaurant Expo’s Industry Excellence Awards this year. It was announced during the Las Vegas event in late March.

Art bake-off

The Blanton Museum of Art’s annual Blanton Bake-Off, where participants recreate artwork from the Austin art collection in sweet treat form, is happening right now. People have until Tuesday, May 16 at 11:59 p.m. to enter via social media or email. There will be a public voting period starting on May 17 with the winners announced soon after.

Tracking Austin restaurant events

The next Taco Taquero event at Mexican restaurant Suerte takes place on Tuesday, April 11 with IIan Thurwachter, the chef and co-owner of Italian restaurant Intero. The resulting dish is a beef cheek barbacoa taco. A portion of the proceeds will be given to Austin Pets Alive.

Update, April 12, 10:25 a.m.: This article has been updated with a clarification on Cafe at The Loren’s hours of operation.