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There are two major closings to know this upcoming summer month. First, there’s longtime Tex-Mex vegetarian and vegan restaurant Mr. Natural’s South Lamar location shuttering this week, and then there’s Cedar Park brewery and beer garden Hedgehog Brewing, closing later in July.
Mr. Natural’s last day of business at 2414A South Lamar Boulevard in the Zilker neighborhood will be on Friday, June 30. In the announcement video on Instagram, the co-founders' daughter, Isabel Mendoza, states that “It is with a heavy heart that we finally need to close our South Lamar location.” The original location on East Cesar Chavez is staying open.
Mr. Natural co-founders, co-owners, and couple Jesus Mendoza and Maria Luisa Mendoza opened the East Austin location in October 1988 on East Cesar Chavez, followed by South Lamar in 2001. They run the restaurants with their children, Isabel, Jesus Jr., and Jose, along with their staff. The business became known for its array of quality-made vegetarian, vegan, and/or gluten-free Tex-Mex dishes such as egg-white migas, tacos with its own soy-chorizo and vegan bacon; vegan seitan chicken and whole wheat waffles; vegan menudo; so many pastries; smoothies; and much more.
And then, Hedgehog Brewing’s last day at 3200 Woodall Drive in Cedar Park will be on Saturday, July 25. The Instagram announcement post noted that the team “made the incredibly difficult decision to close down operations.”
For its last day, the brewery is hosting a closing party with a newer version of its Nitro Mochatopia beer, with peanut butter and coconut flavors. Until then, the brewery is still open for taproom beers. To-go orders are still available too, and the brewery plans on unveiling a new beer each weekend until that last day.
Hedgehog co-founders, co-owners, and brothers Chris Harris and Jonathan Harris opened their brewery in April 2019 after homebrewing on their own for a while. The public taproom in 2021. They focused on fermenting beers with wild Hill Country yeast, leading to farmhouse beers, ales, and more.
