Clarksville Dive Bar Mean-Eyed Cat’s Expanding Into Kyle, Texas

Clarksville dive bar Mean-Eyed Cat is going to be opening a second location out in Kyle, Texas, as reported by Austin Business Journal. Co-owners Matt Luckie and Max Moreland shared that the new location will be found at 8600 West Farm to Market Road 150 ideally sometime in 2024.

Originally, Mean-Eyed opened in 2004 and Luckie and Moreland’s beverage/bar company FBR Management took over in 2013. Other FBR bars include Dive Bar, Stagger Lee, Dumont’s Down Low, Lavaca Street Bar, Star Bar, the Wheel, and Gibson Street Bar. Similar to Mean-Eyed, the company took over Christmas-forever dive bar Lala’s Little Nugget when the dive was in danger of closing. It also semi-recently purchased downtown speakeasy cocktail bar Midnight Cowboy last year.

Out-of-town store/cafe Austin expansions

Chicago convenience store chain Foxtrot is opening its second Austin location today, Monday, June 5, in South Austin. The 1804 South First Street is considered its largest location in the country and its Austin flagship. It features retail items with many local names like Lick Honest Ice Creams and Teddy V Patisserie; and a cafe serving food (breakfast tacos, salads, bowls) and drinks (coffee, smoothies, etc.). There will be a party on Tuesday, June 6 from 5 to 8 p.m. with music, discounted wine glasses, pizza, charcuterie, and more.

This second location is part of co-founders Mike LaVitola and Taylor Bloom’s whole Austin plan. The first was in Rosedale in February, and to come are ones in downtown Austin sometime this summer, and then the West Campus one. The South First store’s hours are from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Tracking Austin food and drinks events

East Austin butcher shop/New Texan restaurant Salt & Time is hosting a dinner with Spain-based sibling wineries Raventos I Blanc and Can Sumoi centered on Texas iberico pork. The five-course meal includes dishes like Texas iberico pork liver mousse, and Texas iberico pork ribs, among others, and all paired with wine. It takes place on Friday, June 9 starting at 7 p.m.; tickets are $100.

East Austin omakase restaurant Sushi|Bar ATX is going to have a guest chef series this summer with executive chef Ambrely Ouimette, dubbed the Second Room. The first one will include New York City chef Paul Liebrandt formerly of New York City’s Corton (which earned two Michelin stars under his time there in 2008) and the Elm. The already-sold-out dinner will feature 10 courses from each chef. It takes place on Thursday and Friday, June 8 and 9 with two seatings each evening. Forthcoming guest chefs include Chicago’s Adrianne Calvo in July (this one takes place on Thursday and Friday, July 6 and 7 with seatings at 6 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. at $225 each person), Gavin Kaysen of several Minneapolis restaurants including Spoon and Stable in August, Jeremy Ford of several Miami restaurants including the one-Michelin-starred Stubborn Seed in September, and Brooke Williamson of Los Angeles restaurant Playa Provisions in October.