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Austin’s in the midst of holiday preparations, which usually means shopping and eating, and the city’s restaurants and bars are getting into the spirit with a variety of festive offerings. This season, take advantage of boozy eggnogs, gingerbread house dining, Christmas trees, and plenty more.
Are we missing any holiday specials, dinners, treats, drinks, etc. below? Let Eater know through austin@eater.com. This guide will be updated throughout the end of the year.
Ongoing Festive Experiences
All of Austin’s Holiday Cocktail Pop-Ups
There are plenty of holiday-themed cocktail bar pop-ups throughout the city during the reason, from Miracle at the Eleanor to the tiki-esque Sippin’ Santa at Nickel City to the year-round Christmas vibes at Lala’s Little Nugget to the spectacle that is Mozart’s holiday light show. Scope out Eater’s full map.
Commodore Perry Estate
4100 Red River Street, Hancock
The new fancy hotel is lighting its Christmas tree this week, and although tickets for the Thursday, December 1st ceremony are sold out already, there will be a second event on Friday, December 9. It features live music, a holiday projection show, cocktails, s’mores, and more. Tickets are $35, and it takes place from 6 to 9 p.m.
Four Seasons Hotel
98 San Jacinto Boulevard, Downtown
For the holiday season, the hotel created what it is calling its ice rodeo. This means a skating rink, s’mores, cabins, and wintery foods and drinks. The decor includes a gingerbread Airstream trailer (yeah), a longhorn sculpture, and pinecone-chestnut guitar. It runs through Sunday, January 8.
Omni Barton Creek Resort
8212 Barton Club Drive, Barton Creek
The sprawling resort hotel is offering a ton of holiday experiences for the season, including a lit trailer, a Christmas tree and other outdoor decor, s’mores, and a lot of kid-friendly activities. It runs through the end of the month.
The Fairmont
101 Red River Street, Downtown
The downtown hotel’s holiday festivities include the kid-friendly tree-lighting ceremony on Saturday, December 3 from 5 to 8 p.m. Elsewhere, there’s the poolside light show with a whole ski theme, plus there are bookable cabanas. It runs through the end of the month.
The Driskill Hotel
604 Brazos Street, Downtown
The historic hotel’s very tall Christmas tree will be lit on Thursday, December 1 at 6 p.m. There will be a gingerbread village decorated by patients of the Dell Children’s Hospital and the hotel staff. The bar is serving up pumpkin spice martinis and the Nutcracker drink, and the bakery is offering tea services. And then there’s the annual cookie sale, where profits will go towards the Statesman’s Season for Caring Initiative, with pickups on Wednesday, December 14. Everything will stay up until the end of the month.
Bad Larry Burger Club
Little Brother/Bummer Burrito, 89 Rainey Street, Downtown
The Eater Austin-award winning pop-up is doing its usual holiday sibling takeover this month, which means lots of burgers, drinks, and fun on Rainey Street this month. Check out its Instagram for an actual schedule.
Ski Shores
2905 Pearce Road, West Austin
The revamped restaurant is turning into a winter lake lodge for the holidays well into the end of February. This means cocktails like boozy frozen eggnogs, mulled apple cider, and boozy and non-boozy hot chocolates; dishes like chili, Mexican chicken and rice soup, s’mores kits, and fried Oreos; events; and decorations.
Non-Christmas-Day Food Specials
Andy K’s Donuts
Multiple locations
The Austin doughnut shop is offering a whole bunch of holiday-flavored sweets this month, from eggnog-glazed yeast-raised doughnuts to German chocolate cake doughnuts to pear and pomegranate fritters.
OMG Squee
4607 Bolm Road, Govalle
The Texas-Asian bakery’s weekly mochi doughnut flavors this month include lots of holiday ones, from the s’mores to the chocolate chai, as well as the eggnog soft serve. Orders can be placed online or in person; there are outdoor dine-in areas.
Quack’s/Captain Quack’s Coffeehouse/Lady Quack’s Bakery
Multiple locations
All locations of the bakery are offering holiday-decorated cookies like snowpeople and gingerbread people this month.
Besame
Meanwhile Brewing, 3901 Promontory Point Drive, McKinney
The ice cream truck’s holiday sundae is the Run, Run, As Fast As You Can, which comes with lemon ice cream, ginger/molasses cookies, a gingerbread man, and lemon mascarpone frosting.
Milky Way Shakes
2324 East Cesar Chavez Street, East Austin
The vegan shakes truck is offering a bunch of holiday specialties, including eggnog milkshakes, meringue snow-peoples, and holiday candies.
Blue Owl Brewing
2400 East Cesar Chavez Street, Holly
The sour beer brewery is hosting a multi-day holiday tiki thing, with tiki beer cocktails, tiki mugs, and the such. It runs from Wednesday, December 21 through Saturday, December 31.
SFC Holiday Farmers’ Market
422 Guadalupe Street, Downtown
The Sustainable Food Center is hosting a holiday edition of its farmers market on Thursday, December 22 from 3 to 7 p.m. This includes lots of holiday foods, specials, and products, as well as live music. Bakery Julie Myrtille will be selling holiday treats too as well as hot chocolate.
Cookie Wookie
The cookie delivery service December flavors include coquito, peppermint hot cocoa, and pecan anisette. Place orders online.
Non-Christmas-Day Meals
Rebel Cheese
The Line Hotel, 111 East Cesar Chavez Street, 12th floor, downtown
The vegan cheese shop is hosting a cheese/wine tasting at the downtown hotel. Tickets are $45 and it takes place on Monday, December 12 from 6 to 8 p.m.
2 Dine 4 Fine Catering
3012 Gonzales Street, Govalle
The catering branch of New Orleans diner Sawyer & Co./Mexican restaurant and bar De Nada is hosting several holiday dinners in December. The four-course meal includes dishes like ale-braised beef short ribs, redfish, and cake. The meals are $100 per person, and they take place on Saturday, December 3; Wednesday, December 14; and Thursday, December 22, all at 7 p.m.
Midnight in the Garden
6405 Menchaca Road, South Austin
Austin chef and Top Chef contender Jo Chan is cooking up an early holiday dinner with the local dinner pop-up benefitting Safe Alliance. There will be a five-course meal, a cocktail hour by gin brand Empress 1908, wine pairings, performances by Sir Woman and Walker Lukens, and more. It’s $275 per person, and it takes place on Saturday, December 17 starting at 5 p.m.
Holiday Drinks (Boozy & Non-Boozy)
Actual Hanukkah Dining and Drinking
Actual Christmas Dining and Drinking
- Where to eat on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
- Where to order Christmas takeout
- Where to order Christmas desserts
- Where to find tamales
- Where to drink on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
