With springtime, our appetites for something new are renewed, aren’t yours? Join our editors Lesa Rossick in Austin, Cynthia Smoot in Dallas, Jennifer Roosth in Houston, and Eleanora Morrison in San Antonio as they share their stellar statewide recommendations that are must-dines as the weather turns sunnier.
AUSTIN
IT’S A TEN
The new, modern Japanese restaurant, TenTen, recently opened downtown with fixtures made of stone and black walnut and art by Ysabel Lemay. The menu includes delicious, elevated dishes such as Hamachi Carpaccio with freshly, shaved truffle and Japanese centric cocktails in the hub of downtown. At TenTenAustin.com.
Photo by Letitia Smith
STRUT YOUR STYLE
The new Proper hotel has arrived in the hub of downtown, including Goldie’s cocktail lounge and the Peacock restaurant. In a vibrant interior and cozy patio atmosphere, bright and fresh Mediterranean dishes are served, such as Red Snapper Crudo to tempt your taste buds. At ProperHotel.com.
POWER DUO
The power team behind Emmer & Rye has opened a new restaurant and adjacent bar, with a cool European vibe like this city, has never seen before. Hestia focuses on live-fire meals while the bar, Kalimotxo, gives an experience with Spanish wine and cocktails. Both combine for a fun evening that you won’t soon forget. At KalixmotoATX.com.
Photo by Julia Keim
DALLAS / FORT WORTH
AVO GOOD DAY
Avo Eatery is the new source for culinary innovation and avocados from Mexico reign supreme.. The menu offers tantalizing American dishes with a fresh avocado twist. The decor features light wood accents and lush greenery meant toresemble an avocado grove. At AvoEatery.com.
THE COMEBACK KID
This iconic Uptown Tex-Mex restaurant shuttered in 2013 but has recently reopened in a modernized new space with a spacious outdoor patio. While the menu features mouth-watering dishes, fans of the original restaurant will be happy to find Primo’s legendary margaritas still on the menu alongside contemporary cocktails. As an added bonus, the restaurant will offer late-night eats on weekends. At PrimosUptown.com.
COCK-A-DOODLE-WHO?
Opening mid-March, Yardbird Southern Table & Bar will be a house of worship to farm-fresh ingredients, a hailed bourbon selection, and top-notch hospitality while serving up a fresh, inventive take on classic, regional Southern fare. The fan-favorite brunch with all the fixings will be dished up on the weekends. The décor draws inspiration from contemporary industrial details and the communal aspects of southern dining with lush indoor and outdoor seating. At RunChickenRun.com.
HOUSTON
INDIAN PASSAGE
No passport required for the culinary journey that you will experience at Musaafer. Located in Uptown’s business district, it specializes in authentic Indian cuisine with a contemporary flair, and the menu features classic Indian dishes served in an avant-garde presentation referencing opulent palaces and Spice markets of ancient India. At MusaaferHouston.com.
EXOTIC ALLURE
Loosely translated as “to Eat Well” Kin Dee is opening in the Market at the Heights and features a vibrant 2,500-square foot interior that skews contemporary with
custom furnishings. Inspired by a lifetime of culinary and culturally immersed travel throughout Thailand, Srasrisuwan, and Leotkhamfu guests will be taken on a culinary journey with authentic dishes showcasing regional and Royal Thai Family recipes. At KinDeeThaiCuisine.com.
WINE + CULINARY
The new Mutiny Wine Room boasts a boutique wine program, centered on the proprietors’ wine-country relationships, that comes to life in a Napa Valley-inspired space built from the ground up in Houston’s historic Heights neighborhood. Plus, the culinary program is based on freshness and seasonality in the wine-country culinary style. At MutinyWineRoom.com.
SAN ANTONIO
BE YOUR OWN MAVERICK
Situated in the historic Lockwood National Bank building downtown, Maverick Whiskey’s second-floor restaurant and bar offers unique cuisine and cocktails crafted with extraordinary taste. With lunch and dinner menus updated seasonally, Maverick Whiskey offers fresh recipes inspired by the season with choices from an assortment of entrees, such as colorfully tossed salads and savory southern-inspired plates. At MaverickWhiskey.com.
IN WITH THE OUTLAWS
A cozy kitchen in the heart of historic Alta Vista, Outlaw Kitchens is an enchantingly inviting neighborhood café where they offer a nightly dinner of the chef’s choosing. Elevated farm-to-table cuisine with a rotating pre-fixed menu and an intimate atmosphere that feels like a dinner party makes for a memorable experience with every visit. Add wine and beer and friendly cheer to the perfect recipe that is this quaint, unique eatery, and it’s no surprise that it has quickly become a local favorite. At OutlawKitchens.com.
SOUTHERN CHARMED
An intriguing, southern-inspired destination for relaxing suppers, slow weekend brunching or a meeting hub for business lunches and happy hour, Ida Claire has opened a San Antonio location across from the Quarry that is drawing foodies from all around town. Our favorite feature? Outdoor seating in a whimsically decorated air stream that’s picture-perfect for Instagram enthusiasts. At Ida-Claire.com.