This year marks the 2nd Street District’s 20th anniversary in downtown Austin, bringing together a range of local retail stores, dining options, living, entertainment and continued growth.
The impact
The district was created in 2006 to create a lively, walkable neighborhood downtown, according to a news release. Two decades later, it continues to expand with four new tenants: VanHorn’s, Restaurant François, Olga Roberts Studio and Akiba.
“These additions further build on its legacy as the city’s premier mixed-use neighborhood,” the press release states.
More details
VanHorn’s, a New York-inspired steakhouse, opened in fall 2025 with a menu featuring steaks, east coast oysters, salads, burgers and cocktails.
The new restaurant comes from Daniel Berg and Dylan Salisbury, the chef duo behind Bill’s Oyster and Teddy’s Restaurant & Bar, according to previous Community Impact reporting.
Craving French fare?
2nd Street District welcomed another new restaurant at the end of 2025: Restaurant François. The French-American restaurant is led by Guy and Larry Restaurants along with chef and proprietor Harold Marmulstein, according to previous Community Impact coverage.
Notable menu items include Maine Lobster Thermidor, dry-aged steaks, puff pastry desserts and cocktails.
Another change
Other retail additions include Olga Roberts Studio, which offers classical pilates, ballet, kinesiology and dance medicine, an infrared sauna and cold plunge. The studio, owned by Olga Roberts, a Master Pilates Teacher with a background, opened in January.
Lastly, the creators of Toy Joy and Yummi Joy opened Akiba, a new store stocked with blind boxes, Japanese toys and action figures, in March. Akiba took the place of the former Austin Rocks store, which closed in early 2026 according to social media.
