Now open
Sapori Italian Roots
After closing his South Austin food truck Il Saporis in May, Tony DeStefano opened brick-and-mortar restaurant Sapori Italian Roots in August with an expanded menu, including more pasta dishes, burrata, salads and desserts.
- Opened Aug. 10
- 800 Brazos St., Ste. 215, Austin
- www.saporiatx.com
Helmed by chef Peter Klimov, the Clarksville neighborhood oyster bar occupies the former Sushi Zushi space. Pearl Dive Oyster Bar offers a variety of oysters and other fresh, locally sourced seafood dishes including seafood towers.
- Opened Oct. 1
- 1611 W. Fifth St., Ste. 105, Austin
- 512-291-7898
Texas restaurateur Brian Sneed opened Quince LakeHouse, which sits on the banks of Lake Austin, in early November. The restaurant offers a diverse menu, most of which is meant to be shared, pulling inspiration from Lima, Mexico City, New York, New Orleans and Rome.
- Opened Nov. 1
- 3825 Lake Austin Blvd., Ste. 201, Austin
- www.quincesma.com/atx
Cambria Hotel Austin Downtown is situated steps away from Rainey Street District. The upscale hotel has an indoor/outdoor rooftop lounge called Limestone that offers guests specialty cocktails while they listen to live music, in addition to a lobby bar and restaurant called Graffiti.
- Opened Dec. 5
- 68 East Ave., Austin
- www.choicehotels.com
Hogg Memorial Auditorium
Located in The University of Texas at Austin, the 90-year-old performing arts venue finished its two-year, $27.7 million renovation in October. Renovations included removing the orchestra pit, reconfiguring the lobby, replacing more than 1,000 seats and upgrading electrical, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, plumbing, accessibility features and landscaping and masonry.
- 2300 Whitis Ave., Austin
- www.utexas.edu
Mitch Roberts, founder of EVO Entertainment Group and an Austinite, announced EEG acquired Austin-based Violet Crown Cinemas in late October. Roberts said the acquisition is part of EEG's growth plans; however, Violet Crown Cinemas will maintain its name and unique identity. Opened in 2011, Violet Crown Cinemas focuses on independent, documentary and foreign films, and serves food and alcohol.
- 434 W. Second St., Austin
- http://austin.violetcrown.com
Vegan restaurant Counter Culture will close its West Campus neighborhood food truck in mid-December in hopes of reopening in a brick-and-mortar in late 2024, owner Sue Davis announced. The food truck serves a fully vegan menu, including bowls, burritos, nachos and a vegan Mac’n’cheeze.
- Closing Dec. 19
- 2908 Fruth St., Austin
- www.countercultureaustin.com