Moonshine Comfort & Cocktails blends historic roots with modern Southern comfort in Avery Ranch

From the entree menu, guests will find platters of southern staples like chicken and waffles, Creole shrimp and grits and chicken-fried steak. The menu also features a hearty center-cut pork chop served over Yukon mashed potatoes, topped with a dollop of seasonal fruit chutney.

For those looking to pair their meal with a libation, Moonshine offers a curated selection of whiskeys and tequilas. The drink menu also includes several craft cocktails, such as the bourbon slush, a frozen drink sporting a concoction of Benchmark bourbon, sweet tea, lemonade and orange juice—a “bourbon Arnold Palmer” type drink, Lane said.

A lesson in history

The restaurant remains rooted in local history, with its original concept first opening in downtown Austin.

Downtown’s Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill is located in part of the historic Waterloo Compound, one of Austin’s oldest commercial areas tied to the city’s original Waterloo settlement.

The site traces back to the mid-1800s, when German settler Henry F. Hofheintz built structures that served as a home, store and trade hub, including what became known as the “Sunday House,” now the last of its kind remaining in Austin, according to the company’s website.

Over time, the property expanded into a multiuse complex with a store, saloon, cellar and carriage house, later operated for nearly a century as a continuous dry goods store by the Reissig family. Many of those original structures and materials = remain today, including the limestone walls, cedar posts and underground cellar.

Now operating as Moonshine since 2003 under owners Chuck Smith and Larry Perdido, the space blends the restaurant and bar areas within the preserved historic building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Avery Ranch location opened in 2018, carrying on the history of its flagship locale in downtown with a modern interpretation of Southern comfort.

Looking ahead

The Parmer Lane fixture will soon be opening for weekday lunches, the first time since COVID-19, Lane said. The restaurant also opens early on Saturdays and Sundays for brunch.

• 10525 W. Parmer Lane, Austin
• www.moonshinegrill.com