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Grain bowl favorite Honest Mary's makes its downtown debut July 14 in the Seaholm District, headlining a week of dining news across the Austin metro.
Also in this roundup: hand-breaded catfish and collard greens land in downtown Hutto, a weekend-only Nepali and Indian brunch spot debuts with masala dosa and uttapam, a gluten-free bakery graduates from ghost kitchen to storefront on Burnet Road, and a California pizza chain breaks into Williamson County.
Impacts of the week
A new pizzeria is taking Cedar Park's restaurant scene to new heights. Mountain Mike’s opened its second Austin-area location June 3 in Cedar Park, according to previous reporting. The pizza franchise offers classic styles, such as cheese and pepperoni, along with mountain-named specialties such as The Everest, Pikes Peak and Mt. Veggiemore. Additionally, the California-based pizzeria serves wings, fries, garlic sticks, salads and desserts.
Sweet Charli Girl brings gluten-free treats to North Austin brick and mortar
Owner Rachel Metts opened Sweet Charli Girl in 2018, first operating out of her house, then a ghost kitchen before opening her first brick-and-mortar in North Austin on June 27. Previously found in local coffeehouses across Austin, everything on the menu is gluten-free and celiac safe, with vegan and dairy free options as well. The bakery sells cupcakes, specialty cakes, cookies, cheesecakes, peanut butter bars, gluten free donuts and specialty coffees. The bakery is open Tuesday through Friday.
This food truck relocated to downtown Hutto, the business confirmed in a Facebook post. It opened in February in The Shoppes at Affordable Storage in Hutto, serving a variety of soul food and breakfast items with the menu featuring hand-breaded catfish fillets and wings, with sides such as collard greens, rice and beans, macaroni and cheese, corn bread muffins, fries and grits.
Everest Sunrise Kitchen opens in Pflugerville
Everest Sunrise Kitchen opened its doors over the Fourth of July weekend. The breakfast and brunch spot is sharing a space with Curry Kitchen and will be open every Saturday and Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., serving American, Indian and Nepali flavors. The menu includes egg dishes, omelets, pancakes and Indian and Nepali breakfast dishes such as masala dosa and uttapam.
Honest Mary’s to launch new location in downtown Austin July 14
A new Honest Mary’s location opens in the Seaholm District July 14, according to its social media. Known for its simple ingredients and dishes made without additives, the restaurant serves signature and customizable bowls, sipping broths and snacks. For a build-your-own bowl, patrons can choose from a protein base, two market sides, two toppings and a sauce. Honest Mary’s also uses hormone-free meat and wild-caught tuna, as opposed to farmed tuna.
Dining feature
Gati Cafe localized worldwide flavors with Texas ingredients
Gati Cafe started out as a dessert spot in East Austin and soon evolved into a cafe serving up vegan ice cream, baked goods, morning meals and mid-day eats with flavors from across the map.
The context
Gati Cafe is rooted in chef and owner Jam Sanitchat’s experience as a traveler and seasoned restaurateur. She moved to the U.S. in 2001 and shortly began teaching cooking classes, selling her food at farmers markets and eventually launching a brick-and-mortar.
Her first venture as a restaurant owner came in 2008 when she opened Thai Fresh, offering pre-prepared meals with the same Thai flavors she grew up eating and cooking at home. As Thai Fresh’s dessert menu expanded and the restaurant became a destination for sweets, she decided to spin off the desserts into a new concept.
On the menu
Sanitchat opened Gati as an ice cream and dessert shop in 2020, selling Thai coffee and tea flavors, pandan, lavender caramel, toasted coconut chip and black sticky rice horchata. Other cafe desserts include brownies, cookies, banana bread, macaroons, cakes and other baked goods. She later decided to expand the menu to include an entirely gluten-free brunch and bakery lineup because she had always dreamed of selling breakfast.
Staying local
One of the menu’s key features is its locally and sustainably sourced ingredients. Sanitchat learned about local produce and meat when she sold her food at local farmers markets before opening up her first restaurant. The meals and treats at Gati are crafted with plant-based colors and organic sugar, with much of the menu being vegan.
Respecting the craft
Sanitchat chose to price items according to the restaurant's production costs and pay employees a livable wage. The restaurant offers employees paid time off, paid sick leave, insurance and a wage based on the livable wage in Austin, not just in Texas, Sanitchat explained.
“Our mission is people-first,” Sanitchat said. “We want customers to get the best possible ingredients and products they can, that is good for their health and the environment.”
What’s next
Sanitchat said the brand is looking to expand its wholesale efforts to ship whole cakes and brownies across the country and ship or deliver ice cream locally. The goal, Sanitchat said, is to reach a wider audience, starting with integration into local grocery stores.
