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Michelin Guide-recognized restaurant Poeta will kick off 2026 in a brand new home.
The details
The Italian restaurant, helmed by chefs Krystal Craig and Ian Thurwachter, will open inside East Austin Hotel in January. A celebratory New Year's Day brunch will kick off the opening Jan. 1, while the restaurant will fully reopen to the public Jan. 8, according to a news release.
Poeta's new location will bring back the a la carte menu format, alongside its more recently offered chef’s tasting menu.
The space includes an upstairs patio, lounge and bar in addition to free, on-site parking.
The background
This move will mark the third reopening of Poeta. In February, the eatery left its spot at The Frances Modern Inn and moved to what was formerly Swoop House in East Austin in the spring, as previously reported by Community Impact.
What they offer
Poeta’s menu offers daily housemade pastas and locally sourced ingredients, according to a news release. The menu's a la carte offerings include the rigatoni with tomato butter and Italian sausage or marinated mushrooms, and the chevre cheesecake with pistachio and cherry. The chef’s tasting menu offers a seasonally changing selection with an optional wine pairing.
Quote of note
“Moving into Poeta’s new space feels like a meaningful step forward,” Craig said in a news release. “Our time focused on tasting menus was incredibly rewarding, but hearing how much our guests also missed the comfort and familiarity of choosing dishes they grew to love compelled us to find a space we would be able to offer both. This new home gives us the space to do just that in a way that feels true to who we are."
