The Belmont Closes
The Belmont has closed. The Belmont hit the ground running fast and came out of the box as a cool, hip kind of place with a Vegas lounge vibe. But lately, after Matt Lucky sold the place, and chef Ben Nathan departed, the pace and the quality slowed dramatically. That all resulted in the recent […]
Aquarelle to Close its Doors on September 3rd
I cannot count the number of lovely and intimate dinners we’ve enjoyed over the years at the lovely little French bistro Aquarelle on West behind Opal Divine’s. But owner Teresa Wilson has decided to go in a different direction and Aquarelle will close for good on September 3rd. I first tried Aquarelle when Robert Brady […]
The Real Story on the Bistro 88 Closing
A lot of rumors have been speculating about the demise of the beloved Westlake restaurant Bistro 88. Chef Jeff Liu’s fusion masterpiece had been a perennial member of our Top 20 for many years. Then, seemingly overnight, the dreaded padlocks and legal looking notices appeared on the doors and Bistro 88 was history. Jeff tried […]
Bistro 88 in Westlake Closes After Long Run
This is quite a story. In a little strip mall off Mopac on Bee Caves Road, in the same building that housed the original Chinatown, Bistro 88 was founded 20 years ago by master chef Jeff Liu. The food was a compelling fusion of European and Asian and they made my Top 20 on several […]
Benihana on Burnet Closes
Long-time teppanyaki favorite Benihana on Burnet has closed. I had many an enjoyable meal there over the years. Owner Brad Meltzer is now concentrating on the return of UR Cooks at the site of his Meltzer Uptown Restaurant just south of 183 on the South IH-35 access road (across from Appleby’s).
Bee Caves Road Claims Another Victim: Suzi’s China Grill
Once again the Bee Caves Road curse has struck yet another restaurant. Suzi’s China Grill, in a small strip center just west of Mopac, has closed. Too bad, I always enjoyed the dumplings there. The other two locations on South Lamar and on Anderson remain open.
Fire at Los Pinos Causes Temporary Closing
I hate to see those breaking news stories (almost never good news) on local TV. And true to form, KVUE reported a fire at Hudson Bend favorite Los Pinos which apparently started early Tuesday morning. We don’t know the extent of the damage but apparently it was worse on the inside than the outside. Los […]
The Screaming Goat Closes
One of our favorite little taquerias, the Screaming Goat at 900 W. 10th, has closed. The details are foggy, but if we learn more we’ll post it on this page. Since the closing of long-time favorite Basil’s, the other restaurants that have occupied this space have not fared well at all. Puzzling.
Bee Caves Road Strikes Again: ZuZu, Bella Serra and Zoot All Close
There is something positively weird about Bee Caves Road in Westlake and on toward the town of Bee Caves when it comes to restaurants. With the exception of The Country Line, Chinatown and the Grove, I can’t think of any owner-operated spots that have lasted there for any length of time. More recent casualties include […]
Dominick’s Italian American Restaurant in Lakeway (formerly Ciola’s) Closes
Got a brief email from owner Dave Staab that he is closing Dominick’s Italian-American Restaurant in Lakeway. Many will remember this spot as the long-time site of Ciola’s. Staab bought the restaurant from Dan and Tony Ciola last year. But Staab has decided to return to Kansas. No news yet on what, if anything, will […]
Spaghetti Warehouse Closes
One of the longest running restaurant concepts in town, the Spaghetti Warehouse on 4th St. has finally closed its doors. I took my kids there many times and we always enjoyed it. It definitely filled a niche and a lot of families and college students will miss it.
Café Mangu in Pflugerville Closes
This one really is disturbing. Café Mangu had the BEST lechon asado in the area. And their blend of Cuban, Dominican, and Puerto Rican fare was fantastic. Yet, they are gone. They probably should have never opened in Pflugerville. I will really miss this place.
Silver and Stone in Georgetown Closes
It is not often that a restaurant in our Top 20 closes, but Silver and Stone, helmed by James Ramsey, continues the unfortunate trend of fine dining restaurant closings in Georgetown. I thought Ramsey’s restaurant was marvelous, even if it was hidden away on the 4th floor of an office building across from the Monument […]
Dimassi’s Lebanese Buffet on Research Closes
You know, I really liked this place. It was healthy, very tasty, and reasonably priced. It was the only store in this chain of Lebanese buffets from Houston that was independently owned (one would think that would be a good thing). And yet, we bid adieu to Dimassi’s on Research. Too bad.
Romanian Restaurant Drakula Closes
Just when I was boasting to a friend that Austin was beginning to have quite a variety of ethnic restaurants (and I don’t include Mexican in that category) it appears that we have lost one. Drakula, the neat little Romanian restaurant just off 183 at Lamar near the Comedy Club has shut its doors. I […]
