The July Hit List: Lenoir, Hestia, Kemuri Tatsu-Ya, and More

The charm of dining in an old Bouldin Creek house, and the incredible-value tasting menu, might be on pause for now, but summer also comes with a few new perks at Lenoir. Like the beautiful backyard wine garden that now plays host to all of the once-interior decor, and an à la carte “Hot Weather Food” menu made up of dishes like almaco jack in strawberry aguachile and Texas stone crab with fazzoletti pasta — all designed to pair with, well, the heat. It’s refreshing, which is something you’ll want on these hot summer days. And if that doesn’t help, try pairing with a few glasses from their mostly-natural wine list.

Here to fill the wagyu bavette-shaped hole in our lives is Hestia, once again, and their entire menu of globally-influenced plates cooked mostly on a large, open-hearth grill. Off the hearth, you’ll find refreshing summer bites like oysters with watermelon radish, mint oil, and verjus bubbles; or a sourdough buttermilk ice cream with fermented tomato powder. There’s rarely a dull bite to be had here. And their location in a relatively-quiet part of downtown Austin is a welcome reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Call 512-333-0737 for reservations.

Tacos and margaritas make up about 80% of the average Austinite’s diet, and now there’s another spot to get great versions of both. De Nada recently opened up in East Austin, from the team behind Sawyer & Co. All of the tortillas here are made with blue corn, giving the tacos a distinct signature color. Classic and frozen margaritas are an obvious and obligatory staple, but you’ll also find other creative cocktails like a 50/50 margarita-and-draft cider blend with spicy chamoy. It’s refreshing enough to cool you down, just a little, on these hot Texas evenings.

Austin’s first Texas barbecue-inspired Japanese izakaya continues to draw nightly crowds, anxious to get their hands on some brisket-and-gouda “Hot Pocketz” over a pitcher (or two) of ice cold Sapporo. Over the past year, they temporarily switched over to a prix fixe menu — with meat, seafood, and vegetarian options — but they’ve recently reintroduced most of their popular à la carte. So if you’re just craving a skewer or two to accompany those Matcha Painkillers you’ve been missing, now’s the time to make a visit back. Grab a table for their large back patio or the eclectically-decorated interior and get ready to mentally escape Austin for a few hours.

Bobo’s isn’t exactly a restaurant, but the descriptor wouldn’t be too far off. They describe themselves as a “community tasting room,” meaning you’ll find snacks here from vendors all over town. The cocktails are made in-house, but you’ll also find beer, wine, coffee, and tea — all of it sourced within 100 miles of their small shop on Airport Blvd. It’s a casual spot for casual hangs, where you can support a bunch of local businesses in one go.

Down in the Oak Hill neighborhood, Shore continues to be a great destination for fresh and sustainable seafood. Start off by putting their name to the test with a round of wood-grilled oysters and as many fresh raw oysters as you can handle, then make your way through the rest of the menu, where you’ll be able to find everything from po’boys to a whole grilled fish. Whatever you end up with, you’ll be able to enjoy it to some live music — they have a band just about every night.

Staying true to their name, Sunny’s Backyard is a large, mostly-outdoor pub in the former Hard Luck Lounge space on East 7th. The menu here is made up largely of pub staples — burgers, wraps, and tacos — with the small (maybe not so small) twist of being entirely vegan. Behind the bar you’ll find a variety of cocktails, with a heavy focus on summertime refreshers, plus beer, wine, and a few non-alcoholic cocktails. Grab a drink, order some food, and find some shade under the large oak tree out back.

Located in — you guessed it — a converted laundromat, Launderette is one of our favorite spots to grab an almost-guaranteed excellent meal in the Holly neighborhood. The space is beautiful and airy, lending to a great brunch atmosphere, though anyone that chooses to visit in the later hours will be no less impressed. Keep things simple with their understated-but-delicious plancha burger, or go big with a whole branzino. Just make sure to try one of their cocktails — they lean classic, with just enough subtle shifts to keep things interesting.

Meanwhile, down in South Austin (see what we did there?) you’ll find one of the city’s newest breweries, with an extensive list of craft beers all brewed on-site. They also have their own coffee program, making it just as good for working during the day as it is for hanging out in the evenings over a couple pints of their namesake German-style pilsner. All of the beers even come with the option for mini-pours if you want to put together your own DIY flight. They also happen to have a huge patio that plays host to not just one, but three rotating on-site food trucks. So there’s a good chance you’ll be able to find something you’re craving to pair with all of those beers.

In the new Commodore Perry resort near the Hancock Center, you’ll find Lutie’s Garden Restaurant, a new spot that feels like it was plucked straight out of a European country club, if such a thing existed. Plants hang from the ceilings, and it feels like sunlight never stops spilling through the many windows onto the vibrantly-colored furniture — you may even forget you’re in Austin, just for a bit. With a creative menu based around local and seasonal ingredients, and a pleasantly relaxed but elegant atmosphere inside, there’s a lot to love here.

Call 512-675-2517 for reservations.