The June Hit List: Underdog, Bill’s Oyster, Carpenter Hotel Pool, and More

Food and wine power couple Richard Hargreave (a Momofuku alum) and Claudia Lee just opened a wine bar and restaurant serving Korean American food on South First Street. The wine list is wide-ranging and features many small producers that we’re eager to try out. Look for richly flavored options like the sweet potato donuts paired with a fluffy mimolette cheese or oysters served with kimchi vinaigrette. If you’re feeling like more of a meal, try out the short rib galbi. On your way out, stop in the wine shop and grab more bottles to try out at home.

If you love a seafood tower and an ice-cold martini, Bill’s Oyster just might your dream come true. Expect oysters on offer from the East and Gulf coasts, shrimp and crab cocktails, and a range of caviars, if that’s your thing. It feels like New Orleans, New York, and maybe a little South Carolina in Austin.

Find more info here.

When you see the forecast looking like nothing but sun, plan ahead for a perfect Austin daycation by booking a resy for the Carpenter Hotel Pool. Your booking will get you access to swim, plus poolside service in case you get hungry or thirsty. Try their Club Sammie and pool spritz. And if you’re feeling like more of a sit-down meal, grab another resy to dine indoors at the restaurant or outdoors on the patio.

After the team behind Emmer & Rye and Hestia closed TLV Austin, they promised to come back with something better. And they did! Ezov serves upscale Israeli food like smashed cucumber on smoked labne with aleppo, falafel with tahini and green shug, and lamb and beef kofta. The cocktails are not to be missed either, including the Make it Snappy, which is made with feta-washed gin, snap peas, grapefruit, and lime.

Call (512) 305-1118 for reservations.

While we appreciate the many bars that keep us cool in the summer with those always-on misters, sometimes we just prefer to drink in a dark, cool spot like Small Victory. As the name suggests, the bar is indeed petite, so make a resy in advance to ensure you can get a small table or spot at the bar. The cocktails are made with care, so pick something exciting like the Maple Leaf with bourbon, lemon juice, syrup, and cinnamon or a perfect martini.

The Baldinucci family is serving Roman- and New York-style pizza that’s worth trekking out to West Lake if you don’t live there. Similar to Detroit-style, but lighter, the Roman crust makes the perfect canvas for the Bianco Florentine with ricotta, broccoli, mushroom, and garlic, or a meatier option like the lasagna pizza with meatball and sausage on top.

Find more info here.

This Australian breakfast crew got their start in Portland and opened a second location in Austin on South Lamar for breakfast and lunch. They roast their own coffee beans to make strong pour-over coffee and flat whites, but the food is also worth the wait. The potato hash is stacked high and extra crispy, served with pork belly bacon and a poached egg. If you are wanting something more on the lunch side of brunch, try the cauliflower and quinoa salad with hummus and tahini.

Find more info here.

Whether your boss is in town or you just want to celebrate that you aren’t wearing sweatpants out of the house, Comedor always hits. Make a resy to sit inside or on their covered patio for the tuna aguachile or avocado tostada. The bone marrow tacos have been on the menu since day one and there’s a reason why they’re still there. If you can’t get a resy, the bar is also a fun option for a first-row seat to watch cocktails made expertly.

Just because you’re popping into a bar for happy hour, doesn’t mean you need to drink well liquor and boring drinks. La Holly is an easy spot to drop into with one or 10 friends and grab a picnic table. They have frozen margaritas, palomas, and a mezcal old fashioned. When happy hour turns into dinner, head to the Taco Flats food truck for quick access to tacos meant to pair with your spicy margarita.

Find more info here.

Maybe it’s the string lights, maybe it’s the French wine, or maybe it’s the love in the Cedar pollen-filled air, but Lenoir is still the date spot in Austin. Come to Lenoir to impress your first date with the crab fingers in curry leaf leche de tigre or wow your longtime partner with your budget-conscious (but romantic) choice to make a resy during happy hour for half-off bottles of wine.