10 New Austin Venues for 2019 Fall Meetings and Events

Dallas-based luxury establishment Hotel Zaza expanded to Austin this September, offering 159 rooms and suites and 10,000 square feet of meeting, pre-function, and event space. The 3,664-square-foot Gold Standard Ballroom seats 300 for banquets or holds 395 for receptions and can be divided for smaller events. Other meeting space features quirky names such as Don’t Mess With Texas, the Rain Maker, and Stage Fright. The property features an exposed brick exterior, making it stand out among the downtown buildings. Other offerings on site include the street-level restaurant Perfect Strangers, the rooftop lounge and bar Group Therapy, and the pool and Cabana Bar. Then there’s the ZaSpa spa for body and facial treatments.

The Palm Springs, California-based Arrive Hotel brand opened its first Texas location in East Austin in July. The five-story industrial building features 83 guest rooms and suites, check-in via the bar with a complimentary cocktail, and Austin field guide kit. Because there is no check-in area, all concierge and room service requests are conducted via text messaging. Then there are two restaurants overseen by lauded Austin chefs Todd Duplechan and Jessica Maher: the Goan-Portuguese Vixen’s Wedding that seats 54 inside, 20 at the bar, and 18 on a patio; and Cajun-inspired Lefty’s Brick Bar, which is dedicated to gin. Also on property is the Cartel Coffee Lab café.

Ranch-inspired, patio-friendly Mueller restaurant Contigo underwent a major revamp this spring. This means adding air-conditioning and heated seating areas, increasing seating, and an updated food and drinks menu. There’s also the new addition of its first dedicated private event space, which features family-style fare, a brick fireplace, and indoor/outdoor space. The 500-square-foot room seats 50 guests.

Maufrais, a stylish retail shop with an emphasis on Stetson hats, opened in South Austin in late spring with a dedicated private event space in the back of the South Congress shop. The space offers access to vintage furniture and has amenities such as two private bathrooms, a sound system, and dimmable lights. The store also can add private shopping experiences or custom hat shaping. Later this fall, the main shop will add a café from Little Brother featuring coffee and kolaches.

South Austin Vietnamese-French restaurant Elizabeth Street Café debuted a standalone private dining room this late summer. The Croissant Room, formerly used as the restaurant's bakery production space, seats 24 guests in a bright stylish room with a full bar. A private courtyard seats another 16. The restaurant’s menu features family-style meals of its signature Vietnamese-French fare.

Intimate taco restaurant Nixta Taqueria opened in East Austin in October, featuring a small yet robust menu of tacos and tostadas from chef Edgar Rico (who worked in lauded Los Angeles restaurants like Trois Mec and Sqirl). The bright, colorful space features a counter and tables with bench seating. Then there’s the outdoor area with picnic tables. The 610-square-foot interior holds 40 people.

The acclaimed downtown Austin Mexican restaurant El Naranjo expanded into South Austin in September. The back portion of the South Lamar restaurant’s dining room is available for rental, featuring audio capabilities. Chef Iliana de la Vega’s menu is known for its focus on Oaxacan fare, especially the array of moles. Overall, the 2,800-square-foot space seats 65 in the dining room and 18 at the bar. This expansion is timely, since the original restaurant on Rainey Street is closing in November.

The deli Mum Foods opened a dedicated event space next to its Cherrywood space on Manor Road this fall. Dubbed Mum's on Manor, the bungalow features multiple homey rooms, and an outdoor patio and garden. Plus, there’s access to event catering through Mums, which means dishes like pastrami and pies.

The Georgetown bookshop, which opened in the spring, added a bistro courtesy of Austin restaurant Better Half in late August. Lark & Owl Bistro features bar seating and tables and holds about 100 people, while events can also take place in the bookshop as well as in an outdoor beer garden that holds about 150 people. Previous events included markets, book readings, pop-up shops, and children-oriented musical performances.

Real estate office and food truck park Open House Austin transforms into an indoor and outdoor private event space during the evenings and weekends in East Austin. Open since June, the space offers access to tacos via food truck Trill Taqueria and coffee from LeverCraft Coffee. Amenities include Wi-Fi and audiovisual hookups and an eight-person conference table. The 6,250-square-foot outdoor space features patio furniture, lawn games, and picnic tables and holds as many as 300 guests for reception-style events. There are discounted rates for nonprofits and groups hosting free public events.