The chic South Congress Hotel opened in September. The locally owned boutique property has 83 rooms and suites as well as more than 5,650 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space. It’s suited for receptions of as many as 300 guests. The hotel’s dining destinations have created buzz, with the 12-seat Otoko from celebrated Austin chef Paul Qui opening in December, the bar and grill Central Standard, Café No Sé, and Mañana, a cold-pressed juice bar. The hotel has rooftop pool, which offers city skyline views as well as a full bar. Another amenity is a branch of the New York nail salon Tenoverten.
Located at the South Congress Hotel, Café No Sé serves California-inspired American cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as for late-night bites and brunch. The bright, airy decor comes from Michael Hsu Office of Architecture and interior designer Studio Mai, which incorporated custom wicker chairs, whitewashed wood-paneled walls, and reclaimed wood tables. The 3,664-square-foot space has 117 seats: 79 inside and 38 on a wraparound patio.
Radisson Hotel & Suites Austin Downtown finished a $20 million renovation this summer that included updates to its 413 guest rooms, lobby, pool, and meeting space. Overall the property offers 9,000 square feet of flexible space, including its Riverside Ballroom, which holds 600 for receptions or seats 450 for banquets. The ballroom was redesigned to add 12-foot windows that overlook Town Lake. The hotel also overhauled its pool deck, constructing a new 30,000-gallon heated saltwater pool with an infinity edge that overlooks Lady Bird Lake.
Located in Hill Country, the Greenhouse at Driftwood began hosting its first events in the fall. Formerly a private residence and now a dedicated event venue, the spacious site features two greenhouses—one with a rainforest climate, the other a desert climate—as well as native plants and sprawling oak trees throughout the property. The owners also have a commitment to sustainability, with solar panels and rainwater collection capabilities providing much of the power and water for the property. A new 2,400-square-foot deck encompassing an oak tree is used for ceremonies and receptions, while a former tennis court has been repurposed as a level site for tenting. The venue holds 500 guests for outdoor receptions.
Renaissance Austin Hotel recently renovated its 463 rooms, restaurant, bar, Knotty Deck rooftop space, and exhibit hall. The property, located in the Arboretum, offers 24 event spaces totaling 65,000 square feet. The largest space, the Rio Grande Exhibit Hall, measures 30,300 square feet. Its Grand Ballroom covers 12,000 square feet and seats 1,330 for theater-style or 1,000 banquet-style.
Juniper, with a menu that fuses Italian and Texas cuisine, opened in October from chef Nicholas Yanes, a veteran of Austin favorite Uchi. His precisely plated dishes include brisket bolognese and a number of small plates. The modern interior features soaring 20-foot ceilings, an open kitchen, a glass wall that overlooks a courtyard, and a mural of a juniper tree on one wall. For groups, there is a semiprivate dining table that seats eight and a 12-seat chef’s counter. There also are two patios: the front patio seats 20 and the side patio seats 16. The 52-seat dining room is available for buyouts. It opened in October.
The newly opened Hotel Granduca Austin includes the northern Italian restaurant Visconti Ristorante & Bar. Chef Tom Parlo’s menu incorporates local and seasonal fare to update classic Italian dishes. The restaurant continues the Tuscan-inspired design with architectural features such as 16th-century monastery doors that lead to the restaurant’s private dining area. Other dining options at the hotel include the Veranda along the courtyard and a pool bar. The hotel, which has 194 rooms and 6,650 square feet of event space, officially opened November 4.
Featuring new takes on classic Spanish cuisine, the restaurant Bullfight opened in September from chef/owner Shawn Cirkiel and chef Ryan Shields. The menu includes a selection of Spanish cheeses and cured meats as well as seafood paella and dishes from several regions of Spain. It also has an extensive list of Spanish wines, along with sangrias and a curated list of cocktails. The interior design from Michael Hsu features painted white brick, several wood tones, and a pop of color in the form of a blue-and-white-tiled wall. The restaurant has 100 seats spread throughout its interior and brick-enclosed patio. The entire space is available for buyout, or planners can opt to book the patio separately.
The popular restaurant Barley Swine is moving to a new, larger location. Chef Bryce Gilmore’s farm-to-table concept is moving to a newly built space in North Central Austin slated to open early next year. The restaurant originally opened on South Lamar Boulevard in 2010. Levy Architects is designing the new space as well as for the pizzeria Bufalina, also located in the new development.
Seeking to please both sushi and sports lovers, the restaurant Pacific Rim Sushi & Yakitori recently renovated its sushi lounge that includes several large-screen televisions. Its menu features sushi and yakitori items as well as a list of Polynesian cocktails, beer, wine, and an extensive sake selection. Available for private events, the sushi spot finished its renovation in late June. The venue seats 130.
