3 days ago
Most Exciting Austin Restaurant Openings, Summer 2025
Summer is historically a bit slow in the restaurant world — Austinites are off elsewhere for vacation, and tourists aren't exactly flocking to experience the Texas summers. So, while it's a great time to visit hard-to-reserve spots, new restaurant openings slow down.
Still, there is excitement on the horizon. A new Southeast Asian restaurant is coming to an East Austin hotel, featuring Singaporean chili crab and other authentic street food. The sisters behind a beloved taco spot are opening a new mezcal bar with snacks. And downtown is getting another fancy steakhouse from the team behind Red Ash. Seafood spot Fish Shop, which was announced earlier this year, has experienced some delays but is expected to open this summer. Here are the most exciting restaurant openings of summer 2025.
Location: in the Frances Modern Inn at 1123 E 11th Street
Projected opening date: July 2025
Chef Laila Bazahm will open Southeast Asian restaurant Siti (the Malaysian word for woman) to take over the former Poeta space at the Frances Modern Inn. Bazahm, who is of Brazilian and Filipino descent, also owns Spanish Restaurant El Raval on South Lamar and has a colorful culinary career that includes serving as executive chef at Eberly and owning restaurants in Barcelona, Houston, and Ibiza. Siti will offer dishes she craved during her time living in Asia, such as Singaporean chili crab, beef rendang (previously a signature dish at her restaurant in Barcelona), and a raw bar. The space will add a climate-controlled patio where Bazahm will grow herbs for her dishes.
Location: 1905 Aldrich St.
Key player: Reyna Vazquez, Maritza Vazquez
Projected opening date: mid-July 2025
The sisters behind Veracruz All Natural taco trucks are opening a mezcalería, La Mezca, in Mueller next to Veracruz Fonda and Bar, their restaurant that earned a Bib Gourmand from the Michelin Guide. The mezcalería will feature over 20 mezcals and agave spirits from small family producers across Oaxaca, Guerrero, Durango, and San Luis Potosí. The bar team, led by Sebastian Cajas and Bryan Ruiz, will offer cocktails and guided tastings. There will also be snacks, including street tacos like carnitas de hongos (mushroom carnitas), barbacoa, and citrusy fish.
Location: 200 West 6th St.
Projected opening date: Early Summer 2025
The group behind Italian restaurant Red Ash and steakhouse J. Carver's is opening another downtown restaurant centered around a wood-burning grill. The Kimberley in Downtown Austin will be a fine-dining spot serving dry-aged steaks, seafood flown in daily, and pastas made in-house. There will be a full bar with martinis and a wine room that holds over 1,000 bottles.
Location: 1401 East 6th Street
Key players: Justin Huffman and Nicole Rossi of Justine's and Le Beef
Projected opening date: July 2025
The team behind the burger pop-up Le Beef is opening Fish Shop, an East Austin seafood restaurant featuring a well-stocked raw bar. Expect specialty seafood, such as spiny lobsters, raw clams, and Dungeness crab, along with martinis and other classic cocktails, wine on tap, and Champagne. Don't worry — that super-juicy burger is on the menu, too. See More: Austin Restaurant News
Austin Restaurant Openings
