WORDS BY AVA MOTES

JULIE MYRTILLE INTRODUCES THE ROSE BAKERY AT THE ARBORETUM

Chef Julie Myrtille

Award-winning Pastry Chef Julie Myrtille is giving North Austin a taste of her namesake bakery with a new offshoot: The Rose Bakery. Myrtille first got her start at local farmers market stands and later established Julie Myrtille Bakery in East Austin, where she specialized in traditional French pastries like Galette des Rois (French King Cake) and Bûche de Noël (Yule Log). The Rose Bakery delivers many of the fine French pastries that put Myrtille on the map with additional globally inspired menu items. Here, Myrtille draws not only on her French heritage, but her time spent living in the United Kingdom and the states with nods to the English and American baking traditions.

The Rose Bakery specializes in authentic and scratch-made pastries for any time of day. There’s a variety of breakfast and lunch options including Myrtille’s renowned homemade jams, breads, brioches, cannelés, macarons, madeleines, crêpes and quiches, as well as rotating daily soups. The space also offers indoor and outdoor seating with decor reflecting the chef’s artistic flair.

Try Rose Bakery at 10000 Research Boulevard in the Arboretum or for more information, visit therosebakery.com.

UCHI, UCHIKO, AND NOW UCHIBĀ OPENS IN AUSTIN

The latest addition to the Hai Hospitality family is Uchibā, a sister restaurant to Austin’s renowned upscale sushi spot, Uchi. Uchibā, which translates to “uchi bar” in Japanese, first launched in 2019 as the cocktail-centric upstairs neighbor to Uchi in Dallas. The new second location at the base of Austin’s Google Tower is complete with a full bar, a sushi bar with yakitori grill and casual seating both indoors and outdoors.

Photo by Uchiba

“Like Uchi and Uchiko, we have a sushi bar [and] cool and hot tastings, but we really lean into items like bao, buns, skewers and dumplings as a part of the intimate bar experience,” says chef and owner Tyson Cole.

New additions to the menu also include an Uchibā salad, crispy tofu, hot rock, karaage, fried green tomato, sake maki and a spicy tuna roll. And at Uchibā, drinks are considered more than a simple complement to food; they are the focal point. They have an extensive sake list with a range of tasting notes, a selection of wines, Japanese and local beers, tequilas and mezcals and over 30 Japanese whiskeys to choose from. They also offer food and drink pairings, like a wagyu tartare with marsala wine and oysters with a martini.

To try Uchibā, visit 601 West Second Street or to book a reservation and explore the full menu, visit uchiba.uchirestaurants.com.

FRESA’S OPENS NEW LOCATION IN WESTLAKE ON LOOP 360

Photo by Fresa’s

Now serving up tacos, wood-grilled meals and margaritas in the Westlake neighborhood is Fresa’s Chicken al Carbon — the third location for this local favorite. Their new spacious Loop 360 spot leans into its Hill Country setting with a scenic outdoor patio while offering the same dine-in, to-go window and full bar service that put them on the map in South Austin.

The menu takes cues from the original South First Street location, featuring Fresa’s signature achiote and citrus chicken, chimichurri skirt steak, and crispy empanadas, as well as brunch fare like breakfast tacos, chilaquiles and huevos rancheros. They also offer a variety of margaritas, beer, wine and aguas frescas. And as a bonus, the new location has catering offerings for large parties and group events, including Thanksgiving meals in November and tamales in December, as well as a kit to make pozole with holiday leftovers.

Visit the new Hill Country hangout at 3600 N. Capital of Texas Highway, Suite A110, or check out fresaschicken.com.

PERFECT PAIR: BUREAU DE POSTE & TINY GROCER

Local delicatessen Tiny Grocer has found a second home in the former Hyde Park Post Office alongside Bureau de Poste, a new French bistro paying homage to the building’s former life. Similar to the original Tiny Grocer on South Congress, the newest location offers the Hyde Park neighborhood over 3,000 general and specialty grocery products from local artisans. There’s a deli case with made-to-order sandwiches and pre-made items to-go, as well as a coffee bar with pastries from Swedish Hill and Gati. Bureau de Poste, the brainchild of Tiny Grocer founder Steph Steele and Top Chef contestant Jo Chan, is also tucked inside the space with cozy leather banquette seating and a landscaped patio.

Photo by Bureau de Poste

Together, the store and bistro provide an opportunity for guests to connect with one another and the stories behind their community-sourced food. Though Bureau de Poste delivers French classics like escargot, French onion soup and beef tartare, they are all served up with a unique backstory. For example, their duck leg cassoulet is very personal to Chan, who taught herself to make the dish at the request of her wife on one of their first dates.

Visit Tiny Grocer and Bureau de Poste at 4300 Speedway. For more information, visit tinygrocer.com and bureaudeposteatx.com.

DRINKS BACKYARD OFFERS TOUCH OF “OLD AUSTIN”

Photo by Drinks Backyard

New from the team behind Drinks Lounge and Little Drinks Lounge is Drinks Backyard — a casual hangout in the Pilot Knob Acres neighborhood reminiscent of “old Austin” watering holes. Located in the remodeled Pilot Knob liquor store, Drinks Backyard preserves a piece of 1970s South Austin with vintage decorative touches and space to shoot pool or listen to records while grabbing drinks. The indoor bar and patio is situated on a two- acre property complete with a stage, covered lounge seating and a television for watching sports or hosting movie nights. The backyard’s onsite food truck Smokin’ Brew-B-Q also offers barbeque plates and tacos to pair with drinks, and is expected to be joined by additional trucks in the coming months.

“As longtime South Austinites, we wanted to create a fun and inviting space that felt like home for the community we’ve lived in for much of our time here,” co-owner Sara Lupa says.

Joining Sara on the Backyard team is fellow Drinks co-owner Tim Lupa and longtime bartender Ceci Menchu. Together, they’ve adapted favorites from the Drinks menu to emulate what they would like to drink in their own backyards after work, Menchu said. All cocktails are priced at $10, including their popular frozen espresso martini and frozen mezcal paloma, as well as backyard spritzes, margaritas and non-alcoholic cocktails. There are 20 local craft beers on tap, and full coffee service is provided from noon to 7 p.m., courtesy of Austin Roasting Company.

While Drinks Backyard’s indoor space is only open to guests aged 21+, the patio is all ages and pet friendly.

Stop by Drinks Backyard at 6328 S. Hwy. 183 or visit drinksbackyard.com for updates and information on upcoming events.

PROGRESS COFFEE + BEER EXPANDS TO BUDA

Photo by Progress Coffee

After launching their first brick-and- mortar cafe in Cherrywood earlier this year, Austin-based roasting company Progress Coffee has expanded to Buda with Progress Coffee + Beer. Their newest location features all-day menu items from Easy Tiger bakery, as well as food trucks like Gebby’s BBQ and Pueblo Viejo on their outdoor patio. The space is also complete with a full bar, offering local beer and wine, craft cocktails and freshly roasted coffee from the flagship in Austin.

Progress’ beverage menu includes a number of signatures from their original location, as well as new concoctions for their Buda audience, with coffee-based cocktails featuring prominently. This includes their popular Lightning Coffee with condensed milk, whole milk, vanilla, chocolate and a blend of Progress coffees; the 68 McQueen cocktail with Ojo de Tigre, Lowlands scotch, agave, chocolate and orange bitters; and the Smoky & Bandit with cold brew, Averna Amaro, Cynar, cinnamon syrup, tobacco bitters and amaretto cream topped with crushed chocolate wafers dust.

Photo by Progress Coffee

Events at Progress Coffee + Beer’s Buda location will include trivia on Wednesdays (creatively dubbed Geeks Who Drink) and live music from Thursday to Sunday.

Visit their new location at 750 FM 2001. More details available at progresscoffee.com.

PEARL DIVE OYSTER BAR IS SERVING UP SEAFOOD ON WEST 5TH

From the team behind downtown cocktail bar Swank Cocktail Room is Pearl Dive Oyster Bar, now serving up seafood on West Fifth Street. The restaurant is headed by chef Peter Klimov, who previously worked at Olamaie and the Hotel Ella kitchen. Now, Klimov is preparing delicious raw oysters, seafood towers and a variety of cooked coastal dishes. Their cold bar features everything from shrimp cocktail to tuna tartare, and they offer several salads and small plates like calamari. For those looking to go all out, there’s clam tagliatelle, halibut, miso-glazed sea bass and more.

Photo by Pearl Dive

Pearl Dive is joining the growing list of oyster bars in Austin, but offers something a little different, including live music to set the ambiance for a date or special occasion. They also have a unique seafood brunch experience with everything from lox bagels and breakfast lobster rolls to caviar.

Pearl Dive is at 1611 W. 5th St., Suite 105. Learn more at pearldiveoysterbar.com.

RADIO/EAST OPENS IN MCKINNEY NEIGHBORHOOD

Radio photo by Renee Dominquez

Radio Coffee & Beer is tuning in to the growing food and drink scene in southeast Austin with Radio/East, a new off-shoot location in the McKinney neighborhood. Similar to the original spot on Manchaca, Radio/East is quartered in a renovated old home with plenty of outdoor space for onsite food trucks, casual patio seating and regular live music events. Founders Jack and Greg Wilson have teamed up with Nine Mile Records owner Rick Pierik to turn the large, two-acre plot into the perfect hangout for coffee, food and music lovers alike.

Radio/East has a little something for everyone, any time of day. There are espresso drinks and drip coffee, made with the Bluegrass Blend from Radio’s own RCB Roasters, as well as a full bar and covered outdoor stage. Their food truck lineup includes local fixtures like Veracruz All Natural and Side Eye Slice, a pizza-by-the- slice concept from Side Eye Pies. Radio/East also features its own truck, Shortwave Diner, serving up all-day favorites like smashburgers and breakfast sandwiches.

Radio/East is now open at 3504 Montopolis Dr. Peruse the menu at radiocoffeeandbeer.com.

About the Contributor

Ava Motes is an Austin native who follows the city’s expanding food scene with an eye for the people and stories behind beloved menus. In her spare time, she loves trying new restaurants, exploring farmers markets, and relaxing in cafes with a good book in hand.