Austin Monthly November/December 2024

Road Trip! Retro Motels Make a Comeback PAGE 24 Bumble’s Plan to Stay Buzzworthy PAGE 64

Evan LeRoy works the pit at LeRoy & Lewis Barbecue

15 NEW HOT SPOTS TO DISCOVER IN TOWN

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Best New Restaurants 2024 New-school barbecue, vegan delights, Southeast Asian treasures, and Italian comfort spots top this year’s stellar list.

64 What’s the Buzz?

As singles gravitate back to meeting in real life, Austin-based Bumble looks to expand beyond life as a dating app.

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AUSTIN MONTHLY

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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2024

Contents Editor’s Letter 14 Scout Revive and thrive using high-tech wellness tools 21 Shop for the holidays with our local gift guide 22 Why motels are making a comeback in Texas 24

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Feast Amanda Rockman brings the dough to East Austin 29 Restaurant noise has gotten out of control at local hot spots. Here’s how to fix it 30 Inside the incredible, edible Box of Rocks dessert 32

Beat

Our list of the best, worst, and weirdest news of 2024 40 Jukeboxes are part of Austin’s quirky music identity 42

Weird History 74

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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2024

O N T H E C OV E R Chef Evan LeRoy at LeRoy & Lewis Barbecue,

by Steven Visneau Photo Director: Cory Rivademar

M AT T R B I OW E L L N E S S C LU B ; C H A D WA D SWO R T H ; B RYA N C . PA R K E R

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Rally Austin’s mission to preserve the capital city’s unique spirit 37

An invitation to Holiday in the HILLS.

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From the charm of breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus, to enchanting journeys along our illuminated trail of lights, followed by a mesmerizing snow show on Lady Bird Lawn, winter wonder awaits at every turn. Join us for an unforgettable celebration, brimming with joyous moments during your holiday escape.

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STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP Statement of Ownership, management and circulation (required by 39 U.S.C. 3685). 1. Austin Monthly 2. Publication No. USPS 001-163 3. Oct 1, 24. 4 Bi-Monthly, 5. No. of issues published annually. 6, 6. Annual subscription price

November/December 2024 | Vol. 32 | No. 6

General Manager Randi Stevenson Editor-in-Chief Madeline Hollern

$14.95; 7. PO Box 2171, San Antonio, TX 78297-2171 9.

Names and addresses of Publisher and Editors are: Publisher, Mark Medici, P.O. Box 2171, San Antonio, Texas 78297-2171. Editor, Madeline Hollern, P.O. Box 2171, San Antonio, Texas 78297-2171. Managing Editor, Bryan C. Parker, P.O. Box 2171 San Antonio, TX 78297-2171. 10.

EDITORIAL Executive Editor Bryan C. Parker Contributing Writers Katie Canales, Darcie Duttweiler, Anthony Head, Hamilton Jones, Ali Khan, Rose McMackin, Chad Swiatecki

Owner: Hearst Newspapers, LLC, mailing address: 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019. Members of Hearst Newspapers, LLC are: Hearst Communications, Inc. (Managing Member), and Newspaper Holding, Inc., mailing address: 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019 11. See Item 10 above. 15. A. Total no. copies printed (Net Press Run). Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 17,892. Actual no. copies of single issue published

ART Contributing Art Directors Adrián Alvarez, Amanda Croy, Mara Esquivel Contributing Photo Director Cory Rivademar Contributing Photographer Steven Visneau Contributing Illustrators Will Bryant, Antoine Doré, Stephanie Elizabeth, Anna Kim

nearest to filing date 17,781. B. Legitimate Paid and/or Requested Distribution. 1. Outside-County Subscriptions.

Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 6,235. Actual no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 6,045. 3. Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors and counter sales, and other outside USPS. Average no. of copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 1,848. Actual no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 1,804. C. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation. Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 8,083. Actual no. copies of single issue

DIGITAL Digital Manager Abigail Stewart ADVERTISING Chief Revenue Officer Kate Weber Senior Marketing Director Sara Bryant Account Director Dana Horner Senior Account Executives Teddy Ivanova, Jenn Tully Customer Success Specialist Kiely Whelan

published nearest to filing date 7,849. D. Nonrequested Distribution. 1. Outside County, Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 3,245. Actual no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 3,231. 4.

EVENTS Events Director Lauren Sposetta

Outside the Mail, Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 3,696. Actual no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 4,105. E. Total

CIRCULATION Audience Development Director Tom Nork

Nonrequested Distribution. Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 6,941. Actual no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 7,336. F. Total Distribution. Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 15,024. Actual no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date 15,185. G. Copies not Distributed. Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 2,868. Actual no. copies each issue published nearest to filing date, 2,596. H. Total Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 17,892. Actual no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 17,781.

I. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation. Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months 54%. Actual

CONTACT US PO Box 217, San Antonio, TX 78297-2127, 512-263-9133 Advertising inquiries: advertising@austinmonthly.com Letters to the Editor: info@austinmonthly.com Subscriptions, Renewals, and Address Changes: Austin Monthly, PO Box 217, San Antonio, TX 78297-2127, 512-387-6234, subscriptions@austinmonthly.com or online at austinmonthly.com/subscribe.

no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date 52%. 17. I certify that the statements made by me above are correct and complete. Mark Medici, Publisher.

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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2024

WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA austinmonthly.com

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Editor’s Letter

Madeline Hollern Editor-in-Chief madeline@austinmonthly.com @madelinehollern @madelinehollern

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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2024

H AY D E N WA L K E R

Yes, Chef!

AS I PULLED into a dusty parking lot of a new under-theradar spot in far East Austin, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I recognized the glowing marquees in front of popular tourist hangout Sign Bar, but it took me a second to find my destination next door—a tucked-away space featuring garage-style doors and light blue patio stools. The large wraparoundbarintheopen-airconceptsummonedpatrons with its brightly colored drinks, but the decorations of giant elephants and authentic artifacts clued me in that this was more than just a breezy lounge. Each dish that Lao’d Bar owner Bob Somsith presented to the table provided an explosion of flavors: Thai chile-topped ceviche escolar served in a fresh coconut, pork bao buns with Lao seasoning, caramel fish sauce fried chicken wings. Ending my dinner with a jasmine rice lager over ice—the traditional way to drink a beer in Laos—I realized this had been one of the best meals I’d had in a long time.

It wasn’t just the food that endeared me to Lao’d Bar. In the last couple of years, the local hospitality scene has too often favored flash over substance. Sure, new spots had cocktails that could be lit on fire or robot waiters or disco bathrooms, but these flairs felt like pandering to the eye-candy demands of social media. Thankfully, this year, local eateries are shifting their focus back to quality. In our cover feature, “Best New Restaurants 2024” (page 48), we highlight more than a dozen new spots across Austin, from a concept inspired by ’80s East Coast pizzerias and a lowkey taco speakeasy to an East Side hot spot boasting “Weirdo Italian” and a diminutive eatery featuring plantbased fine dining.

Speaking of local changes, homegrown brand Bumble has been shaking things up lately. Since bursting on the scene a decade ago, the dating app pivoted away from its signature“womenmakethefirstmove”ethosandweathered a CEO change, an ad campaign controversy, a public offering, and ever-shifting behaviors within modern dating. As the app celebrates its milestone 10-year anniversary in December, writer Rose McMackin examines its successes and struggles in “What’s the Buzz?” (page 64). In these pages, we also feature a curated gift guide, a new urban bakery serving up memorable pastries, and an eye-catching dessert that will dazzle your in-town guests over the holidays.

As you dig into the new issue, we hope you savor every morsel—and plan your next culinary adventure.

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UNDERSTANDING

FERTILITY TESTING

Dr. Deborah Ikhena-Abel, MD, Reproductive Endocrinologist & Infertility Specialist at Aspire Fertility Austin

When a couple finds themselves unable to get pregnant on their own, they generally go through a flood of emotions – anger, frustration, and sadness.

They are also overwhelmed by the next step: fertility care. More often than not, patients don’t anticipate that they will need fertility treatments to build their families. Education is the best way to ease a couple’s confusion about their future fertility and family-building journey.

Male Factor Infertility and Testing It’s a common misconception that infertility is a woman’s issue. That’s not the case, and science tells us that 40% to 50% of infertility cases are related to male-factor infertility (MFI). And 20% to 30% of the time, it’s a combination of both female and male infertility factors.

When scheduling your initial consultation, include your partner so your specialist can discuss fertility testing for both of you. Having a clear understanding of each person’s reproductive health is important in reaching your pregnancy goals.

Testing for MFI can give a clear picture of male reproductive health, including sperm count, quality, and motility. It includes a urine test, semen analysis, blood tests, and in rare cases an ultrasound to detect blockages.

Female Infertility Testing Age is the number one factor of female reproductive health, as the quantity and quality of eggs diminish with age.

But fertility testing for women goes beyond age and ovarian reserve to also look at the structure of the female reproductive system. This is important because regardless of who holds the diagnosis, it’s the female partner who will need to undergo the majority of the physical treatments and carry the pregnancy.

Fertility testing for women includes various tests and exams—some non-invasive and others slightly invasive—that can give a clearer picture of a woman’s reproductive health, including blood tests to detect hormone levels and ultrasounds to determine ovarian reserve.

More invasive procedures like Hysterosalpingography (HSG) can determine if there is scarring or blockage in the fallopian tubes, which can impede fertilization of an egg and/or implantation of a fertilized egg, also known as an embryo.

If you have concerns about your fertility and want to explore your familybuilding options or to schedule a patient consultation, please visit https://www. aspirefertility.com/austin-texas or call us at 512-479-7979.

M AT T R B I OW E L L N E S S C LU B

Body Talk At first blush, MATTR BIOwellness Club looks like something out of a sci-fi movie. But despite its futuristic aesthetic, the company has a very simple mission: optimize your health on a cellular level.

The new Southwest Austin center features 17 non-invasive modalities aimed at biohacking, from hyperbaric oxygen therapy chambers that expedite wound healing to a lymphatic draining suit designed to reduce swelling and a CVAC cellular machine that mimics fitness training at high elevations.

Feeling a little rundown during the holiday season?

Sharpen mental clarity with the cranial light helmet (pictured), which uses targeted red-light therapy to improve focus and even alleviate migraines. “There’s a resurgence of people waking up and realizing traditional medicine is great and has its space, but a lot of people are trying to get to that root cause of their issues,” says clinic manager Audrey Hamker.

“This is using your body’s own biology to heal itself.”

MATTR BIOwellness Club features membership packages as well as a la carte services starting at $25.

—Madeline Hollern

AUSTIN MONTHLY

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Scout Travel

Motel culture is trendy again at these Texas lodgings. BY DARCIE DUTTWEILER READY TO GO RETRO? Across the Lone Star State, motels are experiencing a renaissance. A portmanteau of “motor” and “hotel,” this type of lodging gained popularity after the construction of the highway system in the 1950s and ’60s, and, unlike traditional hotels with crowded lobbies, these spaces offered privacy and easy access to major roads. With their hip midcentury-modern aesthetics, nostalgic touches, and affordable rates, motels have begun to captivate a new generation of travelers. Explore these five cool Texas lodges during your next road trip.

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Clockwise from top left: Hotel Lucine’s stunning courtyard pool; Cavalry Court’s military-inspired decor; the charming exterior of Stonewall Motor Lodge.

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Hotel Lucine

Originally opened as the Treasure Isle Motel in the ’60s, this recently renovated 61-room inn is a cozy Galveston oasis. Soak up ocean views from the rooftop bar or chill by the Palm Springs– inspired pool in the classic U-shaped courtyard.

Designed by Austin’s Kartwheel Studio, the hotel mixes clean lines with vintage details like aged bronze, antique mirrors, and reeded glass. Order elevated comfort food with a French twist at its on-site restaurant, The Fancy, and don’t miss Hotel Lucine’s holiday events, including a festive New Year’s Eve bash. hotellucine.com

Cavalry Court

Whether you “hook ’em” or “gig ’em,” this Valencia Group acquisition is the perfect spot to hang your hat during the Lone Star Showdown this November. Timeless hospitality and a retro ambiance transport guests to charming motor courts of yesteryear. The 141-room space showcases relaxed luxury with rich wood accents, Army green hues, and military-inspired touches that pay tribute to College Station’s heritage. For a vibrant meal with music, head to the lively Canteen Bar & Grill for fried alligator bites and brisket fritters. cavalrycourt.com 3

Thunderbird Marfa

Locally run since 1959, Thunderbird Marfa was reinvigorated in 2005 with a fresh design by Austin’s Lake Flato Architects, preserving its classic ’50s horseshoe shape and interior courtyard. The chic desert retreat fuses modern luxury and vintage vibes, featuring 24 minimalist rooms with warm wood accents, natural light, and thoughtful touches such as record players for rent. The roadside motel offers a serene escape for art enthusiasts, inviting guests to soak up the vibrant Marfa culture—or just wile away in the refreshing pool. thunderbirdmarfa.com 4

Stonewall Motor Lodge

Nestled among the trees along the Highway 290 Wine Trail, this revamped lodge blends contemporary amenities with throwback charm. Opened in 1964, the year following Lyndon B. Johnson’s

H OT E L LU C I N E : J O H A N N A A N D RU C H OV I C I ; S U I T E : CAVA L RY C O U RT

The Inn Crowd

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presidential inauguration, the L-shaped motel has 12 stylish rooms and four private cabins as well as RV sites. History buffs will love “The Press Room,” which has a kitchenette that was once used as a darkroom. Just 10 minutes from Fredericksburg, the motel is your gateway to 75 wineries and breweries, plus Johnson City’s dazzling holiday lights. stonewallmotorlodge.com 5

Interstate Inn

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LO D G E : STO N E WA L L M OTO R LO D G E .

A white 1960s Cadillac parked at the entrance adds an Instagram-worthy photo opp to this Stephenville motel. Slated to open in December, the Interstate Inn (formerly Caravan Inn) offers 33 unique rooms with custom furniture by 6572 Build that melds midcentury and modern styles.

Two of the spaces even feature kitschy surprises from a bygone era: a classic waterbed and an oldschool Magic Fingers vibrating bed. Hungry?

Enjoy on-site dining at The Seeker by James Beard Award–winning chef Stephan Pyles before you hit the road. theinterstateinn.com

AUSTIN MONTHLY

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Blanton All Day art • talks • tours • music • storytime • bites/bevs NOV

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Ringing in the season with a performance by Conspirare, DJ Set by Breakaway Records, talk on St. Cecilia (patron saint of music), cardmaking, Curator’s Choice talk, and more.

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The French Connection

C H A D WA D SWO RT H

While Austin has its fair share of traditional bakeshops, Amanda Rockman felt the city lacked one with a true urban mindset. For her eponymous new concept, the former New Waterloo pastry chef drew inspiration from Parisian boulangeries and bakeries in New York City and London. “What I love about these places is you’ll be walking in the streets at 2 in the afternoon and people are eating ice cream and croissants and cookies,” she says. “It doesn’t just have to be after dinner or for breakfast.” Opened this fall on East Cesar Chavez, Rockman Coffee + Bakeshop features fresh pastries such as a spiced pecan kouignamann and lemon meringue croissant, as well as savory focaccia sandwiches for lunch. Awash in hues of teal, coral, and mustard, the eye-catching space includes a gallery wall highlighting local artists like Iris Kwon. But don’t just go for the delicious eats—the all-day shop boasts a curated beverage menu with vermouth spritzes and lemonade shandies. “You can have something that you wouldn’t necessarily think a bakery would have,” Rockman says.

Oui, oui! —Madeline Hollern

AUSTIN MONTHLY

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Feast Heard Mentality

Cutting Through the Noise Popular restaurants often suffer from overly loud environments. One veteran hospitality group has advice on how to create a more harmonious ambiance.

ON A RECENT Friday night, local photographer Leta Harrison met up with a group of close friends for dinner at a chic rooftop restaurant downtown. While the food and drinks were delicious, she remembers spending all night struggling to hear or talk to anyone at her table. “If I’m having a dinner, I should be able to have a conversation without yelling,” Harrison says. The cacophonous environment was particularly frustrating, because she was celebrating her birthday and had been excited about catching up with her crew.

This anecdote was far from the only one we heard after a recent appeal to readers for tales of noisy dining experiences. Without naming names, other noted offenders included a hip Italian eatery, an upscale fusion restaurant, and a Japanese noodle shop. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Ellen Saathoff, the director of design for Hai Hospitality (which manages the Uchi restaurant group) says that when her team thinks about design, it’s about more than just art and decor—the aural experience of a restaurant is crucial. Here are her pro tips on how to foster a more enjoyable atmosphere.

Soft Surfaces

Strategic Seating

Quiet Kitchen

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Part of the approach involves plush, upholstered booths and leather chair pads, but the Hai team also uses sonic mitigation solutions akin to how a recording studio might soundproof its space.

“At Uchiba Austin, it looks to the naked eye maybe like it’s just a gypsum ceiling painted blue, but it’s actually all blue fabric-wrapped acoustic panels to help absorb all the sound,” she says.

Undoubtedly, the number of seats in a restaurant is going to affect the decibel level, and there’s a tipping point where noise is hard to avoid.

But Saathoff says her team has perfected the spacing between tables, allowing for density without it feeling too crowded or loud. “You want it to feel alive and not like you’re in the library,” she says. “It still feels energetic, but you can have conversations.”

Have you ever been to a restaurant and realized you could hear the din of clanging plates and silverware being tossed into industrial-sized sinks?

“There is some consideration around designing where exactly the louder part of the kitchen is,” Saathoff says of Hai properties. She and her team take care to ensure that the area to drop off and wash dirty dishes is as far removed and insulated from the dining room as possible.

What you’ll notice about the music at hot spots like Uchi and Uchiba are songs that have an upbeat rhythm without being club bangers. “We’ve really tried to make it a playground of sound that reflects both Austin, but also the broad set of guests we have through our door every day,” says chief brand officer Amber Quist. That means classics like Marvin Gaye as well as the chill aesthetic of Texas psychedelic rock group Khruangbin.

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I L LU ST R AT I O N : A N N A K I M ; FA B R I C R O L L : A R BA Z BAG WA N ; C H A I R A N D D I N N E R WA R E : A M I N A D E S I G N ; M U S I C N OT E S : K H A R O M P L E E D E E ; A L L I C O N S V I A G E T T Y I M AG E S

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Feast Anatomy of a Dish /

Avant Garden Inside this clever dessert at Hotel Van Zandt’s new bar and restaurant, Brass Poppy.

DON’T LET YOUR eyes fool you. While the Box of Rocks would make a fine centerpiece, this jaw-dropping new dessert at Brass Poppy is entirely edible (minus the wooden rake). Chef Sergio Ledesma crafted his confectionary delight to look like a blend of a childhood sandbox and a Zen garden. Here, the executive chef for Hotel Van Zandt breaks down how he creates the components in this memorable dish.

BY KATIE CANALES The tree was originally going to be plastic until the chef decided he wanted to have some fun with that, too. The stump is made from chocolate made in-house, with cotton candy forming the billowing canopy and red Pop Rocks dotted here and there as makeshift leaves to resemble cherry blossoms.

Various makers supply an assortment of rocks and truffles, but it’s the center one that stands out. “The green just creates Zen—peace, calm,” the chef says. Crafted locally using a passionfruit black sesame ganache by the team at Golden Eye, the rock is the perfect balance of delicate yet firm.

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C O L L I N F I N D L AY

Ledesma, 41, drew on nostalgia for the concoction, asking himself: “What were the flavors from when we were young?” Guests find themselves transported to a simpler time while fiddling with the realistic rocks, the sand, and the sugary mass of tree.

“All grown-ups,” he says, “we want to play with food, too.”

After trying crackers and cookies, the chef settled on Cheerios for the sand. The cereal is pulverized in a Vitamix before passing through a sieve to sort out the chunks. And to answer your question: Yes, patrons eat the sand. “One guy even asked me for a spoon,” he says.

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THE PERFECT GIFT HOLIDAYS 2024 Experience light, color, and scent.

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B RYA N C . PA R K E R

Saving Grace How local nonprofit Rally Austin is rescuing capital city cultural treasures like Hole in the Wall and Austin Playhouse from spiking rents and rapid development.

BY CHAD SWIATECKI

AUSTIN MONTHLY

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Beat The City Rappers Deezie Brown and Jake Lloyd perform at Empire Garage, one of the venues that gives the Red River Cultural District its distinct character.

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leaders, and real estate experts. Beyond an annual budget of a little more than $2 million from the city, funding from private businesses, grants, and philanthropic channels have furthered the group’s mission of preservation.

To save HITW, Rally Austin used $1.6 million of Cultural Trust funding last August to help the venue secure a new long-term lease and fund crucial improvements. The deal also made an accessory building suitable to house popular burger spot Jewboy Cantina, which provides Tanner with rental income to shore up HITW’s bottom line.

“The help came just in time,” Tanner says. “I guess you don’t realize something’s weighing on you until it’s lifting.” The innovative deal between his business, Rally Austin, and the property owners took about a year to finalize.

After turning heads with the HITW announcement, Rally Austin has built an impressive list of deals in service of protecting Austin’s music and arts spaces. Last December, it dedicated $4.5 million from the city toward Austin Playhouse’s planned dual-theater facility, and in July, it moved forward with a $2.5 million deal that will provide a 40-year lease to the Museum of Human Achievement, an arts space in East Austin. Then, in September, the nonprofit helped Empire Control Room and Garage, a live music venue in the Red River Cultural District, secure funding to buy the land it sits on and expand. By helping save independent and endangered creative spaces, Rally Austin is blazing a trail that aligns with the city’s Keep Austin Weird motto.

RA LLY CA P It takes big bucks to foster the Austin identity we know and love.

$300 million

Estimated cost of local projects deserving funding.

45

Creative space proposals received by Rally Austin in spring 2022.

$19 million

Amount of city funding devoted to conduct Rally Austin’s first round of deals.

6

Real estate deals completed by Rally Austin, as of early October 2024.

0.5%

Typical profit margin for independent venues, per the U.K.’s Music Venue Trust.

B RYA N C . PA R K E R

THERE WERE PLENTY of days in recent years when Will Tanner wondered how long he’d be able to keep the doors open at the Hole in the Wall. The owner of the beloved live music spot acrossthestreetfromtheUTcampushadsteered the business through the struggles of the COVID-19 pandemic that had claimed wellknown venues such as Shady Grove, Threadgill’s, and Barracuda. But the development prospects for the attractive property meant he could only secure short-term leases that offered no stability. At any moment, the land could be sold to make way for condos or some high-end mixeduse development, just as Austinites have witnessed on South Congress and in East Austin.

“We were always under the gun, and it felt like we were just struggling to get by,” Tanner says. In 2023, the club was facing a month-to-month lease, which is typically the life support phase for most hospitality businesses. It looked like the wooden stage that once hosted performers like Townes Van Zandt, Spoon, and Stevie Ray Vaughan would soon be a heap of splinters.

But instead of joining the long list of music venues crushed by Austin’s growth, it was given a new 20-year lease on life thanks to the work of Rally Austin, an emerging player in the local real estate and development game that’s heavily focused on preserving or creating culturally important spaces in Austin.

Created in 2020 under the name of Austin Economic Development Corporation, the quasi-public nonprofit rebranded as Rally Austin earlier this year. It has 21 board members, with a mix of some city staff, local creative

The one downside to these lofty aims? There are simply too many worthy causes. All of the roughly $19 million provided by the city has been used or is allocated for more in-the-works deals, and there are dozens of projects totaling more than $300 million that would make good candidates for future funding, according to Rally Austin’s chief transaction officer, Anne Gatling Haynes. But there’s only so much funding available for everything Rally Austin has in its sights.

One bit of good news arrived in September, when Austin City Council included Rally Austin in a resolution to provide a plan for utilizing $11 million in funding to buy historic cultural properties—though any decisions on how to use that money will come after considerable community discussion.

Cost of rent and development pressures facing music venues and arts groups aren’t a new threat in Austin’s creative economy. The impending closure of The Lost Well, a punk and heavy metal bar in East Austin, is just the latest chapter in a long list of bygone live music hubs. Liberty Lunch met its demise to make way for the current city hall, singer-songwriter haven Momo’s closed due to structural and safety concerns, and Beerland shuttered in 2019 amid the owner’s financial woes.

But it’s not just venues—the strain on individual artists is becoming too much to bear as well. Last year, the latest Austin Music Census found that 38% of respondents say they’re struggling to afford housing, with 36% saying they planned to leave the Austin area in the next three years.

Along with the real estate deals, Rally Austin has set affordable housing as another priority. On behalf of the Urban Renewal Board, it will oversee aspects of the redevelopment of two blocks of city property on East 11th Street near Franklin Barbecue. The nonprofit will advise on housing needs that help retain the heritage of the area, which has historically been a hub of the city’s Black culture with establishments like Victory East, the club and restaurant formerly known as Victory Grill.

While Haynes worries if Rally Austin will ever have enough money and resources to fully respond to the city’s needs, she and her colleagues are proud of the track record they’re building. She recently stopped by Hole in the Wall for a drink and took a moment to reflect on that success. “Staff were starting to pack boxes,” she says, recalling a much drearier outlook in the not-so-distant past. Now, the storied club is buzzing with activity once again.

Creating fertile grounds for authentic Austin experiences like these to flourish is exactly what Haynes wants to see. For decades, capital city residentshavelamentedtheerosionofeverything that made this place so special. With the help of Rally Austin, there’s a glimmer of optimism that our beloved creative institutions can remain rooted as the city around them grows.

AUSTIN MONTHLY

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Beat Year in Review

BEST

Spice of Life

Who can resist the siren song of a Triple Dipper and a Presidente Margarita? Testing the boundaries of irony, local love for the Chili’s on North Lamar has grown more ardent with each passing year. In April, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson made things official by signing a proclamation recognizing the chain restaurant with its own special day. Turns out, our city leader is a huge fan of the Santa Fe salad with grilled chicken.

A Walk in the Park

Apparently, you don’t even need functional wings to fly the coop. After several citizens reported two stray emus mysteriously wandering through Zilker Park, animal protection officers wrangled the avian pair and launched a search for the owners. After spending the night at Austin Animal Center, the lank y Australian critters were handed over to authorities at the Austin Zoo to prevent any further flight risk.

Hot to Go

After seeing a whopping 80 days of 100-degree temperatures in 2023, the capital city got a welcome reprieve with an unexpectedly mild summer. Austin had just 32 days of 100-degree heat this year, and several days in July didn’t even reach 90 degrees. The cooler weather combined with increased rain made this Central Texas summer downright bearable.

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From loose emus roaming Zilker Park to a local company accidentally breaking the internet, here’s our annual rundown of the city’s good, bad, and just plain weird.

BY BRYAN C. PARKER

Heavy Medal

From Kevin Durant helping Team USA secure another gold medal in basketball to Tara Davis-Woodhall’s first-place finish in long jump, former and current Longhorn athletes dominated at the 2024 Olympic games in Paris. In total, they earned 16 medals—including six gold—meaning that if the UT contingent were a country, it would have ranked 16th overall in medal count, just behind Spain but ahead of Sweden.

Night Owls

With fun-loving personalities like Matthew McConaughey and Willie Nelson calling the capital city home, it should come as no surprise that Austin likes to live it up. In August, British culture magazine Time Out named Austin the No. 1 city in America for nightlife, citing its endless summers, funky spirit, and late-night dance parties at Cheer Up Charlies.

Don’t Stop Believin’

Reports that “Old Austin is dead” have been greatly exaggerated.

After two capital city staples nearly closed this year, both were brought back from the brink: Ego’s found a miracle fix to major plumbing issues, and Blues on the Green was resuscitated by an H-E-B sponsorship.Wantmoreproof?

Katz’sDeliannounced in September that it would return to its original location on West Sixth Street 14 years after shuttering.

OldAustinneverklozes!

Double Jeopardy

I’ll take great cities for $1000, Alex! Austin found game show fame when it was featured as an answer on Jeopardy! in June. Some longtime residents balked at the clue, which referred to Tex-Mex restaurant Polvos being part of a supposed “Mexican Mile.” Admittedly, we’ve never heard the nickname, but it was still fun to see the capital city get a shoutout on a classic TV program.

ST E P H A N I E E L I Z A B E T H

The Best and Worst of Austin in 2024

WORST

Striking Out

People across America awoke on July 19 to discover a technology outage affecting Windows operating systems, which took out a major chunk of the internet and caused massive numbers of canceled flights.

Embarrassingly, it was all due to a faulty software update from Austin-based cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. The company added insult to injury when it tried to apologize to its customers with $10 Uber Eats gift cards.

Strange Bedfellows

Dozens of performers dropped out of SXSW after learning that the festival made a sponsorship deal with the U.S. Army and weapons manufacturers like RTX. To its credit, the fest issued a mea culpa press release in June confirming that those partnerships would be discontinued for the 2025 event.

Hell on Wheels

Built at the Gigafactory just outside of Austin, the Cybertruck has endured a comedy of errors since its debut, including at least five recalls in the first year. An April notice from Tesla informed owners that a faulty pedal could get stuck and “cause the vehicle to accelerate unintentionally.” And in one ironic incident, a Cybertruck crashed into a fire hydrant and then burst into flames when it got wet. We have cyberlemon laws, right?

ST E P H A N I E E L I Z A B E T H

In a Fog

In early April, Austinites prepped for the rare opportunity to glimpse a total solar eclipse—only to have a thick cloud cover roll in just in time to obscure views of the celestial phenomenon. It was even more of a

bust for the hordes of travelers who trekked to Central Texas from across the world for the experience. Don’t worry, the capital city will have another chance to see a total eclipse in—checks notes—the year 2343.

Old School

Despite some research showing that remote and hybrid work arrangements can be effective, the University of Texas issued a sweeping statement that nearly all staff members had to return to campus for the start of the 2024 academic year. The biggest test this semester? Keeping your cool during rush hour on I-35.

Holy Crap

Traffic backed up on Mopac one Sunday evening in September after a Radiant Plumbing truck flipped over near the Burnet Road exit.

(Luckily, the driver came out unscathed.) While traffic jams on the loop are nothing new, we’re pretty sure Radiant is supposed to be clearing out clogs instead of causing them. Hey, at least they’ll get the opportunity to make the mishap into a campy commercial spoofing The Fast and the Furious.

Locked Out of Heaven

Stop me if you’ve heard this one: A beloved Austin music space will be razed to build condos. Sean Daigle, owner of late-night disco hot spot Outer Heaven, announced in October that the dance club’s landlord would sell the property to a developer. Welcome, transplants! We’ve got a vibrant array of music venues and nightlife hubs you’ll absolutely love. They’re around here somewhere—we just can’t seem to find them at the moment.

AUSTIN MONTHLY

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Beat Long Play

As vintage machines vanish from Austin’s music scene, some classic bars keep the old-school vibes alive.

BY ANTHONY HEAD

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P H OTO C R E D I T

Jukebox Heroes

IT’S AROUND MIDNIGHT on an average weekday when Ramsey Midwood clears napkins and empty cigarette packs from the top of the bulky Wurlitzer jukebox at the edge of Sam’s Town Point’s dance floor. Midwood, who owns the South Austin honky-tonk, plugs in the machine—lights flicker for a moment—and presses two buttons. The warm scratchy sounds of music history pour from the front speaker.

When it comes to Austin, visitors and locals crave authentic experiences around music, and that doesn’t just mean seeing artists perform live.

What’s inside an old jukebox defines a bar’s character as much as a bouncer’s attitude and a bartender’ssmile.AtSam’sTownPoint,HankWilliams earnestly pleads the gospel standard “Calling You,” which lures several curious patrons over to the jukebox’sglasspanellikegearheadscheckingunder the hood of a ’57 Chevy. They’re transfixed by the non-LED lights, buttons with real texture, and a vinyl 45 record spinning right in front of their eyes.

“Everybody loves the look of it and the interaction with it when you push the buttons and have an expectation,” says Midwood, grinning with a secret, “and then that expectation is defied.” The joke here is that the records inside Midwood’s antique Wurlitzer are randomly switched out, rendering the listed songs meaningless. There’s so much surprised commotion whenever a selected song doesn’t get played that more people are drawn to its analog glow.

Jukeboxes used to stay plugged in and rocking all over Austin, but pride for the machines ain’t what it once was. More neighborhood bars—including legendary honky-tonks, dance halls, and even places proud to be called “dives”— have 86ed their old-school jukes, usually for thoughtless internet-enabled song dispensers like TouchTunes. Such streaming services provide countless songs that dilute unique encounters, fueling customer expectations that every song should be available at every bar. Once-hallowed haunts begin to feel soulless, and Austin sounds just like everyplace else.

But a few diehards have kept the old equipment intact, like at Casino el Camino, where an Encore jukebox remains the only source of music. “I want to establish a certain atmosphere, so I handpick everything,” says Paul Eighmey, who goes by the name Casino. He opened the downtown bar on Sixth Street in 1994 and has always taken a curatorial approach to the retro garage, punk, metal, and rockabilly classics in the machine. “I don’t want anything from Motörhead followed up by ‘Islands in the Stream,’” he says.

At North Austin’s Christmas-themed Lala’s Little Nugget, the Rock-Ola jukebox has played the same songs from Etta James, Dean Martin, and

BRYAN C. PARKER TK

P H OTO C R E D I T

Frank Sinatra for as long as anyone there remembers, which is just how they like it at this 51-year-old treasure. When Max Moreland and FBR Management bought Lala’s in 2015, he was told the jukebox had never been updated, so he kept it exactly the same way. But FBR owns more than a dozen Austin bars—including Mean Eyed Cat and Dive Bar— and only Lala’s features a jukebox. Individual playlists piped in via PA system are used for specifc moods, like slow happy hours or buzzy late nights.

“One of the negatives of the jukebox is that you’re putting the musical decisions in someone else’s hands. You’re giving someone control of the room’s energy, and it can be kind of perilous,” Moreland says.

Playlists may maintain a desired atmosphere, but extracting customer participation upsets the time-honored balance between publican and patron: Bar owners fill the jukebox with music, and customers choose what songs get played. This arrangement keeps bars soundinghow theyshould rather than how individual customers want them to sound. Even TouchTunes can’t guarantee that.

“We’re not supposed to have pop music or hard rock, but some of those songs do slip through,” says Eddie Costilla, owner of the well-seasoned East Side cantina La Perla (a true dive, not to be confusedwithupscalerestaurantPerla’s).Heshrugs toward the TouchTunes machine that replaced a beautiful NSM Sapphire jukebox—loaded with Ram Herrera, Johnny Cash, and Selena—and explains that if a song’s digital metadata is coded in Spanish, it gets through his pre-selected filters.

“I’ve had some AC/DC songs get through because the band played in Mexico,” he says.

Using TouchTunes is also anonymous, so no one gets blamed for playing Celine Dion, and systems can be accessed remotely, meaning some wisenheimer can bomb a bar with “My Heart Will Go On” while driving past. One feature is so nefarious, it’s indefensible: “Fast Pass” allows anyone to pay more money and jump ahead in the queue, erasing the fine line between “the customer is always right” and sheer capitalistic anarchy.

But back at Sam’s Town Point, where the Wurlitzer 2900 is stocked with mystery batches of vinyl 45s, a patron couldn’t exert their will even if they tried their damnedest. Midwood loves plugging in the jukebox for another round of musical roulette. No matter what gets played, it’ll be copacetic with the distinct, rootsy energy running through the place.

“Streaming is a service, but it’s not a pleasure,” Midwood says. “There’s no emotion in it.” According to him, the jukebox helps retain an audience and an ambiance. Or as he puts it: “This place becomes a little bit of an escape from that all-youcan-eat audio buffet.”

TK TK

From top: Song listings for 45s in Sam’s Town Point’s jukebox; the front of the Encore jukebox at Casino el Camino; CDs inside the Encore juke; the Wurlitzer jukebox at Sam’s Town Point.

AUSTIN MONTHLY

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2024

Get ready to make some reservations! After tasting our way across the capital city’s culinary scene, we’ve rounded up the most dynamic, decadent, distinctive, and delightful dining experiences in Austin. From new-school barbecue and high-end vegan cuisine to a canapé bar serving gourmet

BY MADELINE HOLLERN, ALI KHAN, AND BRYAN C. PARKER

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P H OTO C R E D I T

chicken nuggets and caviar, we present our top new restaurants of the year.

November/December 2024

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PR E HIOTO N H OCLS R EODNI T BAC K

P HEOTO ST V E NCVRIE SD NIETAU

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POETA

While quality Italian joints in Austin have historically been few and far between, chefs Ian Thurwachter and Krystal Craig are doing their best to amend that reputation. After the breakout hit of their first restaurant, Intero, the duo (pictured, left) struck magic again with their latest Italian concept. Featuring sumptuous velvet curtains, jewel-toned decor, and floral banquettes, Poeta is the ideal spot for a téte-á-téte with your better half. Lean into the French Quarter vibe with the Sazerac-made Spaghetti Western cocktail, or order the Grand Canal, “a nutty play on a Manhattan.” The award-winning chefs’ commitment to farm-to-table ingredients radiates in the beet salad: Loaded with fresh beets, dill, and fennel, the hearty dish satisfies with chunks of fatty avocado, while the orange citrus zest of the dressing keeps your palate light for what’s to come. Treat yourself with an order of the gnocchi and lamb confit, featuring a memorable tomato butter, and don’t miss the locally sourced roasted pork chop. But the G.O.A.T. dish of the evening? The goat cheese cheesecake, which showcases pastry chef Krystal’s obsession for la dolce vita.

E R I N H O LS O N BAC K

Star Dishes: Roasted beets, gnocchi with lamb confit, roasted pork chop, chèvre cheesecake Destination: 1123 E. 11th St.

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LeROY & LEWIS LEROY

There’s something so joyfully nostalgic about sinking your teeth into a slice of pizza that it brings out the kid in all of us. Perhaps that’s why L’Oca d’Oro founders Fiore Tedesco and Adam Orman decided to create their new endeavor with the spirit of the ’80s East Coast pizzerias that they frequented in their youth.

Before working in famed pizza spots like Roberta’s in New York and Bufalina in Austin, Tedesco grew up shaping rolls at his cousin’s bakery. Indeed, family influences are woven throughout the East Side concept: Bambino is the nickname of Tedesco’s son, Frances; the chef drew inspiration from his cousin’s favorite pizza joint in Caseta, Italy; and he spent several years working on the dough to emulate the memories of beloved pies from Southern Italian relatives. Made with Barton Springs Mill flour, his dough features a crispy bottom with a small airy pocket between the crust and the sauce layer to give it a delicate crunch.

Fungi lovers will adore the umami goodness in The Little Stinker, which uses lion’s mane and mushroom conserva, and margherita fans must try the Mi Scusi, an elevated take on the classic featuring smoked scamorza and a nutty sesame seed crust. Delizioso!

Star Dishes: Mi Scusi, The Little Stinker, Beets & Brittle, frozen affogato Destination: 979 Springdale Road, Ste. 153

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P HM BA OTO B I NCORP EH D OTO I T S : J O DY H O RTO N

miso glazed carrots, wheat and rye berry salad with house-pickled cranberry, and hog fat cornbread. Don’t even consider leaving without purchasing a bottle of LeRoy & Lewis’ famed beet barbecue sauce. With a commitment to sustainability, the restaurant utilizes meat from Texas purveyors like 44 Farms, Peaceful Pork, and Lorene Farms, and the concept features libations like Big Red sangria and a “Meat-chelada” that you can sip while waiting in line—now, thankfully, in the air conditioning.

BAMBINO

Evan LeRoy isn’t afraid to ruffle a few feathers. For a long time, the lauded chef dared to serve the crown jewel of Central Texas barbecue—brisket— only one day a week. But those who had, well, beef with that decision quickly conceded once they tried the rest of his stellar ’cue. With a nose-to-tail approach, LeRoy (pronounced LUH-roy) favors lesser-known cuts like smoked flat iron steaks and beef cheeks. His innovative style garnered him a loyal fanbase during seven years at his trailer at Cosmic Coffee. At long last, the company he coowns with Sawyer Lewis and Lindsey LeRoy upgraded to a 5,000-square-foot brick-and-mortar with a full bar early this year. Adventurous diners can head to the new South Austin space to sample

Star Dishes: Pulled whole hog, barbacoa, citra hop sausage, burnt cauliflower ends Destination: 5621 Emerald Forest Drive

November/December 2024

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PE L HROTO OY &C R LEW D IITS P H OTO S : J E S S I CA AT T I E

54 2024 54 NOVEMBER / DECEMBERNovember/December 2024

P H OTOB ICARNECA CASA D I TP H OTO S : R I C H A R D CAST E E L

CASA BIANCA Sure, you’ve had lasagna—but have you ever tried dessert lasagna? That’s exactly the type of offthe-wall creation you’ll find at Casa Bianca, which playfully prides itself on “Weirdo Italian” fare.

The East Austin restaurant’s riff on the mille feuille (“thousand sheets”) dessert uses the same dough from the cannoli rolled into a lasagna sheet, stuffed with diplomat-style cream, then topped with powdered sugar. After two years as chef de cuisine at Uchi, Joe Zoccoli began doing private dinners and pop-ups with his own American-Italian concept, Che Cazzo. This spring, the timing was right to open his first brick-andmortar on Cesar Chavez in a white building, hence the name Casa Bianca. The chef’s Italian-ish menu dazzles with innovative dishes: think spicy tuna cannoli, clams casino panzerotti with house-made Calabrian chili jam, and crispy skin branzino with caramelized eggplant purée. Dig your fork into the outstanding hoja santa cannelloni, a blanched hoja santa leaf from local HausBar Urban Farm filled with truffle-ricotta mousse that is rolled in a pasta sheet, broiled with caciotta cheese, and finished with an arrabbiata sauce. With its pleasant green hues and gorgeous bar, the cozy interior is a natural spot for a date—but if you’d rather have a negroni next to Fido on the dog-friendly patio instead, we’d hardly blame you.

SINK YOUR TEETH INTO THESE 3 STELLAR NEW SANDWICHES IN THE CAPITAL CITY. Murray’s Tavern

You can’t say the words “Beef ‘n’ Cheddar” without conjuring up some sort of Arby’s drive-thru order. But this version at Murray’s Tavern is on a whole other level. Dehydrated onions are baked onto the top of the Hokkaido-style Japanese milk bun, and the oozing “cheddar” includes two kinds of cheese, evaporated milk, Dijon, and sherry vinegar. Beyond the slow-roasted eye of round, the most important component is the au jus, made from prime rib trim and drippings reinforced with beef demi-glace.

Guppy’s

ol

i

Star Dishes: Clams casino panzerotti, hoja santa cannelloni, lasagna mille-feuille Destination: 1510 E. Cesar Chavez St.

Bread Winners

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Raj Bandi fell in love with fried chicken when he first tried the crunchy dish in India 10 years ago. Ever since, he’s been dreaming about how to marry the flavors of the South Asian version to the American staple. At Guppy’s, the chef utilizes a 12-hour marination process for his fresh Halal chicken, fries it and dips it in duck fat, then offers four spice levels featuring peppers imported from India.

(The hottest iteration even requires a waiver.) Savor Bandi’s artful twist on slaw, a vibrant mix of red cabbage, mandarin carrots, and bright yellow mustard.

I L LU ST R AT I O N : I STO C K I M AG E S

Knuckle Sandwich

Austin has no shortage of great Italian sandwiches, but this might just be the best one in the city. Chef Ryan Fox sources his cured meats from Olympia Provisions in Portland, where the James Beard–nominated chef ran a tasting-menu-only restaurant. The bread, arguably the most important element of the dish, is brought in daily from Pullman Market or Abbey Jane Bakeshop, but where the 9-inch cold-cut creation truly shines is the sauce. Fox makes an aioli using pickled mango called amba that pairs with Za’atar in the vinaigrette.

November/December 2024

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UCHIBĀ

Star Dishes: Pho wagyu beef dumplings, hot fried chicken bun, hama chili Destination: 601 W. Second St.

Vai d

as

Im

s

ha

Traditional izakaya are relaxed bar hangouts that serve casual fare—something like Japan’s version of an Irish pub. Hai Hospitality’s latest concept merges that atmosphere with the upscale cuisine that made Uchi one of Austin’s most revered restaurants. At this downtown eatery, you don’t have to give up delectable Toyosu sushi or staples like the hama chili, but you still get the added benefit of inventive specials like a birria bao bun with kimchi and cheddar. “There’s a little more freedom here,” chef de cuisine Vaidas Imsha says. “You can go as crazy as you want.” For example, a recent menu special featuring an elevated take on the McRib with a 10-hour sous vide pork rib and a house-made hoisin sauce. The Lithuanian chef even did a take on his grandmother’s pierogis by filling a dumpling with potato purée and topping it with a Japanese curry sauce. While the restaurant group’s Austin locations previously served only sake cocktails, Uchibā has a full complement of bar ingredients to match up with all these experimentations. That new ability has led to a menu section dubbed “perfect pairs,” such as the martini coupled with a Campari ponzu oyster. Even in a restaurant that’s all about reinvention, sometimes the classics are a hit.

It’s not often that a restaurant will truly surprise you—especially one that calls itself a bar. Ostensibly a tropical watering hole, this eatery transports guests to an Asian night market filled with bamboo accents and artful homages to the pachyderm. Born in Southeast Asia and raised in Dallas, Bob Somsith deftly fuses the cuisine of his upbringing with contemporary American dishes. The East Austin hot spot opened this past spring after years of the chef honing his craft at his Sek-Sē•Füd•Kō (“Sexy Food Co.”) trailer. Like any good bar, the space features de rigueur hot dogs and chicken wings—only here, they’re in the form of fried sausage paired with jeow bong aioli or mouthwatering wings topped with ingredients like ultra-spicy tropical sambal. Small details make the experience indelible, from roasted rice powder and caramel fish sauce made in-house daily to dishes bursting with lemongrass and kaffir lime.

Set your mouth on fire with the coconut ceviche, a refreshing mix of cured escolar tuna complemented by killer Thai chiles, then cool your tongue with a traditional jasmine rice lager served on ice.

Through his distinctive Southeast Asian concept, Somsith is quite literally raising the bar.

Star Dishes: Fried chicken wings, coconut escolar ceviche, Lao’d Dogg, ribeye steak skewer Destination: 9909 FM 969, Bldg. 4

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Lao’d Bar

November/December 2024

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PRÉLUDE Bedecked in moody wallpapers, shimmering chandeliers, and an illuminated bar straight out of the movies, Prélude is positively dripping with romance. But it’s the ephemeral nature of this canapé and cocktail bar that gives it intrigue. Chef Mathew Peters found a historic 1800s home just west of downtown and converted it into a stunning (if temporary) precursor to his future fine dining restaurant, Maven. After working at Michelin-starred restaurants including Per Se and The French Laundry, the chef proved his mettle by becoming the first American to ever win the prestigious Bocuse d’Or award. But don’t think that makes his establishment stuffy. One of the most popular items on the menu is none other than the chicken nuggets, expertly paired with a dollop of dill crème fraiche, Tabasco sauce, and (as an upgrade) Golden Osetra caviar.

Savor the textures of the citrus cured hamachi—served as tartare cornet “tacos” with charred shishito and avocado purée— and cap off your meal with Cookie Rich’s diminutive confections, perfectly crafted by Peters’ wife, Lorin. Should you have time to explore the property, look for the chef’s library in the second-floor bourbon room, which is brimming with cookbooks he’s collected over the years.

J O H N T R OX E L L ; I L LU ST R AT I O N : I STO C K I M AG E S

Star Dishes: Chicken nuggets with caviar, masa gougeres, shrimp toast Destination: 707 W. 10th St.

Olive You so Much

HOW CLASSIC MARTINIS BECAME THE “IT” DRINK ONCE AGAIN.

Shaken, stirred, dirty, or with a twist: The favorite drink of James Bond seemed as fresh as ever this year. Perhaps it was all the irresistible promotions, from the 75-cent martini happy hours at Whisler’s this summer to the 25-cent wet lunch offerings at Murray’s. Or maybe locals simply got tired of being not tired from all the espresso martinis that kept them wide awake at 3 a.m. No matter the reason, these gin- or vodka-based wonders came roaring back in 2024. Looking for a new spot to sip and see? Check out HESTIA BAR, which offers ice-cold martinis on special every Tuesday that are garnished with smoked or bleu cheese–stuffed olives. Cheers!

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Star Dishes: Khao man gai, khao man gai tod, khao moo dang Destination: 4807 Airport Blvd.

TARE

It’s the little touches that make Tare feel like a home-cooked meal—albeit a gourmet one. During a recent seating of his 15-course omakase service, chef Michael Carranza incorporated oranges from his grandmother’s home in the Rio Grande Valley to give citrusy sweetness to the aguachile. He made the table’s custom green bowls with his girlfriend, Danielle Martinez, who also crafted the stellar matcha tres leches dessert. The chef even featured a special treat—blue fin tuna that he’d caught alongside a fishing captain in New Hampshire—in the meal. These humble elements give Tare a refreshingly unpretentious vibe almost unheard of in Austin’s flashy omakase scene. With experience at local staples like Uchi and Musashino, Carranza has certainly proven his bona fides. He got started with private in-home dinners just before the pandemic and opened his speakeasyesque space on the second floor of a North Austin office building this past January. Using premium seafood sourced from Japan paired with seasonal Texas produce, the omakase experience is deemedkappo-style,alessformalculinarysetupcenteredaround the chef cooking in front of the diners. As Carranza and team chat while they grind fresh wasabi and fire-torch pieces of fish, you’ll feel like you’re talking to old friends.

Star Dishes: Hotate hokkaido scallop, negi toro, extra fatty blue fin tuna, tres leches matcha Destination: 12414 Alderbrook Drive

P HROTO TA E P HCOTO R E DSI T: C O U R T E SY TA R E

p thai’s khao man gai

Since childhood, Thai Changthong has had a singular goal: make an authentic Thai version of Khao Man Gai. Growing up in Bangkok, the chef remembers visiting street food vendors who would serve the poached chicken and rice dish at the oldest Chinatown in Southeast Asia. Those core memories became his focal point when he opened the food stall iteration of his concept inside Hong Kong Supermarket in 2023. Although the market shuttered early this year, he’s since graduated to his own location on Airport Boulevard, where the soul of the original spot still thrives. Featuring poultry fat sauteed with ginger and garlic and a house-made fermented bean chili sauce, his titular 45-minute poached chicken dish is a must-try. But the expanded 13-item menu provides opportunities to taste other recipes seldom seen in Austin. You could get courageous and try the pig tongue salad—it’s more intimidating on paper than on plate— or sample the marinated roast chicken, which features a simple but savory bowl of broth that hits your nose when you walk through the front door. Much like the Chinese lanterns that hang from the ceiling, the details in the chef’s recipes ensure an authentic Thai Chinese restaurant experience. “My food doesn’t speak English,” Changthong says. Time to take your taste buds on a trip.

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Scour the city—or even the country—and you’ll discover that plant-based fine dining is a rarity. Which makes chef Je Wallerstein’s gem of an eatery even more special. She honed her skills at Juniper, lending to her new concept’s Italian influence. But it was her training at internationally renowned vegan restaurants in London, Berlin, and Copenhagen that gave her a quiver of complicated techniques and inspired her to undertake her own venture. The East Austin restaurant offers a seasonal prix fixe tasting menu, and Wallerstein turnedtohernativeNewHampshireforautumnalinspiration.Therestaurant’s beloved Parker House roll is covered in toasted sesame seeds and furikake that adds a rich, warm flavor. Another standout starter features blackened cauliflower, grilled oyster mushrooms, and pickled fennel drizzled with a demi-glace created from unused remnants including carrot peels and mushroom bits. Such sustainable practices, like using every part of the ingredient and sourcing from local farms, won Fabrik a prestigious Smart Green award that will be presented in Valencia, Spain, later this year. The star of the fall menu is the butternut squash agnolotti, which sits in a vibrant acorn squash purée. But the best part is nearly invisible: a harissa olive oil drizzle that gives the dish a gentle kick. That’s the thing about Fabrik—the cuisine incorporates surprising flourishes that take it from marvelous to memorable.

FABRIK

Star Dishes: Parker House roll, butternut squash agnolotti, carrot skin ravioli Destination: 1701 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Ste. 102

P H OTO TAQ U E RCI A R E1 0 D ID T E 1 0 P H OTO S : C O U RT E SY TAQ U E R I A 1 0 D E 1 0

TAQUERIA 10DE 10 Even in a city known for its tacos, Raúl Esquer still felt something was lacking. “I missed the experience a customer has interacting with the taquero like in Mexico,” he says. Raúl partnered with his twin brother, Luis, to give locals a taste of their native country. But to experience Taqueria 10 de 10, first, you’ll have to find it. The inconspicuous space is tucked into the alleyway between Second and Third Streets downtown. Walk into the ReyRey bar through a door that leads you into a veritable taco speakeasy. Plenty of neon light fixtures, italicized signage, and bright white tiles make for eye-catching TikTok videos, which also helped garner an early following for the space. Half the fun is watching the chefs as you make your way down the counter line. With the large trompo (vertical rotisserie) on full display, the Tijuana-style al pastor taco is a go-to order. But here, it’s the carne asada that really steals the show.

Chef Roy Servan marinates flap meat over a gas-powered grill, wraps it in a Sonora-style flour tortilla, and tops it with the guacamole and norteño salsas, making it the best steak taco in town. Looks like the secret is finally out.

Star Dishes: Carne asada taco on flour, al pastor vulcan, carne asada quesadilla Destination: 206 Trinity St., Unit 110

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What’s the Ten years ago, Bumble set out to make a better dating experience for women.

As a new generation reconsiders relationships, the Austin-based company is ready to evolve.

By ROSE MCMACKIN

P H OTO C R E D I T

Illustrations by ANTOINE DOR RÉ

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Bumble hosts a panel discussion with Amanda Zurawski, a plantiff in a legal case involving abortion access.

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P HPA OTO N E LC:RREIDCIKT K E R N V I A G E T T Y I M AG E S

n a warm Tuesday night in September 2024, armed security guards stood beneath the twinkling marquee of The State Theatre on Congress Avenue. Inside the venue, the Austin Film Society had partnered with dating app Bumble to present a screening of Zurawski v. Texas—a documentary that follows three women who sued the state of Texas after being denied urgent emergency care due to the state’s new abortion laws. The guards provided a sobering reminder that discussing the issue comes with serious stakes, especially in Texas.

A documentary film screening about abortion access might seem like an odd place for a dating app brand to make an appearance, but it helps to explain the new paradigms Bumble has found itself navigating lately. A decade since the app’s inception, the cultural landscape for women and feminism has shifted, tech has evolved dramatically, and dating conventions have been upended. Bumble exists at the intersection of three domains that have been transformed completely since the app’s launch. As a result, the company has undertaken some serious soul searching.

Over the past year, the app sometimes known as “feminist Tinder”hasrolledoutaslewofnewfeaturesandmarketingefforts.

They enlisted the internet’s crush, Barry Keoghan, to do a shirtless Valentine’s Day ad. Lidiane Jones, former CEO of Slack, took over as CEO, as founder Whitney Wolfe Herd stepped into the role of Executive Chair. And that’s just the beginning.

Traditionally, Bumble has been a place for singles to meet, but the company’s evolutions suggest a readiness to expand its focus beyond playing matchmaker.

That makes sense in a world where lingering cabin fever from the pandemic and general ennui around the internet has led singles to join speed-dating events and flock to run clubs to find The One. Bumble’s model has always used tech to centerthedesiresandconcernsofwomen,which— in the current era—means a more substantial overhaul of the gender expectations, community, and politics that underpin romantic relationships.

But to really understand Bumble’s “better feminism through technology” ethos, you have to go back to the start.

Wolfe Herd was a co-founder of the revolutionary dating app Tinder, which paired geolocation-based sorting with a gamified swipe feature. Tinder launched in 2012, and Wolfe Herd resigned from her role as Vice President of Marketing just two years later, citing sexual harassment by co-founder Justin Mateen, with whom she had ended a romantic relationship. She partnered with Russian billionaire and tech entrepreneur Andrey Andreev for a new venture. Wolfe Herd envisioned an app exclusively for women and originally floated a concept that allowed users to give each other compliments. But Andreev encouraged her to enter the online dating space, so she launched Bumble in December 2014.

The app borrowed the same swipe and double optin format from Tinder but distinguished itself by limiting messaging so only female users could initiate conversations. Wolfe Herd positioned this functionality as “feminist,” claiming it offered an empowering degree of agency while hopefully reducing harassment and unsolicited dick pics.

It’s hard to understand Bumble without Tinder—it was always created in response to the other app. They are tethered by their shared swiping functionality and their intertwined origin stories. They exist as a dialectic: Tinder sleaze and Bumble girl power.

Before Wolfe Herd founded Bumble, dynamics on digital dating platforms more or less aligned with IRL gender roles. “Whitney’s idea was to flip all of that on its head and create a place where women made the first move, with the hypothesis that it would lead to kinder and more respectful interactions,” says Lucille McCart, Bumble’s director of corporate communications.

Ten years removed from that genesis, the moment is more urgent, and it’s not enough to just have women as the focus of the app. If you peek behind the curtain, it’s clear that a bevy of real-life social issues are intrin-

Bumble’s headquarters in North Austin were designed by local firms Mark Odom Studio and JEI Design.

Which presents Bumble’s most puzzling contradiction: The brand itself is strong. However, the product is encumbered by the structural problems of not only dating apps in general, but also a much larger social construct.Andchangingthatmeans reckoning with a whole new swarm of problems.

P HBOTO U M BCLR EE ’SD IHTE A D Q UA R T E R S : CAS E Y D U N N

Goodbye, Girlboss

sically linked to women’s dissatisfaction with dating— and, by extension, dating apps themselves.

For the Austin-based tech company, the abortion fight has gotten personal; it reports that nearly a third of staff were driven out of the state by Senate Bill 8, which saddled Texas with one of the harshest anti-abortion laws in the country. In addition to sponsoring the film screenings, Bumble was the first corporate signee on an amicus brief supporting the plaintiff’s modest request. They want the state of Texas to provide clarity on what constitutes a legal, life-saving abortion—which the law theoretically allows for but fails to define.

After the screening, Bumble’s chief legal officer, Elizabeth Monteleone, joined a panel of filmmakers and plaintiffs on stage. She remarked on how it was unusual, as a corporate lawyer, to be working on an amicus brief for a case like Zurawski v. Texas, weighing in as an interested party on a suit that had the potential to shape public policy.

But it’s not the first time Bumble has dipped its toe into direct action. Since 2022, the company endorsed laws designed to penalize “cyberflashing,” the sending of explicit photos to strangers online, and cut down on online sexual harassment. Such measures have already passed in three U.S. states, including Texas.

Now, they’re backing the federal CONSENT Act (Curbing Online Non-consensual Sexually Explicit NudityTransfers),whichwouldgivevictimslegalrecourse throughoutthecountry.But,theConsentActis,notably, bipartisan. With the Zurawski case, Bumble is putting its finger on the scale for a far more divisive issue and throwing its weight behind improving the dating experience beyond the apps.

It might seem like an unusual move for a corporate brand,butBumblehasdoneanexcellentjobreadingthe room. Reality for women, particularly for those in Texas, feelsbleakrightnow.Themarketable,optimisticfeminism of 2014 is long gone, and Bumble is pivoting away from consumerism-friendlyGirlbossfeminismtowardamore overt advocacy that resonates better with contemporary—and particularly—younger users.

“Iftherewas adatingappthat attracts women the most, it was, at least initially, Bumble,” explains Ellyn Briggs, a brand analyst and digital media expert for survey research company Morning Consult. “But, in the last few years, the conversation has been about women feeling burnt out and tired of dating. So, where Bumble might have been positioned really well in the early 2010 Girlboss era, they’re now in sort of a less than desirable position.”

Today, the “women message first” concept reads like just one more place that they must assume the emotional labor of their relationships. Women don’t necessarily want to message first; they just don’t want their inbox flooded with dick pics. The entire structure of the app feels less matched to the feminism of the present moment.

And that mismatch is playing out in dollar signs. Bumble reported modest growth of 3% in the second quarter of 2024, shortly after laying off 37% of its staff in February. Its stock price has tumbled by more than 50% this year. To be fair, Bumble isn’t alone. Since Match Group (which owns Match.com, Tinder, and Hinge) stock peaked around $160 per share in 2021, it has fallen around 77%. In short, the business prospects for dating apps are about as low as they’ve ever been.

“It’s women, across the board, that seem to have the poorest perception of dating apps,” says Briggs. Women as a whole rate their outlook on dating and the dating apps as bleaker than men, Gen Z, or U.S. adults overall.

In part, Briggs blames the algorithms, which tend to amplify the worst dating horror stories, often along gendered lines.

This summer, jokes about going “boysober” or “celibate” hit a kind of terminal velocity. Julia Fox said she’s sworn off men. On TikTok, an onslaught of videos featured tearful women recounting their dating horror stories and captured just how burnt out on dating they are. When dating stories go viral, they are reflecting something authentic, but they’re also likely making everyone more cynical about dating or finding a partner.

“Obviously the dating apps can’t police for that. It’s not something they can solve for, so to speak,” Briggs says. It’s hard to market a dating app when people are feeling negative about dating overall.

In April, Bumble rolled out an “anti-celibacy” marketing campaign, promoting television commercials and billboards with taglines like “You know full well a vow of celibacy is not the answer” and “Thou shalt not give up on dating and become a nun.” It was an attempt to engage with the broader conversation about dating and hook-up culture.

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Bumble founder and longtime leader Whitney Wolfe Herd (left), and new CEO Lidiane Jones.

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does a dating app, even a feminist dating app, escape the structural misogyny of its moment? Can it?

This is perhaps the false promise of Girlboss feminism: that individuals can maneuver to better futures within the confines of the system as it exists. Wolfe Herd has often been characterized as a branding genius, but the power dynamics of modern dating are, unfortunately, not a branding problem. Since Bumble first promised a better dating experience for women, the scope of that project has ballooned. The app has lived through Gamergate, a Trump presidency, and the fall of Roe v. Wade.

Understanding content moderation as an act of feminism requires viewing the internet as an inherently hostile place to women. But the internet is just people; it’s hostile to women in the ways the world at large is hostile to women. That’s a lot for a smartphone application to tackle. However, it doesn’t necessarily have to solve those problems—simply taking them on could be a way to energize new patrons and transform Bumble from an app into a more well-rounded lifestyle brand.

Swiping Left

As if struggling against entrenched social structures wasn’t impossible enough, Bumble faces a tech ecosystem that’s both accelerating and collapsing. Even as we’re promised that AI is here to solve all of our problems, social media platforms feel less functional than ever. “Are we all matching with bots on dating apps now?” queried one Cosmo headline last May. More than ever, users, particularly younger ones, are starting to ask questions about what’s under the hood of the tech platforms where they conduct much of their lives. It’s partially digital fatigue; 17 years after the iPhone debuted, the novelty of tech is wearing thin, and suddenly the IRL world has a new sheen to it.

There’s also a distrust of the motives driving big businesses. And, despite a rocky financial year, Bum-

P HPA OTO M EC LA R EHDAI N T SEN

The backlash was swift.

On TikTok, users chastised the company for treating their concerns so lightly. “Voluntary celibacy” is a deeply reasonable response, they argued, to endless emotional labor, rampant sexual assault and harassment, and narrowing reproductive rights.

Bumble walked back the ads and apologized. Briggs calls the campaign “a swing and a miss.”

Missteps aside, Bumble has worked hard to respond to women’s concerns throughout its tenure.

Most of their product development has focused on features that safeguard interactions within the app.

In many ways, the company’s legacy has been addressing the pain points of the shiny new mobile-first format Tinder had introduced.

“We design and build all our products through a women’s lens,” explains Bumble’s chief legal officer, Elizabeth Monteleone. “Our belief is that when you make technology better for women, you make it better for everyone.”

“Iabsolutelyboughtintothe‘Mychanceswillbebetterbecause they will feel safe’ spirit,” says Richard, a 32-year-old musician who places the likelihood of meeting his partner sans Bumble at less than 10%. He’s charming and introspective, quick to admit that he treated the apps as an easy source of validation. “I can’t tell if that’s healthy and reasonable or wildly predatory,” he adds.

In 2016, Bumble introduced Photo Verification to cut down on catfishing. Followed by Private Detector, in 2019, which used artificial intelligence to automatically blur unsolicited nudes.

This year, they launched Deception Detector, designed to filter out spammy fake profiles and scams.

In 2021, a TIME profile observed that Bumble is the first major social platform to make content moderation central to its business and a key part of its value proposition. Many of the app’s behavioral guardrails are automated, blocking users for cyberflashing or harassment. More recently, Bumble updated its community guidelines to include ghosting and no-showing as abusive conduct.

In 2023 alone, the company reports blocking more than 8.2 million accounts across Bumble and sister app Badoo. Most of that detection and removal has been done by automated systems. “We would have blocked Donald Trump years ago if he used our product,” Wolfe Herd told TIME in March 2021.

The former president had been booted off Twitter only two months before, a kind of high-water mark for regulated speech on social platforms.

“The premise of apps like Bumble—tagline: ‘We’re changing the rules of the game’—implies that an app can change humans, the ones who make that game,” Kate Dries wrote for Jezebel, when the company was first announced in 2014.

Here, we bump up against the fundamental problem: women want a more equitable dating experience overall, which is something a smartphone app alone can’t deliver. So, how

P H OTO C R E D I T

ble has become a big business. Its 2021 IPO made Wolfe Herd the youngest self-made woman billionaire in history. As of September, the company is valued at $1.12 billion, making it roughly 21% of the $5.34 billion global online dating industry.

Massive financial stakes have meant a lot more scrutiny on the business models underpinning dating apps. Earlier this year, bianca (@infinitebs) released a TikTok video essay pointing to what she sees as a fundamental contradiction between the dual-stated goals of dating apps: matchmaking and moneymaking. Like many of the Gen Z users now on dating apps, she opens by explaining that she was too young for the early, almost halcyon, user experience on Tinder—back before it had “gross vibes.”

“You can’t drive growth and retain your sterling commitment to set people up with life partners at the same time,” she says, arguing that an endlessly expanding user base inevitably dilutes the eligible dating pool for users seeking committed relationships. These days, she contends, dating apps are incentivized to put the most compatible potential partners behind a paywall and hope users stay single and swiiping.

The video went viral.

In 2015, an iconic Nancy Jo Saales article hailed Tinder and swiping as the e “dating apocalypse.” Ten years on, that apoccalypse has arrived in the form of an unendingriggedgameatthecasino—the house just keeps winning.

That is more or less the life cycle of enshittification, where an app thrills users to hook them and thengraduallydepreciatesthequalitty of the experience to prioritize reven nue. And the quality of Bumble’s free experience e has unquesunques tionably degraded.

“If you’re not paying for the product, you are the product,” said Tristan Harris, a former design ethicist at Google and co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology, in 2020 Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma. The phrase became a kind of modern adage for understanding the hidden costs of seemingly free digital services.

Bumble strikes an odd balance since humans, or human connection, is the explicitly proffered product, and many users do pay for subscriptions. People are both the commodity and the buyer. Last year, Pew Reports indicated that about 35% of online daters have paid to use at least one of the apps. And those subscriptions aren’t cheap; Bumble Premium will run you about $40 per month—enough for roughly 10 breakfast tacos.

Like Tinder, Bumble earns the majority of its revenue from premium subscriptions and in-app purchases. And, like Tinder, its user base is mostly male.

Though its numbers are slightly more balanced than other digital dating options, there are still roughly three men on Bumble for every woman. Additionally, men make up the majority of paying users, even while Bumble’s marketing is largely aimed at women.

Bumble was founded in techno-optimism, the belief that tech can gently reshape society for the better.

When Wolfe Herd took the company public in 2021, she did so with a promise to “try and make the internet a kinder, more accountable place,” especially for women. But, 10 years after its debut, it feels harder to believe that an app can fundamentally reshape human behavior so much as human behavior seems likely to fundamentally reshape the app. While Bumble aspires to improve the culture via a swipeable format, it’s possible that swiping itself might foster unkindness. This is a common concern—that dating apps train us to see people as disposable, interchangeable commodities.

Bumble was founded in techno-optimism, the belief that tech can gently reshape society for the better. With recent changes, the brand is signaling a new willingness to respond to the struggles and desires of its user base and offer fixes that go beyond a modified version of Tinder.

In May 2024, the company announced “Opening Moves,” a feature which lets men send the first message by responding to a pre-set prompt. The loophole still allows wom men to set the parameters of an interaction, and d Bumble claims the feature produced higher reply rates and longer conversations in testing.

At first blush, it might look like the company is forsaking its foundational values.

For years, Bumble clung to the “women message firrst” model as the feature that distinguished it from Tind der. That original functionality arose from a ent to centering and empowering women. In commitme today’s world d, that means putting some of the onus back on men. In adjusting the parameters of the app—and responding to the changing needs of its users—Bumble seems willing to listen, and to move the company in a new direction.

In July, Bumble Inc. acquired Geneva, a social networking platform that emphasizes friendship and community building.

Unlike Bumble—or its sister app, Badoo—Geneva advertises an explicitly platonic experience. The company also recently spun its Bumble BFF feature, which allowed users to swipe for platonic friendships, into a standalone app called Bumble For Friends. Both moves suggest that the brand is diversifying its portfolio, responding to users who increasingly say they want to date more organically, as an outgrowth of their communities, and less within the fabricated parameters of the apps.

That move aligns with the recent trend toward all those run clubs and singles events. And it also harkens back to Wolfe Herd’s original vision for the brand, which suddenly seems wildly prescient: a platform where women can give compliments to other women.

Tinder has never outgrown its dating app origins, but Bumble might. The company is looking to find a new path forward.

With the Zurawski case, it’s signaling a willingness to go beyond the software and engage with real-life political and social conditions of women’s lives. A better dating experience is a project that extends beyond the bounds of an app. And Bumble is eager to take flight.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

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Weird History Butting Heads

Bleating Heart WEIGHING LESS THAN an ounce, the golden-cheeked warbler has a pleasant little trill of a voice—which, it turns out, is simply no match for the brash crowing of a Texas billionaire. During his first presidential candidacy in 1992, H. Ross Perot wanted to develop retail and office space on a plot of land he owned near the intersection of FM 620 and RM 2222 southeast of Lake Travis.

Unfortunately for the tech tycoon, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was planning to list the golden-cheeked warbler as endangered under the Endangered Species Act soon due to threats of habitat loss and degradation. The birds rely specifically on the dastardly ashe juniper (the colloquially dubbed “cedar” that plagues our allergies) to lay their eggs.

If Perot waited for a permit to clear land, the warblers’ protected status might be finalized, and it would be too late to raze the trees for the development.

Even as his campaign professed to cater to the “little guy,” these little birds were

How a third-party presidential candidate with land in West Austin bought a herd of goats to skirt environmental law.

BY HAMILTON JONES

obstructing his profits, and he wasn’t about to let environmental regulations stop him. The mogul and his cronies hatched an ingenious plan: buy a herd of goats. That might sound odd, but in Texas, certain permits can be waived to clear land for ranching or farming. With his new wooly friends on-site, Perot was ready to fleece local officials with an agricultural exemption, and the clearing commenced.

When Sesame Street parodied the politician as a parrot in 1993, perhaps it

would have been more appropriate to portray him as a cowbird, the stocky creatures known to rob warbler nests. “If the people of Austin want that land as a park or a bird sanctuary, I will be happy to sell it to them for what I have in the property,” Perot told The Dallas Morning News in a 1990 statement that sounds almost too evil to be delivered by a cartoon villain.

Eventoday,concernaboutthehabitats of golden-cheeked warblers persists. “[It is] the only bird whose breeding range is exclusively within the state of Texas,” Sharmeen Morrison, an attorney at Earthjustice, told KXAN last month. “By the end of this decade, the human population within the warblers’ breeding range will have increased by 89% since the time of listing in 1990.”

However small, Perot and his recruited ranch animals played a part in that trend. Exploiting legal loopholes is nothing new for shrewd politicians, but it took a Washington outsider from Texas to find the perfect scapegoat.

Volume 32/Number 6, November/December 2024, Austin Monthly (Publication No. 001-163), is published bimonthly, six times a year, by Hearst Newspapers. Subscriptions are $14.95 per year for six issues.

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W I L L B RYA N T

AMBER VAZQUEZ Board Certified Criminal Defense Attorney

Amber Vazquez has been Fighting the Hardest Cases in the Toughest Places for Over 20 Years. A fifth-generation Texan referred to as the “Queen of Acquittals” in Texas Monthly Magazine.

Amber Vazquez is a Board Certified criminal defense attorney who has won trials for Murder, Attempted Capital Murder, Aggravated Assault, Sexual Assault of a Child, Burglary of a Habitation, Thefts, Assault Family Violence, Drug Possession, and many DUI cases.

Amber’s success rate across the board makes her one of the most sought-after defense attorneys in the state. In addition to winning a Criminal Justice Award from Travis County Women’s Bar, Amber has been named a Super Lawyer in Texas Lawyer, highlighted as Top Criminal Defense Attorney 2019 by the Austin Bar Association, and named one of Texas’ Top 20 “Winning Women”.

Amber teaches criminal defense attorneys as well as serving on the Police Oversight and Judicial Committee for the City of Austin.

Amber Vazquez Law Firm, PLLC 608 W. 12th St. Austin Texas 78701 512-220-8507 amber@criminallawaustin.com www.criminallawaustin.com