Restaurants

Lake Travis Area Food and Drink

Perhaps Lake Travis folks stay active because there is so much yummy food to try! From typical fare (Tex-Mex) to the more unique (food trailer scene), there usually is something new or "coming soon" to try in this growing community. A healthy mindset means there are always various good-for-you options: organic, farm to table, and locally-grown, to name a few.

New grocery store options continue to offer the good stuff and local breweries are making their mark in everything from new establishments to tours and tap rooms. Specialty coffee shops and any number of local bakeries means your palette doesn't have to travel far for variety.

Check out our write-ups of Lake Travis area restaurants, breweries, and features of local dining and favorite happy hour spots. Between good eats and kid-friendly environments, as well as a good deal here and there, you're not likely to be short on inspiration.

Black Walnut Café Now Open In Four Points

Written by Emily O'Shaughnessy | November 8, 2013

Black Walnut Café, a “contemporary American fast casual concept” opened yesterday at 10817 Ranch Road 2222. Black Walnut has several locations in the Houston area, but this is the first in Austin.

I’m excited it’s here. I’ll admit that I’m slightly biased because I frequented and loved one of the Houston locations back in the day, but Black Walnut nicely fills a niche in the Lake Travis area.

It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and manages to hit that sweet spot of being casual yet nice. It’s versatile and caters to many different crowds. Whether you’re in work clothes or workout clothes, you won’t feel out of place.

On any given day you could look around the restaurant and see a couple on a date, coworkers gathering for happy hour, families stopping by after soccer practice and a group of ladies gathered for a girls night out. It’s child-friendly, but seems more upscale than similarly priced restaurants. You get real plates, real silverware and oh – there’s a full service bar. That always helps.

The Official Beer of Lake Travis: Infamous Brewing Company

Written by Mandy Spivey | November 6, 2013

The Austin craft beer scene is exploding. With the abundance of choice beers created in and around the city, don’t forget to try the burgeoning brews that are being bottled in our own backyard.

Located off Hudson Bend at 4602 Weletka Dr. sits Infamous Brewing Company, in a small, unassuming commercial park. But don’t let the quaint Lake vibe fool you—this brewery and its brews really pack a punch.

The story goes back to 2011. Living in Texas but originally from New York, Josh Horowitz was back in NYC and visiting a local bar he used to frequent to watch a football game. Zack Perry, a stranger at the time, was sitting at the same neighborhood bar, and through the matchmaking of their mutual bartender friend, the two met that very afternoon. Josh was homebrewing at the time and Zack was looking to branch off from Wall Street as an entrepreneur. And the idea for the brewery was hatched.

“More business ideas are spawned on Sunday afternoon, but come Monday morning most decide it’s not going to happen,” Zack remarks, reflecting back to the early days. It was that chance meeting that led to their business plans for the brewery.

Schmidt Family Barbecue Now Open in Bee Cave

Written by Emily O'Shaughnessy | October 29, 2013

It’s open! The highly anticipated Schmidt Family Barbecue finally opened its doors in Bee Cave this week. For fans of both Kruez Market and Smitty’s Market in Lockhart this is cause for major celebration.

There’s a long, interesting backstory about how Schmidt Family Barbecue came to land at Hwy 71 and Bee Cave Road. If you’re not familiar with the infamous Lockhart “barbefeud” here’s a cliff notes version: The first restaurant originated from Kruez Market, a local meat market and grocery store in Lockhart in the early 1900s. Years later, longtime employee Edgar “Smitty” Schmidt purchased it from the Kruez family. He successfully ran the restaurant until he retired and sold it to his sons in 1984. In 1999, Edgar’s son Rick moved the market to a new location about a quarter mile up the road. Shortly thereafter, Edgar’s daughter Nina Schmidt Sells opened Smitty’s Market in the old location.

Restaurants

Lake Travis Area Food and Drink

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