Mimi’s Cafe at the Hill Country Galleria closed its doors in April and sadly, Mercer Street Dance Hall, a beloved landmark in Dripping Springs, closed too.
On the bright side, you’ll get to welcome a new tenant to the space that was formerly Mimi’s and you can help rebuild that dance hall.
Plus, expanded hike and bike trails are on the way, which means more feet and fewer vehicles.
Food + Drink
Twenty-five plus years of Texas tradition is headed to the Hill Country Galleria and it’s gonna be delicious. Saltgrass Steak House is taking over the spot that was formerly Mimi’s Cafe. The restaurant will be transformed into a steak-ready space over the next several months.
Did you know the first Saltgrass Steak House was established along the historic Salt Grass Cattle Trail outside of Houston, where Texas ranchers would drive their livestock south to graze on the salt grasses of the Gulf Coast?
Menu items include BBQ baby back ribs, burgers, seafood and, of course, Certified Angus Beef® Steak prepared on an open flame. Plus, all bread, dressings, soups, and desserts are made from scratch daily.
Hill Country Galleria is excited to welcome Saltgrass Steak House because it suits the needs of the Lake Travis community as an ideal family-friendly option for lunch and dinner. The new restaurant is expected to open in late 2018.
Live Local!
The iconic Mercer Street Dance Hall in Dripping Springs closed its doors for good earlier this month. The cringe-worthy news spread quickly because it seemed rather shocking that such a beloved Texas dance hall would no longer be around for live music and boot-scootin’ fun.
The owners of Mercer Street Dance Hall feared this day would come. Attempts to “make it work” between the brokerage firm that took over the property in late 2017 and the owners failed. When the final rent notice arrived, the owners thoughtfully decided to let it go and embark on a new journey instead. Well, new-ish. Plans are in the works to open a new dance hall, Little Mercer, on private property they own between Dripping and Wimberley.
If you want to help rebuild Mercer Street Dance Hall, check out the GoFundMe page for details about their new venture. The idea is to keep the spirit of dancing under the Texas stars with live music, beer, and tacos, just a couple miles further south of town.
Outdoors
Instead of reporting on more roads, we’ve got good news to share about new hiking trails.
Now that many of the big commercial development projects in the Lake Travis area are completed, connectivity is a top priority.
Over the years, the Bee Cave Trail Plan has been a biggie. This week, expanding pedestrian trails from Bee Cave Central Park to Falconhead Boulevard was approved.
The City of Bee Cave secured the pedestrian easements they need, so they can begin construction on a three-quarter mile trail that will run parallel to RM 620. There are existing sidewalks near the Falconhead entrance and throughout Gateway to Falconhead, so it’s like a puzzle that’s missing a few final pieces.
The new trail will be similar to asphalt, but it’s actually concrete and stabilized crushed granite. It will be about 10 feet wide, so plenty of wiggle room. The path will be engineered with a focus on keeping as many trees as possible.
Got questions about what’s happening in the Lake Travis area this summer? What’s opening, what’s closing or what’s what? Let us know in the comments section on our Facebook page and we just might be able to answer them.
