Here’s What to Do in Austin, Texas

by Natasha Wolff | October 1, 2021 11:00 am

Lutie’s Garden Restaurant

Lutie’s Garden Restaurant[1] has recently opened its doors at the revitalized  Commodore Perry Estate landmark in Austin’s Hyde Park neighborhood. Perfect for a weekend away from Houston and boldly reimagined by interior designer Ken Fulk[2], the former country residence, now part of the Auberge Resorts Collection, is teeming with a mixture of bespoke details, antiques and special furnishings. The restaurant’s interiors reveal a Jazz Age ambiance marked by velvet scalloped bar stools, floral banquettes and antique light fixtures. “To build upon this utterly unique environment, we strived to craft experiences that combined a relaxed European elegance with true gracious Texas hospitality,” says Fulk. “Despite the fact that some of the spaces are quite grand, there is an ease and comfort to every experience that will welcome members and visitors to sit back and enjoy themselves.” Along with views of the property’s picturesque grounds, gardens and pool, Lutie’s Garden Restaurant features dishes that highlight regional flavors and organic ingredients sourced from the property’s in-house gardens and local purveyors. Expect an ever-changing menu from husband-and-wife duo Bradley Nicholson and Susana Querejazu.

Cocktails and desserts at Lutie’s Garden Restaurant

Thompson Austin

Situated in the heart of downtown, Thompson Austin[3] provides contemporary yet timeless accommodations designed by Chicago-based KTGY Simeone Deary Design Group[4]. The property, which celebrates the city’s rebel spirit and Hill Country heritage, offers 229 rooms decorated with bespoke accents, soft leathers and warm hues. On the fourth floor pool terrace by Studio Collective, guests can enjoy an infinity pool, private cabanas and nourishment at Land and Sea Dept., a poolside restaurant featuring modern American fare. The Diner Bar and The Grey Market, located on the street level, serve up Southern dishes with Texan flavors by culinary partners Mashama Bailey and Johno Morisano.

A guest room at Thompson Austin

Soho House

After years of anticipation, Texas’s first Soho House[5] debuts in the Music Lane building on South Congress Avenue. The new 46-bedroom location of the members-only club, which is infused with Spanish architecture and Texas Modernism, offers creatives a stylish home away from home filled with a mixture of vintage furnishings and handcrafted works commissioned from 72 local artists. Guests can enjoy a variety of different spaces across three stories, including a screening room, wrap-around terrace restaurant, main bar and rooftop pool area overlooking the city skyline.

The terrace restaurant at Soho House

Garrison Brothers Distillery

In nearby Hye, Texas, at Garrison Brothers Distillery[6], visitors can tour the home of the first bourbon distillery outside of Kentucky, which also happens to be the first legal whiskey distillery in the Lone Star State. From milling and mashing to cooking and distilling to barreling and bottling, this semi-secluded distillery prides itself on its unique, award-winning craft. Founded in 2006 by native Texan Dan Garrison, the brand uses custom barrels that withstand the area’s soaring temperatures, along with grains from local farmers, to produce fan favorites including The Cowboy and Laguna Madre. Visitors can enjoy tours of the property as well as food from the Whiskey Shack on select days.

Garrison Brothers Distillery

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