:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70379641/70905ESTE_AUSTIN0062.21.jpg)
2022 continues and at least there are new dining options to look forward to. The year started off strong with several exciting restaurant openings: the new restaurant location of beloved taco truck Mi Trailita Y Mas in Windsor Park, Korean barbecue chain Honey Pig, steakhouse Maie Day, acclaimed chef Mashama Bailey’s downtown restaurants, and so many fall openings already.
The remaining coming attraction for the last bit of the year is another Asian restaurant from chef Ling Qi Wu tentatively.
Alas, a few projected openings for the year have been pushed into 2023: Aaron Franklin and James Moody’s sandwich shop Uptown Sports Club, the expansion of Uchi’s casual Japanese Dallas restaurant Uchiba, butcher shop/restaurant Salt & Time’s burger-focused spinoff the Butcher’s Burger, all-star bar Day Dreamer, and wine bar/restaurant Underdog.
Read on for 2022’s most exciting restaurant openings, listed in chronological order. This guide will be updated as the year continues.
Ling Wu Asian Restaurant
Address: 7415 Southwest Parkway, Southwest Austin
Opening: 2022
Chef Ling Qi Wu, who’s behind Lin Asian Bar + Dim Sum in Clarksville and Qi in downtown, is opening a fourth restaurant in the Lantana Place complex. In addition to the dishes she is known for — dumplings, noodles, and dim sum — Ling Wu Asian Restaurant will serve recipes from Wu’s grandmother and raw fish dishes. The chef already has the opening date for her third restaurant, the intimate tasting menu spot Ling Kitchen, in November. There’s also a fifth restaurant opening at the Grove in 2023.
Already Opened in 2022
Mi Trailita Y Mas
Address: 5706 Manor Road, Windsor Park
Opened: January 21, 2022
Beloved Windsor Park taco truck Mi Trailita expanded to a physical restaurant down the road. The new restaurant has tacos, tostadas, gorditas, and tortas like the truck, and adds new items like enchiladas and chile rellenos. The truck remains in operation.
Meat & Bread
Address: 360 Nueces Street, Downtown
Opened: March 8, 2022
Vancouver-based fast-casual restaurant Meat & Bread opened its only location in the U.S. in downtown Austin. The restaurant is known for its sandwiches like porchetta and meatball, and also serves dips, soups, salads, and more along with beer and wine.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23357583/eater_austin_gift_guide_2021_resized_2651.jpg)
The Diner Bar and Grey Market
Address: 506 San Jacinto Boulevard, Downtown (in the Thompson hotel)
Opened: Grey Market opened on March 11, 2022, and the Diner Bar opened March 31, 2022
James Beard Award-winning chef Mashama Bailey, behind famed Savannah restaurant the Grey, and business partner Johno Morisano, opened two Austin restaurants in the Thompson Hotel. Bailey has said Diner Bar will work as a “cocktail bar-slash-snack thing” with sandwiches, charcuterie, and classic dishes from the original restaurant in Savannah. On the other hand, Grey Market, which opened during South by Southwest, functions as a “bodega-meets-lunch counter,” with counter service and grab-and-go items.
Hildee’s Dine-Inn
Address: 14111 Winters Mill Parkway, Wimberley
Opened: March 31, 2022
Former Houston chef Ryan Hildebrand is opening a new restaurant in Wimberley, focusing on Hill Country/Southern/New Texan fare. Look for smoked meats, confit tomato pie, and malted pecan pies. The restaurant will include a covered patio and lounge seating along the creek and lawn, plus an intricate playscape for children.
Pecan Square Cafe
Address: 1200 West Sixth Street, Clarksville
Opened: April 11, 2022
McGuire Moorman Lambert’s latest restaurant aesthetic is Pecan Square Cafe, which took over the former Cafe Josie space. In the expectedly gorgeous space (including a patio with a water feature and sleek bar), the restaurant serves new American fare like thin-crust pizzas, pastas, and more. MML will have two more bars, Howard’s and Rosie’s, across the street, although their opening dates are unknown.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23357842/MaieDay.MSK_34.jpg)
Maie Day
Address: 1603 South Congress Avenue, South Congress
Opened: May 1, 2022
Hospitality groups New Waterloo (South Congress Hotel) and MaieB (Olamaie) teamed up for this American restaurant in the South Congress Hotel. Look for steaks, oysters, a fancy bloomin’ onion, and a giant slice of chocolate cake.
Honey Pig
Address: 11301 Lakeline Boulevard, Lakeline
Opened: July 4, 2022
East Coast Korean barbecue restaurant Honey Pig BBQ arrived in the same shopping center as H Mart in Lakeline. The restaurant features grill-it-yourself meats like bulgogi, pork belly, tripe, duck, squid, and more, as well as Korean dishes like kimchi pancakes, dumplings, tteokbokki, and noodles. The original restaurant opened in Maryland in 2007 and has expanded across the country and in Taiwan.
Bisous
Address: 1109 South Lamar Boulevard, South Lamar
Opened: September 30, 2022
Former Foreign & Domestic chef Bianca Frasier opened a food truck with Vietnamese and Southern comfort food in front of Gibson Bar on South Lamar. The truck serves dishes like thit ko (coconut milk-braised pork over rice), corn fritters, and avocado ice cream.
Este
Address: 2113 Manor Road, Cherrywood
Opened: October 3, 2022
The team behind modern Mexican restaurant Suerte — executive chef Fermín Núñez and Sam Hellman-Mass — opened a new restaurant focused on Mexican coastal cuisine in the former Eastside Cafe space. That means local, sustainable fish and shellfish, and heavy use of a charcoal grill.
Marufuku Ramen
Address: 1900 Aldrich Street, Mueller
Opening: October 12, 2022
San Francisco ramen shop Marufuku brought its famed Hakata-style tonkotsu to Austin this year. The menu also includes chicken paitan ramen, rice bowls, gyoza, karaage, takoyaki, and steamed buns.
Lulu’s
Address: 10402 Menchaca Road, Far South Austin
Opened: October 14, 2022
A mother/daughter duo opened a bar in South Austin inspired by Mexico City. The bar serves Mexican cocktails like palomas and boozy aguas frescas.
Vintage Bookstore and Wine Bar
Address: 1101 East 11th Street, Central East Austin
Opening: October 15, 2022
Cozy up in velvet couches and tufted armchairs in the lounge in this wine bar and bookstore. To drink, there are wines by the glass plus local beer, coffee, and tea. The shop also serves baked goods like kolaches and grazing boxes from Cultured ATX, with cheese, fruits, charcuterie, and condiments.
BBQ Ramen Tatsu-Ya
Address: 2027 Anchor Lane, MLK
Opened: October 16, 2022
The Ramen/Kemuri/DipDipDip/Tiki Tatsu-ya team took over the former Contigo space for a restaurant that serves up ramen and house-smoked meats, such as brisket, tri-tip, pork belly, and chicken. There are cocktails too.
Golden Hour
Address: 7731 Menchaca Road, South Austin
Opened: November 9, 2022
There’s a new wine bar and cafe in South Austin from owner and chef Barclay Stratton, formerly of Lenoir and others. The cafe serves all-day snacks like bread, butter, and charcuterie, as well as pastries for breakfast and dishes like Alabama oysters, pastillas (North African meat or seafood pies), and blood sausage for dinner, along with playful, funky wines.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24234394/IMG_7255.jpg)
The Stay Put
Address: 73 Rainey Street, Rainey
Opened: November 17, 2022
There’s a new brewery and cocktail bar coming to Rainey Street in the former G’Raj Mahal space. The Stay Put comes from the same hospitality group as fellow Rainey bar Half Step and King Bee, and will serve beers that are “easy drinkers” as well as cocktails.
Bufalina
Address: 2215 East Cesar Chavez Street, Holly
Opened: November 21, 2022
After closing its original location on Cesar Chavez in 2021, Bufalina is coming back better than ever, with the new addition of chef Grae Nonas of Italian pop-up Le Cowboy. That likely means that pastas and bread will join Bufalina’s pizza lineup.