The Most Anticipated Austin Restaurant Openings for 2025

As is the tradition when the end of 2024 is coming up, Eater asked a trusted group of friends, industry types, and local bloggers for their takes on the past culinary year in Austin. All answers will be revealed before the year ends — cut, pasted, (mostly) unedited, and in no particular order. Question number six:

What restaurant or restaurant-related debut are you most excited for in 2025?

Jane Ko, blogger of A Taste of Koko

Katz’s!! I can’t believe Katz’s is opening in Austin.

Ali Khan, content creator of @alikhaneats

Little Ola’s in Mueller — mostly because Im glad something edible is taking over the Halcyon space lololol.

Cat Cardenas, freelance writer and photographer, contributing Eater Austin photographer, and writer-at-large of The Barbed Wire

I cannot wait for Leona Botanical Cafe & Bar to open next year. I’m always eager to welcome a new South Austin spot to my list of go-tos, but a green space and bar featuring two of the city’s best food trucks, Dee Dee and Veracruz? What’s not to love?

H. Drew Blackburn, former interim associate editor of Eater Austin and columnist of The Barbed Wire

My butcher closed down! Rest easy, Salt & Time. I’m really excited for the space to open back up with Radius Butcher & Grocery. Y’all got big shoes to fill though and you better have under-blade steaks.

Taylor Tobin, restaurant critic at Austin Chronicle and Eater contributing writer

I’m excited (and a little nervous) about the brick-and-mortar from the Micklethwait Craft Meats team! I love Micklethwait so much and really don’t want anything about it to change... but I’m also looking forward to seeing how they develop their MVP barbecue truck into a full-fledged restaurant.

Madeline Hollern, editor-in-chief of Austin Monthly

I’m excited to try Ema, the new concept of the hospitality group behind Aba.

Darcie Duttweiler, freelance writer and Eater contributing writer

As a longtime fan of Justine’s, I’m excited about their collaboration with the Blanton Museum, Justine’s x Blanton. I’m also looking forward to the Micklethwait brick-and-mortar.

Erin Russell, former associate editor of Eater Austin, Eater contributing writer, and freelance writer

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​​Nadia Chaudhury, outgoing editor of Eater Austin and forthcoming editor at Eater Northeast

Hopefully I’ll get to dine at one of these places before we leave (in no particular order):

• Le Cowboy in South Austin — Grae Nonas is a pasta and bread wizard
• Parish Barbecue’s food truck — I’m looking forward to eating Holden Fulco’s Cajun Texas smoked meats and dishes (pulled duck please????)
• Whatever Suerte/Este’s Sam Hellman-Mass, chef Fermín Núñez, and director of operations Celia Pellegrini will do with their third restaurant on Manor Road
• The beautiful magical vibes and foods of what a Bad Larry Burger Club restaurant will be
• One of my favorite Austin bars, Small Victory, and one of my favorite Austin coffee shops, Figure 8, are opening a coffee shop and wine bar in East Austin (!!!!!!!) called Strangelove
• I’m majorly excited to see the whole vision of Leona Botanical Cafe & Bar, run and with two of my favorite Austin food trucks Veracruz and Dee Dee
• And so many off-record plans that I know about, muahahahahahahahahahahahaha