Around Town: Downtown/Warehouse District Powder Room DOWNTOWN WAREHOUSE DISTRICT The open green space at Republic Square is a favorite local gathering and events spot. Catch live music, summer film screenings and the SFC Downtown Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings. This former industrial district is now an after-dark hot spot, home to some of Austin’s top restaurants, buzziest dance clubs and swankiest cocktail lounges. Dinner and dancing? Yes, please. DINING Indulge in rich handmade pasta and 50-day dry-aged steaks at lively Red Ash . Settle into a dark corner of French Péché for escargot and duck confit, plus absinthe cocktails and boozy milkshakes. Open flame from a 20-foot hearth finishes most dishes at moody Hestia , including aged Texas wagyu and tender scallops. Adjacent Hestia Bar offers inventive cocktails, like the Hestia No. 5 made with lemon-mushroom-infused whiskey. At Group Therapy inside Hotel ZaZa , sit on the pretty poolside patio and dine on wine-braised short ribs. Share modern Mexican small plates at industrial-chic Comedor , and don’t skip the decadent bone marrow tacos. Japanese Top Roe offers two experiences — a sleek bar with nori-wrapped hand rolls and a dreamy izakaya with grilled yakimono. PLAY VIDEO Hestia 36 visitaustin.org TOP TO BOTTOM: LOBOS HOSPITALITY; MARS TELLO
Austin Insider Guide 2026: Page 36
