From barbeque to sushi, Austin serves up a sizzling menu for every appetite. Here are some great choices for groups, parties and private events.
- Steps from the Hilton Austin Hotel and the Austin Convention Center, the rustic Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill (512.636.0200; www.moonshinegrill.com) is situated within the historic compound where the pre-Austin 1835 settlement of Waterloo was founded. Drawing locals and visitors alike with great down-home cooking and tasty cocktails, Moonshine can host 80 on the patio and 25 in the private Sunday House, and for the philanthropic, the wine cellar features the eight-seat Charity Table.
- Built in 1873, the Schneider Brothers Building was among Austin’s original general stores. Located in downtown’s lively 2nd Street District, this historic survivor is now home to the hip Lamberts Downtown Barbecue (512.328.3935; www.lambertsaustin.com). In addition to “fancy” Texas barbecue, the seasonal menu features meats, seafood and produce from Texas ranches and farms. The upstairs lounge, with live music six nights a week, is a group rental favorite.
- For four decades, the backyard concert space at Stubb’s Legendary Bar-B-Q (512.480.8341; www.stubbsaustin.com) has been ground zero for performers from Willie Nelson to R.E.M. The barbecue and frontier ambience hit all the right notes, too, along with the Sunday gospel brunch. Accommodating up to 2,100, the Texas-sized outdoor venue is overlooked by a second-floor patio, with room for 60, and there is space for 100 at the first-floor bar-patio.
- Set in an old ranch in idyllic Hill Country, Hudson’s on the Bend (512.266.1369; www.hudsonsonthebend.com) is a five-star must. Since 1984, owner Jeffrey Blank has redefined the Texas table while capturing the essential flavors of the local landscape. Come for his multicourse tasting dinners and wild game-inspired menu. Rattlesnake cakes and venison prosciutto-wrapped seared sea scallops will wow patrons as much as Blank’s monthly cooking classes, which are held at his nearby home and are a major group draw.
- With five distinct areas, including a private dining room and generous space for large groups, Imperia (512.477.2789; www.imperia-austin.com) is a swanky (but affordable) Asian fusion/sushi temple in the heart of Austin’s Warehouse District. With former TAO Las Vegas and TAO New York executive chef Joe Tellus at the helm, the multilayered modern Asian menu goes from small plate appetizers to the house’s signature Peking Duck.
- Also accommodating large groups and events is Cannoli Joe’s (512.327.1959; www.cannolijoes.com) in southwest Austin. Expect an Italian “feast” at this atmospheric bistro in southwest Austin, with seven dining rooms accommodating groups from 12 to 125 people.
