A birds-eye view of a dish at La Condesa.

La Condesa is nominated for “Outstanding Restaurant” in the James Beard Awards. | Photo by @markyatx

🚨 Warning: Do not read this newsletter hungry. 🚨

To the surprise of absolutely no one, Austin restaurants are putting on a strong showing for this year’s James Beard Awards. No fewer than six local stars were named semifinalists in the contest, which are like the Oscars of the culinary world.

Austinites are coming in hot again this year, after having two James Beard finalists in 2022. Nixta Taqueria’s Edgar Rico was nominated for Emerging Chef and El Naranjo’s Iliana de la Vega was nominated for Best Chef: Texas — both won. 🏆

Without further ado, here’s a breakdown of this year’s local semifinalists:

Outstanding Restaurant

La Condesa | This downtown contemporary Mexican restaurant is one of just two Texas spots nominated in this category, and partners with local farmers and ranchers for ingredients.

Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker

Mariela Camacho of Comadre Panadería | Comadre aims to “nourish the Latinx diaspora” with its high-quality pan, cakes, and pastries.

Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program

Suerte | The East Austin Mexican restaurant offers an expansive and conscientiously selected offering of mezcal, tequila, sotol, lechuguilla, raicilla, and bacanora.

A close-up of a dish at Canje — Chef Tavel Bristol-Joseph’s modern Caribbean cuisine earned him a nomination for “Best Chef: Texas.”

Best Chef: Texas

Tavel-Bristol-Joseph of Canje | This Caribbean restaurant made waves when it opened on the east side in 2021, and for good reason: Bristol-Joseph’s modern take on traditional dishes has racked up numerous national accolades.
Damien Brockway of Distant Relatives | After opening in 2020, Brockway’s barbecue inspired by elements of the African diaspora in the US quickly became a must-visit for Texas barbecue lovers.
Kareem El-Ghayesh of KG BBQ | Chef “KG” left a career in corporate finance to craft his signature barbecue fusion of Egyptian, Middle Eastern, and Texan flavors.

The James Beard Foundation will announce the finalists on Wednesday, March 29, and celebrate the winners in a gala on Monday, June 5.

EVENTS

Click here to have your event featured.

Thursday, Jan. 26

Ride the Wave | Now-Saturday, Jan. 28 | 8-9:30 p.m. | The VORTEX, 2307 Manor Rd., Austin | $15-$37 | This multimedia performance depicts three brothers searching for an epic surf to end their summer.
City of Caterpillar | Thursday, Jan. 26 | 8:30 p.m. | Empire Control Room & Garage, 606 E. 7th St., Austin | $20 | Portrayal of Guilt, Glassing, and BFF are also slated to play at this show.

Friday, Jan. 27

Ginuwine | Friday, Jan. 27 | 8 p.m. | ACL Live, 310 W. Willie Nelson Blvd., Austin | $38-$58 | The iconic R&B singer will be in Austin for one night only.
Jackopierce | Friday, Jan. 27 | 8 p.m. | Stateside at the Paramount, 719 Congress Ave., Austin | $30 | Celebrate 35 years of music with this Dallas-raised duo.

Saturday, Jan. 28

AARC Lunar New Year 2023 Makers Market | Saturday, Jan. 28 | 1-4 p.m. | Asian American Resource Center, 8401 Cameron Rd., Austin | Free | Support local makers and take in a performance by the Asian Memory Project.
Empire Presents: Dance Yourself Clean | Saturday, Jan. 28 | 8-11:59 p.m. | Empire Garage, 606 E. 7th St., Austin | $15 | It’ll feel like a festival at this laser-lit dance party.

Sunday, Jan. 29

Tunics & Tea with Wendi Aarons | Sunday, Jan. 29 | 4-6 p.m. | The Driskill Hotel, 604 Brazos St., Austin | $60 | Hear from Aarons about her new book “I’m Wearing Tunics Now,” which explores aging.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

NEWS NOTES

Weather

58º | Sunny | 5% chance of rain

Sports

Chris Jackson, a former receivers coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars, is coming to Texas. The coach will join the Longhorn football squad as a passing game coordinator, replacing Brennan Marion. 🏈 (Austin American-Statesman)

Ranked

In even more Austin food news, two local restaurants made the cut in Yelp’s annual Top 100 Places to Eat list yesterday. Congrats to 1618 Asian Fusion and Kiin Di, which ranked No. 22 and No. 99, respectively. 🏆

Opening

Karen’s Diner, a campy Australian restaurant known for its “terrible service” and improv-style interactions, is heading to Austin. The tongue-in-cheek chain hasn’t yet announced an address or opening date for its Capital City location. (CultureMap Austin)
Popular streamer SypherPK’s new Cedar Park production space and content creation hub is almost complete. Peek inside the $10 million Oni Studios, which features recording studios, a basketball court, and a gaming tournament setup. 👾 (Austin Business Journal)

Civic

Austinites can now anxiously check their parking status with one more app. This week, the city launched a partnership with Way.com for street parking payments, but plans to maintain operations with Park ATX. 🚗 (KXAN)

Number

$150. That’s how much it could cost you to get one cup of Proud Mary Coffee Roaster’s Black Jaguar Geisha coffee. Only 22 cups of the award-winning brew — made from a $2,000 bag of beans — will be sold, starting on Monday, Feb. 6. 💰 (Austin American-Statesman)

Festival

New Order, Killer Mike, Tangerine Dream, and 12 new artists will perform at this year’s SXSW Music Festival, the organization announced yesterday. Check out the full list.

Environment

Starting today, the Austin Fire Department will oversee prescribed burns on 55 acres of Water Quality Protection Lands between MoPac and Brodie Lane. The effort mimics a natural cycle, and can help improve water quality entering the Edwards Aquifer. 🔥

Real Estate

“Queer Eye’s” Bobby Berk designed a model home for Heritage, a new 188-community in Dripping Springs. The space is inspired by Austin’s landscape, pulling in greens and blues drawn from Central Texas skies. (Austin Home)

Finance

Erase credit card interest until nearly 2025? Sounds good to us. This balance transfer card can do just that, providing you up to 21 months for the important stuff: travel, education, good food, time with family, or paying off debt. Apply today in minutes.*

Shop

Have you heard? Amazon now offers subscription boxes. Best of all — there’s a huge selection. Love trying out top rated beauty products? Subscribe to the Allure Beauty Box. Music aficionado? Join the Vinyl of the Month Club. Pet parent? Your cat will love the KitNipBox. 📦 *

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GAME

Sleuth mode: on 🔎

A graphic reading "Can you identify this mural?" with a picture

Let’s put your Austin art knowledge to the test. | Graphic by ATXtoday

So you think you know Austin murals, eh? Let’s put you to the test.

We’re launching a new series quizzing you on Austin’s most beautiful, most bold, most brilliant street art. But don’t worry, we’re starting you off with a softball.

Here are few hints to get you started on today’s clue:

Neighborhood: Downtown
Artist: Mike Johnston
Fun fact: You can see a piñata, taco, and cassette tape in this mural meant to depict the story of ATX

Think you’ve got it figured out? Click the button below.

SEND US YOUR ANSWER

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by London.

Editor’s pick: Lately, I’ve been craving a really, really good chai latte. Do you have any suggestions for where I should get my fix? ☕️

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? This Austinite skydived in seven continents over seven days — and he’s doing it for a cause.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Laura Figi, London Gibson, Britt Thorson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Camille McLeod | Advertise with us.

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