Long after its shutdown in March 2020 over concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, Fareground Austin Food Hall is once again open to the public, officially, on September 7, 2021. The community-focused foodie hub brings with its reopening a bundle of new restaurants, bars, coffeeshops, a retail marketplace, and a partnership with an internationally renowned hospitality group.
Fareground is reopening under new management by contemporary Latin restaurant group Richard Sandoval Hospitality, which has cultivated 45 world-renowned restaurants. New offerings at Fareground include family-owned Austin Rôtisserie, dumpling hot spot Little Wu, burger paradise Henbit, Israeli street food lounge TLV, and The Market and Taco Pegaso, both helmed by James Beard-nominated chef Richard Sandoval. The new bar program spans Ellis and Drink, captained by beverage manager Mat Costello, and features a menu brimming with coffee, kombucha, cocktails, mocktails, wine, and beer.
The new shoppable marketplace is crowned by flower stall House of Margot Blair, plus local brands like Austin Jam, Tiny House Coffee Roasters, Texas Hill Country Olive Oil, Tea Sip, Mixy Craft Mixology, and Dude, Sweet Chocolate. Fareground will also host musicians for free live music every weekend on Fridays and Saturdays, starting at 6 pm, on the Plaza outside.
Though Austinites will remember the days of communal seating at Fareground, the food hall has undergone a pandemic-friendly update with secluded tables for two to four diners. Additional COVID-19 safety measures have been implemented, like daily team temperature checks and regularly sanitized surfaces.
Austin’s very first food hall opened in January 2018 and highlighted select restaurants curated by ELM Restaurant Group. The hub originally included Easy Tiger, Emmer & Rye, Dai Due, Contigo, Kome/Daruma Ramen, and Antonelli’s Cheese Shop, but it’s since swapped these out for the restaurants above.
Fareground is a 25,000-square-foot space in the heart of downtown Austin at 111 Congress Ave, owned and operated by Cousins Properties. You can visit the first food hall in Austin seven days a week from 11 am – 9 pm. Ellis is open 3 pm – 12 am from Sunday – Thursday and 3 pm – 1 am on Friday and Saturday.
Featured Image Credit: Little Wu Facebook