Birdie’s is a small, counter service restaurant and wine bar on the corner of 12th and Harvey in Austins east side. The building that Birdie’s occupies has long been a hub of this historic neighborhood and has gone through many restaurant and business iterations. Although Birdie’s is a smaller, simply decorated and low key space, the owners come with a serious pedigree.

When chef Tavel Bristol-Joseph came to Austin in 2015 to help chef Kevin Fink open the restaurant Emmer & Rye he quickly noticed Caribbean food in Austin was vastly unrepresented. Six years later, a restaurant group with Fink (Emmer & Rye Hospitality), and with five concepts under their belt, Canje was opened in an inviting, relaxed space on the east side off E. 6th St.

Dai Due is a little all day restaurant and butcher shop located in the corner of a strip mall in the Cherrywood neighborhood where chef/owner Jesse Griffiths showcases his love of Texas game meats and other local seasonal fare.

Im a sucker for a red sauce joint. After living years in New York and Chicago, going out for Italian was almost a weekly tradition. Austin has some great Italian restaurants but when MMLH (MqGuire Moorman Lambert Hospitality) opened up Sammies in the old Huts Hamburger space on W 6th St this past spring all my checkered table cloth, Chianti drinking dreams were answered.