Dry Creek Cafe, an Old-school Dive Bar on Lake Austin, Is Closing After 68 Years

Calling all dive bar enthusiasts! sadly it seems like the last last call at the beloved dry creek cafe & from austin. the dock is close. The historic and always ramshackle cash-only dive, which has sat peacefully on the back of Austin’s Mount Bonnell since that part of town was considered the outskirts of town, is closing at the end of October. Barring a miracle, there’s a “99 percent chance” October 31 will be the last night in business, bar manager Elly Barksdale tells Texas Monthly. “We’re surrounded by multi-million dollar homes and we don’t have foot traffic,” she says. “the payoff just isn’t there.”

many who have ever called Austin home, or even just passed by, will fondly remember the little joint for its ice-cold longneck beer, sublime 45rpm honky-tonk jukebox, and beautiful sunsets from the ramshackle roof terrace. And for those who had the pleasure of visiting us before the turn of the last century, there was, of course, Sarah. No one who has ever met Sarah Ransom, the late, longtime grand owner, could ever forget her or her admonishing “put down the damn bottles of her” mantra of hers. She was notoriously possessed of a short temper and an even sharper tongue (in her 2009 Austin American-Statman obituary, her son observed, “She was like living with a bobcat or a black widow spider”).

Reading: Dry creek cafe

according to barksdale, the bar will end with a raucous celebration on October 30 and 31: “there is a very strong sense of family and community here. let’s celebrate!” there will be live music, as well as koozies and postcards for sale. In case you can’t attend in person, all is not lost. fans of the set advocate for it to become a historic landmark, a designation that could help preserve the building. and some kind soul saw fit to put together a 109-song spotify playlist titled “dry creek jukebox.” open your own top, sit back and relive those glorious afternoons of your lost youth. and be sure to invest a bit in this soon-to-be-missed old-school saloon. Cheers!

—David Courtney, Senior Editor

eat vegan fried chicken at project pollo

Move over, whataburger: There’s a new Texas-based fast food chain in town, and it’s completely vegan. Since opening its first location in San Antonio a year ago, Project Pollo has expanded rapidly, with locations already open in Katy and Austin, with more planned for other cities later this year. CEO and founder Lucas Bradbury aims to have 100 locations by 2024, hoping that making delicious vegan versions of fast food as available and affordable as possible will “start to shut down Chick-fil-A’s.” , as he told vegnews.

While an inveterate carnivore might not be completely fooled by the interior texture of Project Poll’s patented imitation chicken meat, the breading on the fried “chicken” is consistently crisp and well-seasoned, making it even more enjoyable. makes a satisfying sandwich or nugget. (Project Chicken also offers burgers made with Impossible Food Patties, in case fried chicken isn’t your thing.) con pollo frito: French fries topped with cashew creed cheese and chipotle ranch, plus pico and grilled onions. Celebrate Project Pollo’s one-year anniversary this Saturday, September 18, by attending a party at their roadmap-making location in San Antonio or attending the grand opening of a new location in the Sharpstown neighborhood of Houston.

—anna walsh, editorial director

indulge in a hearty turkey sandwich

Enjoy the height of a reuben but not the meat? there’s a snack for that. Otherside Deli in Austin is perhaps best known for its pastrami sandwiches, but Loud Roddy’s, his “grab a patty melt,” is pretty tough. Served on toasted rye, the rowdy roddy’s base is a heap of thickly sliced, very moist, salty turkey. Though exceptionally flavorful, the turkey still needs a bit of zhuzhing (turkey is the saltiest of meats) and the noisy roddy pulls it off with Russian dressing, crushed cherry peppers, and grilled onions. the sweetness of the sandwich is pleasantly incidental. Creamy, melted American cheese ties all the bonanza together. Rowdy Roddy’s preparation is satisfyingly consistent: the ratio of turkey, toppings, and cheese is always sublime. I know, because I order it at least once a week.

—lauren larson, features editor