Lutie's offers sips and views at remodeled Commodore Perry Estate

The redeveloped Commodore Perry Estate, tucked in Hyde Park off of Red River Street, is worth the wait if you're lucky enough to snag a reservation.

Driving the news: The historic mansion, designed in 1928 for cotton businessman Edgar "Commodore" Perry, was transformed into a boutique hotel and membership club last year.

🌿 Take a walk through the stunning garden, which features 11,000 square feet of manicured bushes, pops of pink flowers and a marble fountain. Don't miss the pool on the western edge of the lawn, dotted with bright yellow umbrellas and chairs.

🥂 Sip on a cocktail at Lutie's Austin, the hotel's jewel box dining room. Try the Indigo Kick for a taste of the waning days of summer: vanilla-infused vodka, blackberry basil shrub, local honey, lemon and ginger beer.

Lutie's menu is made up of shareable plates. I started with the estate bread — a salty, crunchy outside gives way to a warm and fluffy center. The bread is paired with a layered brown and cultured butter mixture (probably my favorite part of the meal). I added a salad with grapefruit, goat cheese and fennel.

• For the main course, I shared the Yonder Way Farm pork with pickled cabbage and creamer peas.
• For dessert, try the beeswax creme caramel with burnt honey.

You probably won't immediately find a reservation on OpenTable because seats are booked solid for the next three months.

• Pro tip: I set alerts for multiple days and happened to glance at my phone when a table magically opened.