Inside Austin's buzziest new Tex Mex spot
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A spread at Escuela: Corn rib elotes, salsa tasting and martini. Photo: Nicole Cobler/Axios
👋 Nicole here. I somehow scored a reservation to Escuela before Oak Hill's newest farm-to-table Tex Mex spot blew up on social media.
- I now understand what all the fuss is about.
Plan ahead: Scoring a table now requires setting an alarm and adding alerts on Open Table. Reservations open 30 days in advance at midnight.
Yes, but: There's a bar, where you could potentially walk in and score a seat on a less-busy night.
Driving the news: The restaurant opened last month on the grounds of the former Oak Hill elementary school, giving the historic property a second life.
- The setting is part of the appeal too — it's worth giving yourself time to explore the property, rather than rushing straight to your table.
- They've created a path through the garden, where the team grows produce that makes its way onto the menu. It's open to anyone to explore.
🍸 To drink: You must get the Maestra Martini ($17), made with tequila blanco, cucumber cordial, seasonal herb olive brine and citrus. It's herbal and balanced without being overpowering, and it comes with a sidecar pour — a welcome bonus that makes the price feel worthwhile.
🍽️ To eat: The menu is built for sharing. We started with the salsa tasting ($9), which comes with several seasonal, rotating salsas, along with the corn rib elotes ($11) and embered carrots ($12).
- For the main event, we split the vacio steak and chicken fajitas ($67). The spread came with homemade flour and corn tortillas, grilled onions, queso fundido, rice and beans.
- It was plenty for two people. If you're dining with a small group, ordering a few dishes for the table is the way to go.
Worth noting: My husband and I were celebrating our one-year anniversary, and the staff made the night feel special with complimentary Champagne and dessert.
Six-word review: Thoughtful service with a memorable meal.
What's next: Escuela is just one piece of the property's plans. A barbecue restaurant called Campo is expected to open soon on-site, though an exact date hasn't been announced.