by Ester Harrison

When you live in Texas, it is very easy to drive just a few hours to experience a completely different atmosphere. It was a rainy Friday, and we decided to book it to Austin for the weekend. Weekender bag in hand, we had planned to leave Dallas in time to miss any traffic. Besides some dangerously torrential Texas rainstorms and a quick coffee break, we made it to Austin in record time. Our objective on this trip was to enjoy the foods and drinks in the company of good friends while exploring the Hill Country.

We arrived around midnight, but were freshly caffeinated and pounced on the idea to go to Ego’s, a local dive and karaoke bar. The quintessential neighborhood bar, you know walking in to Ego’s that you are going to have a great time. And it did not disappoint. The wine is boxed, the drinks are strong, and the laughs are inevitable.

The next day was spent making up for some terrible choices the night before. After kayaking around Lady Bird Lake we went to brunch at the famous Kerbey Lane Cafe. Delicious Tex-Mex was inevitable, but we were most surprised by their seasonal menu.

A quick nap and we were off to the Jester King Brewery. This farmhouse in the middle of nowhere is the perfect Saturday retreat from Austin’s traffic. Nestled between two farmhouses that hold the brewery and Stanley’s Farmhouse Pizza are several picnic tables, where you can enjoy these quirky beers and handcrafted pizzas. Thanks to some rapid moving spring Texas rains, we found ourselves at the Jester King until closing time. Not a terrible situation.

We began Sunday with a quick drive to Wimberley, known for its cabins along the river and some adorable tourist shops. Driving past the crowd in the center, we decided on Kate’s Place for brunch. I knew it was the right choice when we drove up and saw a little herb garden out back. The restaurant is a sunny place with plenty of scenery; we feasted on an appetizer of Ceviche stuffed Avocado and Strawberry Mimosas. With food this good, we shared our entrees of Eggs Benedict (with crab cake), Shrimp and Grits, and the Bagel & Smoked Salmon. I would joyfully drive down to Wimberley just for Kate’s. The restaurant is seasonable, local, and sustainable.

After Kate’s we were ready to taste some wines at the Duchman Family Winery in Driftwood. I first found out about this winery during Savor Dallas. Located on a beautiful and expansive property, the winery (and adjacent Trattoria Lisana) highlight Italian food and wine from various regions. I went home with a bottle of the Aglianico and the Tempranillo. Both deep reds these wines aptly suited for any rich meal, which was perfect because by this point we were ready for some brisket at The Salt Lick in Driftwood.

Things really are bigger here in Texas. This venue has expansive ground with plenty of parking, a wine tasting area, and a giant indoor/ outdoor restaurant space. Make sure you have plenty of time for this stop, because on a sunny weekend it is PACKED. We cheated by snagging a picnic table and ordering two brisket plates to go. A little trick if you love brisket, order the burnt ends, we did and got a tray full. It was amazing and it perfectly paired with the aforementioned red wine.

Some live music and a food coma later, we decided to wake up with a quick dip in Onion Creek before heading back to Austin. The evening ended with a truly breathtaking Texan sunset and some burgers from the Draft Pick to fuel us for our drive to Dallas. We pulled into Dallas exhausted but with wanderlust restored after our speedy adventure.