TRIBEZA’s Guide to Affordable Art Fair Austin: Top Places to Eat, Drink, Shop & Explore
When it’s time for a break from browsing at the Affordable Art Fair, this guide to local restaurants, bars and events offers a way to make the most of an art-filled weekend
With 55 galleries and nearly 12,000 square feet of art from Texas and worldwide, guests will easily get lost in color at the second annual Affordable Art Fair Austin.
The four-day event, running May 15–18, takes place at the Palmer Events Center and showcases international and local pieces, priced between $100 and $10,000 for novices and collectors alike.
“There’s something for everyone, starting with kids and going all the way up to seasoned collectors or interior designers,” said Cori Teague, fair director. “Part of our ethos is making art accessible to everybody and removing that higher-end stuffy stigma from art fairs. It’s a very different experience. It’s somewhere where people can learn to fall in love with art, where they can purchase art for the first time and where someone can grow their collections.”
Tickets range from $10 to $50, and re-entry is free. The Affordable Art Fair Austin will have cocktails and small bites, but if you need a break to contemplate your next statement piece, we’ve put together a guide of local restaurants, bars and events to make the most of your art-filled weekend.
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Your Guide to the Best Affordable Art Fair Austin Experience:
Where to Eat:
Nido
1211 W Riverside Drive
Atop the Loren Hotel, Nido serves seasonal ingredients from local purveyors with a side of Lady Bird Lake and downtown Austin views. The rooftop luxury restaurant elevates familiar flavors and recently launched a three-course lunch with the choice of an appetizer, entrée and dessert for $45.
Terry Black’s Barbecue
1003 Barton Springs Road
If you’re looking for the full Texas experience, one of Austin’s favorite barbecue spots is located right across the street from this year’s Affordable Art Fair. Just follow the smoky aroma wafting from Terry Black’s patio. Attendees can fuel up for the long day with a heaping plate of tender sliced brisket, pork ribs or jalapeno cheese sausage with traditional sides, including mac and cheese, baked potato salad and coleslaw.
El Alma
1025 Barton Springs Road
For more than a decade, El Alma’s Barton Springs location has been serving contemporary Mexican food reminiscent of chef and owner Alma Alcocer-Thomas’s childhood. Whether you stop by early for some breakfast tacos, need a mid-day break for some tortas, or want to wrap up the day with some enchiladas, El Alma is just a hop, skip and a margarita away from the art fair.
Juliet Italian Kitchen
1500 Barton Springs Road
This Zilker neighborhood restaurant offers a hearty menu of made-from-scratch Italian favorites for brunch, lunch and dinner. Juliet Italian Kitchen pulls inspiration from New York City’s Little Italy with hand-tossed cacio e pepe pizza, traditional spaghetti and meatballs, and a tangy chicken piccata to make it feel like an evening in Rome.
Sandy’s Hamburgers
603 Barton Springs Road
This old-school burger shack has been keeping Austin weird since 1946. Sandy’s Hamburgers has become a staple in town for its simple burgers, fries and hot dogs. If you need to cool down after a long day at the fair, grab a milkshake, soft serve ice cream cone or hot fudge sundae just down the road.
ATX FOOD CO.
517 S Lamar Blvd., Lot 1
For the vegans, ATX Food Co. is permanently parked only a nine-minute walk away from Palmer Events Center with a nourishing plant-based menu. Grab a brisket tempeh taco, chickpea power bowl, or a hemp smoothie to refresh at this veggie-forward food truck.
Where To Drink:
Lou’s Barton Springs
1608 Barton Springs Road
Lou’s Barton Springs is a laid-back, all-day spot serving everything from coffee, donuts and tacos to burgers, wings, salads and frozen treats. The drink menu includes cold beers, cocktails and refreshing frozen options like the espresso martini shake and mangonada margarita. With shaded seating, live entertainment, and a come-as-you-are atmosphere, it’s a go-to gathering place for locals looking to relax.
Barton Springs Saloon
424 S Lamar Blvd.
This local watering hole sits in a converted gas station and has something on tap for everyone. Barton Springs Saloon lures Austinites in with its weekly discounted deals, like $5 draft beers on Thursdays, $7 Lalo ranch waters on Friday and $6 Bloody Marys on Sundays.
Aussie’s
306 Barton Springs Road
If you haven’t broken a sweat at the fair already, schedule a mid-day beach volleyball break at Aussie’s. The Austin sports bar is fit for the whole family with three outdoor patios, overlooking the sand volleyball court, more than a dozen beers on draft and a menu full of classic pub grub, including burgers, sandwiches and baskets of fried appetizers.
Gibson Street Bar
1109 S Lamar Blvd.
A little further up South Lamar Boulevard, Gibson Street Bar invites guests to slide into its classic black banquettes for an evening of craft cocktails, tall boys and hefty pours of wine. To celebrate the artsy weekend, stop by for Sunday Funday, which features $3 mimosas, $10 wine carafes, $5 Bloody Marys and $5 Pacifico or Modelo Micheladas. And if you get hungry, JewBoy Burgers food truck is parked out front with smashburger sliders and latkes.
Other Local Events:
Blue Genie Art Bazaar’s May Market
6100 Airport Blvd., Ste. C
If you haven’t done enough shopping for the weekend, Blue Genie Art Bazaar’s May Market takes place every weekend through May until Sunday, June 1. The free art market features 200 regional artists and artisans, including handcrafted wooden gifts from Honeywood, demi-fine jewelry from Dawn & Dusk jewelry, and Texas-inspired watercolor prints from Kim Kaiser Art.
Friends Fair at the Loren Hotel
1211 W. Riverside Drive
The Affordable Art Fair was the first to grace Austin’s art scene, and now others are following suit. Friends Fair, taking place May 16–17 at The Loren Hotel, will showcase work from 12 galleries and curators inside hotel rooms on the second and third floors. This intimate experience includes pieces from local Austin galleries, Houston, Dallas, New York and Los Angeles.
Cine Las Americas International Film Festival
6406 N. IH-35 Service Road
The Annual Cine Las Americas International Film Festival (CLAIFF27) returns for its 27th year on May 14–18 at the Austin Film Society Cinema. The five-day festival showcases powerful stories from Latine/x, Indigenous, and Latin American filmmakers, along with work by emerging Texas-based voices.
MINDPOP’s Family Art Fun
1165 Angelina St.
The Affordable Art Fair hosts family activities on Saturday morning, but if your kids get another spurt of creativity in the afternoon, stop by the George Washington Carver Museum from 12:30 to 2 p.m. for MINDPOP’s Family Art Fun on Saturday, May 17. The free event features different art stations, collaborative projects for the whole family to get their hands dirty, and guided poetry and dance lessons.
Austin Shakespeare Presents Julius Caesar at Zilker Park
2206 William Barton Drive
Austin Shakespeare returns to Zilker Hillside Theatre with a free, outdoor production of “Julius Caesar,” running May 15–25, with performances at 8 p.m., Thursday through Sunday each week. Set up a picnic blanket under the stars while enjoying a reimagined presentation of the classic Shakespearian tale, where women are the stars of the show.