From Soil to Service: The Story of East Austin’s Este Garden
The restaurant’s on-site garden nurtures seasonal produce, local pollinators and a thriving community through hands-on collaboration
Some restaurants grow to become cherished pillars of their community, but at Este, that sense of connection begins before you even step inside the dining room. It starts in the vibrant gardens surrounding the East Austin restaurant, where herbs and vegetables grow organically alongside native plants and flowers, where they are nurtured and then incorporated into the restaurant’s culinary program. On top of that, Este’s garden is also a gathering place that brings together neighbors, volunteers and the kitchen team, creating a connection to the land and the nourishment it provides.
“We have plenty of neighbors who walk by every morning and come volunteer,” says garden manager Anamaria Gutierrez. “People have a relationship with this piece of land, and everyone mentions how happy they are that it’s here.”
Gutierrez discovered her own love of gardening by volunteering at farms around town while she was a business student at the University of Texas, making weekly visits to Boggy Creek Farm and Urban Roots before accelerating her knowledge with sustainable agriculture classes though ACC’s Continuing Education program.
Gutierrez was working as a host at Suerte in 2019 when owner Sam Hellman-Mass purchased the property that had housed Eastside Café for 31 years. The iconic Austin restaurant tended a modest garden long before “farm-to-table” was a household catchphrase, and Gutierrez suggested they revive the garden for Hellman-Mass’ next concept, Este. A grant from the government’s PPP program during the pandemic made that garden dream a reality. Hellman-Mass brought Gutierrez on as garden manager, and they broke ground in May of 2020.
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An ecosystem in balance
“The whole space was all Bermuda grass,” she remembers. “But right below that was the most precious soil ever.”
Starting with around 1,000 linear feet of crops, the garden has expanded over the years, now encompassing a fourth of an acre, and thrives on organic principles, without the use of pesticides or insecticides. Guetierrez instead utilizes companion planting and trap crops to lure pests away from the edible plants.
“This space is like a whole ecosystem, and when you allow for everything to exist, things tend to balance each other out,” explains Gutierrez. “We like to plant a lot of flowers and invite everyone to the party.”
Two hives, carefully tended by Two Hives Honey, provide essential pollinators for the garden, while a couple of bird-loving neighbors take pride in maintaining two purple martin houses and tracking the bird population for the Audubon Society. The native birds joyfully chirp and soar above the garden, playing a crucial role in keeping insect populations in check.
“Indigenous people used to put gourds in their gardens for the martins,” says Gutierrez. “There has been a very long-standing beneficial relationship between humans and the purple martins.”
From garden to plate
As the short Texas winter transitions into lush spring, Este Garden really begins to thrive. Carrots, beets, kale and collards are replaced with okra, tomatoes, cucumbers and malabar spinach. There is always a milpa-style plot, where corn, beans and squash coexist according to Mesoamerican farming traditions, as well as a few items that are harder to source elsewhere, like hoja santa and purslane.
Gutierrez will try different vegetable varieties year to year and see what works best. This year’s corn will be Bloody Butcher, and she saw such success with Magda squash and its resistance to aphids that she’s growing it again. Five to six different pepper varieties are always growing — from jalapeño and serrano to specialty peppers like Sugar Rush Peach or Lemon Drops.
Gutierrez will meet with the Este kitchen team before each season to gauge their interest on certain ingredients, and she communicates to let them know what items she’s about to harvest. She’ll also bring herbs and vegetables to pre-shift meetings for them to taste and lead lessons for the whole team out in the garden. This close collaboration infuses Este’s seafood-centric Mexican menu with vibrant flavors and colors, as seen in dishes like Bluefin Tuna Tiradito with allium salsa negra and crispy leeks, or Grilled Turbot served with salsa verde and garden radishes braised in green onion-anchovy butter. The garden’s greens find their way into Este’s vibrant salads, while edible flowers — from Turk’s caps to hibiscus — add a beautiful touch across the menu.
Garden herbs in every course
Este’s bar program utilizes the many herbs grown in the garden, like cilantro, basil, mint, Texas tarragon and sage, and Gutierrez says the team that uses the most specialty items from the garden is pastry, led by Chef Derek Flynn.
“He is a magician — he makes the coolest stuff!” says Gutierrez. “He’ll soak the Tres Leches in bay leaves and lemongrass. We grow mustang grapes, and he makes jelly out of them. He uses fig leaves and lemon verbena and lemon balm, roses for rose water, pecans for cookies. Anything I throw at him, he uses.”
A stroll through Este’s garden offers the perfect complement to a dining experience, and Guttierez nurtures that connection through seasonal garden tours, which are free and bookable via OpenTable. She also leads a popular community volunteer program for anyone from seasoned gardeners to beginners to help nurture the land. Volunteers can sign up through Este Garden’s Instagram, and many return season after season, strengthening the bond between the restaurant and the neighborhood.
Food, community and connection
Gutierrez’s passion for gardening extends beyond Este. She also consults with Nixta Taqueria on their garden, working to bring more edible plants into Austin’s urban landscape.
“I’m just trying to get more lawns growing vegetables and flowers and plants,” she says with a smile.
Este Garden is a testament to the power of growing food — bringing people together, fostering meaningful relationships and nourishing both body and soul.