Escuela Is Raising the Bar for Tex-Mex in Austin’s Oak Hill

As dusk settles over Escuela, diners wander the crushed-granite paths of its garden before dinner. Vibrant perennials and native plants fill the flower beds, while young hibiscus trees in clay pots add bursts of color. A woven Mexican blanket drapes over a white iron bench, inviting guests to pause beneath the sprawling live oaks. It’s a serene pocket of green in Austin, and the garden is as much a part of the experience as the meal itself.

The five-acre property is home to two concepts from Don, Terri and Truett Brinkman, the Austin family behind the beloved burrito chain Cabo Bob’s. The first to open, Escuela Fino, occupies the restored, century-old Oak Hill Elementary School, serving creative Tex-Mex dishes alongside seasonal produce and responsibly sourced proteins. Escuela Campo, set to open in November, will bring a more casual, barbecue-focused experience to the property’s oak-shaded grounds.

Inside, the former schoolhouse resembles a well-curated Mexican ranch home, with Western art, handwoven rugs and warm, low lighting that lends the room a moody, intimate feel. Exposed limestone walls, original wood beams and black-and-white photographs of former students and teachers honor the building’s history.

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Fajitas from Escuela Fino. (Photo by Mica McCook)

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Escuela Fino’s Show & Tell cocktail is made with mezcal, peach, lime and habanero and smoked tableside. (Photo by Mica McCook)

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Escuela Fino’s bone marrow mousse is served with puffed grains, curtido crumble and grilled birote. (Photo by Mica McCook)

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The Maestra Martini at Escuela Fino combines tequila blanco, cucumber cordial, seasonal herb olive brine and citrus. (Photo by Mica McCook)

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Escuela Fino’s short rib guisada is smoked for seven hours, finished in red wine gravy and topped with crema. (Photo by Mica McCook)

A fun twist on Tex-Mex traditions

Born in Germany, where family-style meals were a fixture of daily life, executive chef Karsten Spieth later moved to Central Texas, where he developed a passion for the region’s barbecue and Tex-Mex traditions. At Fino, shareable plates range from bright ceviches and guacamole topped with salsa negra verde to grilled quail with pecan mole. A playful take on bread and butter service, heritage-grain birote bread arrives with pecan butter and peach chamoy, while blue crab flautas are topped with salsa de árbol and Mexican crema, served alongside melted green chile butter for dipping.

The bar program follows suit, pairing familiar cocktails with house-made creations that pull inspiration from the garden. The Greenhouse Effect, a ranch water variation made with tomatillo and basil, is clarified and carbonated in-house. The Show and Tell features Escuela’s house mezcal, Don Sapo, and is smoked tableside with oak chips and garnished with tiny flowers. The wine and spirits list prioritizes a variety of additive-free agave spirits and organic wines from producers across Texas and Mexico.

The outdoor areas are just as central to the Brinkmans’ vision as the inviting interior. “We always wanted to do a more refined restaurant, and Tex-Mex just made sense,” Terri Brinkman says. “We love Mexican food, and having a garden — and walking through it with your drink — was always what I pictured.” While the on-site garden prioritizes regenerative agriculture, Escuela also sources from other local organic farms whenever possible.

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Executive chef Karsten Spieth leads the kitchen at Escuela Fino, drawing inspiration from Central Texas barbecue and Tex-Mex traditions. (Photo by Mica McCook)

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A barbecue plate from Escuela Campo, a forthcoming family-friendly Tex-Mex barbecue restaurant on the Escuela property. (Photo by Mica McCook)

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The Root Awakening at Escuela Fino combines gin, house-made beet amargo, lemon and ginger, topped with apple air. (Photo by Mica McCook)

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Escuela’s puffy tacos feature heirloom corn, smoked brisket, guacamole, salsa roja and queso fresco. (Photo by Mica McCook)

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A selection of desserts at Escuela Fino in Austin. (Photo by Mica McCook)

A vision that extends beyond the kitchen

When it opens, Escuela Campo will put Texas barbecue center stage. With ample outdoor dining space beneath heritage oak trees, the restaurant will feature two custom-built 1,000-gallon smokers and a team of pitmasters with pedigree: Ben Lambert, whose résumé includes Franklin Barbecue and LeRoy and Lewis, and James Jones, formerly of Cedar Park’s Big Cat BBQ. For now, Fino’s menu teases what’s to come with dishes ranging from carne asada with ancho mole to short rib guisada, which is smoked for seven hours, then finished in a red wine gravy and topped with crema.

At Escuela, even the smallest details shine with intentionality: handmade ceramic plates come from small producers in Oaxaca, alongside naturally dyed rugs and napkins. The pieces reflect the Mexican and Texas influences woven throughout the property.

As our server, Matthew, tells us, “the menu is designed to keep diners coming back.” With crudos, garden-grown vegetables, creative house-made cocktails and barbecue-inspired dishes competing for a spot at the table, choosing what to order is no small feat. Fortunately, the hardest decision may be deciding what to save for next time.

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