Austin’s Hot Luck Turned Up the Heat on a Cool Fall Weekend

The fires were hot, the wine was flowing and, for once, the weather at Hot Luck gave everyone a break. After trading its usual May dates for a fall weekend, the Austin food and music festival returned Oct. 16-17 with more than 25 chefs, two days of eating and a timely cold front. For those of us working our way through the dishes outdoors, the cooler air was a welcome dinner guest. For the chefs tending live fires, we imagine it was even more welcome.

This year marked a new chapter for the festival, which joined People Inc.’s portfolio over the summer. May had come and gone without its familiar procession of chefs, concerts and ambitious bites, making the fall reunion especially welcome.

Friday’s Giddy Up brought the festivities to Franklin Barbecue before Saturday’s House Party took over Assembly Hall. The lineup gave Austin diners plenty of familiar faces to seek out, including Canje’s Tavel Bristol-Joseph, Épicerie’s Sarah McIntosh and Este’s Fermín Núñez. Visiting restaurants expanded the weekend’s eating itinerary, with Houston’s Bludorn, San Antonio’s Leche de Tigre, Phoenix’s Chilte, New Orleans’ Turkey and the Wolf and New York’s Bonnie’s among the participants.

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Guests sampled dishes from chefs across the country at Hot Luck’s House Party at Assembly Hall on Oct. 17. (Photo by Alison Narro)

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Chef Fermin Nunez. (Photo by Alison Narro)

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James Moody, Matthew Odam and Aaron Franklin. (Photo by Alison Narro)

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More than 25 chefs from Austin and across the country served dishes throughout Hot Luck’s two-day festival. (Photo by Alison Narro)

Hot Luck returns in May

Music kept the celebration going beyond the food events. Local duo Deer Fellow opened Friday’s show at Mohawk, followed by headliner Mon Rovîa, with additional performances around Austin throughout the weekend.

By the end, we were happily full, a little reluctant to see it end and grateful Hot Luck had found its way back onto the calendar. Hot Luck returns May 13-16, 2027, moving back to its usual spring schedule. While the cooler weather was a welcome bonus this year, we’re looking forward to seeing what’s on the menu next.

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