Barton Hills is bordered by two of the city’s most legendary and popular thoroughfares: South Lamar and Barton Springs Road. Both streets host a wide variety of venues for eating, live music, and shopping.
Residents can enjoy a casual weekend brunch at Austin Java Café and Coffeehouse (where pets are welcome) or gather with friends and family for Mexican food and margaritas at the famous Chuy’s restaurant on Barton Springs Road. And every Thursday evening during the summer, Shady Grove restaurant hosts its “Unplugged at the Grove” — live music gigs featuring both local and visiting bands.
For an upscale and tantalizing dining experience, residents can trek over to Uchi restaurant on South Lamar, home of “Celebrity Chef” and James Beard award winner Tyson Cole. The Uchi menu features artfully inspired Japanese and sushi dishes. For a more traditional experience, just off South Lamar on Riverside Drive you’ll find the Paggi House restaurant. An 1840s historic landmark, Paggi House has multiple outdoor patios covered by ancient oak trees — a favorite place for wedding rehearsal dinners, graduation parties and intimate anniversary celebrations.
Let’s Go Shopping!
Dotting South Lamar and nearby South Congress are numerous small, independently owned boutiques and retailers catering to the more discriminating shopper, as well as health food stores and alternative pharmacies. And Barton Creek Mall, an easy 3-minute cruise away, is home to 180 stores and restaurants and also hosts a popular weekend farmers’ market.
Some of the mall’s most popular retailers include Nordstrom, Dillard’s, Macy’s, Abercrombie & Fitch, Ann Taylor, Apple, Banana Republic, Bath & Body Works, Chico’s, Foot Locker, Frederick’s of Hollywood, Gap, Lane Bryant, Lego, Nine West, Old Navy, as well as Sears and many others. And for date night or family fun, movie buffs also love to check out the latest blockbusters at the 14-screen AMC Barton Creek cinema.
More Music in the Park
Back to the music for which this town is known the world over. The highlight of the city’s premier live music scene happens every year in Zilker Park: The Austin City Limits Music Festival. Barton Hills residents have front-and-center seats without even having to join the crowds if they don’t want to. The famous join soon-to-be-famous acts on three stages over two weekends in the early fall. Local residents living near the park during this event are the envy of everyone scrambling for places to stay, searching for parking, and waiting for shuttles.