Retail Roundup: Walsh Trails Area Shopping, Dining and Entertainment

In addition to its many other amenities, Walsh Trails homeowners appreciate the neighborhood’s convenient access to shopping and nearby restaurants. For groceries and everyday needs, there are two HEB groceries, and a Sprouts Farmers Market, as well as a Target all just minutes away.

About a 10-minute drive from Walsh Trails, the expansive 1890 Ranch shopping center has more than 70 stores and restaurants and is an easy choice for shopping or a night out. Some of the most popular retailers include SuperTarget, Bealls, Academy Sports and Outdoors, Famous Footwear, Natural Grocers, PetSmart, Office Max, Ross Dress for Less, Bikram Yoga, Claire’s Boutique, Hemispheres, Mardels and Hobby Lobby.

Local parents often drop off the kids at the mall to have fun at Adventure Kids Playcare and then take in a movie at the Cinemark Movie Theater, followed by a family dinner at one of the several locally owned or popular restaurants such as Buffalo Wild Wings, Longhorn Steakhouse, Which Wich sandwich shop, Naanfull Indian Grill, Mighty Fine Burgers, Takara Sushi or Rosie’s Pho Asian Noodles. For dessert, there are plenty of choices to satisfy even the most demanding sweet tooth at Baskin-Robbins, YoYos Frozen Yogurt, Nothing Bundt Cake or Gigi’s Cupcakes.

Over 275 Stores and Restaurants Just 15 Minutes from Home

Two more regional shopping malls are within a 15-minute drive of the neighborhood.

Lakeline Mall is one of Austin’s biggest shopping destinations. With over 150 stores, shoppers enjoy a spacious mall including anchor stores Dillard’s, Macy’s and Sears, as well as American Eagle Outfitters, Bath & Body Works, Express, Foot Locker, Fredericks’ of Hollywood, Gap, Image, Lakeline Day Spa, Lane Bryant, The Limited, Old Navy, JCPenney, Brookstone, New York and Company, Yankee Candle and many, many more.

Restaurants include Applebee’s, Chili’s, Frullati Café, Little Tokyo, Los Canarios Fine Mexican Cuisine, Phil’s Philly Grill and Simon’s Sushi, among others. Teens are attracted to the mall’s extensive food court, movie theater and other retail shops like Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch. Families appreciate the wide range of stores catering to children and children’s needs such as the Disney Store, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Carter’s, The Children’s Place, Rooms To Go Kids, Gymboree, Gap For Kids, and Inflatable Wonderland, a bounce house park.

There’s more! Shoppers from all over Austin travel for the deep discounts they find at the Round Rock Premium Outlets, featuring 125 retailers. Some of the more popular outlet stores include Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, BCBG Max Azria, Brooks Brothers, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Coach, Converse, Gap Outlet, J.Crew, Michael Kors, Nike, Polo Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, and Levi’s Outlet Store, to name a few. Across the street from the mall is the only IKEA in the Austin metro area.

Sports-Friendly Comfort Food and Fresh Sushi with a Central Texas Flair

Sports fans and families catch UT Longhorn football games every Saturday at the Blue Corn Harvest Bar & Grill, about 10 minutes from Walsh Trails. With plenty of big-screen TVs, handcrafted cocktails, and a bevy of Texas craft beers, Blue Corn Harvest serves authentic, reasonably priced Tex-Mex fare. Locals enjoy the restaurant’s trademark dish, the “Blue Corn,” made with slow-roasted pulled pork and jack cheese, smothered in green chile sauce, with a drizzle of habanero aioli.

For more upscale cuisine, foodies head to Soto, a contemporary Japanese restaurant that showcases traditional Japanese sushi, sashimi, and Kobe beef prepared with a distinct Central Texas flair. One of their most popular dishes, O-Toro Sashimi, is prepared with savory tuna sashimi served on a bed of creamy wild mushroom risotto, accented with shaved truffles. A perfect closing to a delicious dinner is Soto’s decadent green tea crème brûlée or red bean ice cream.