Some of Austin’s best shopping is just a few minutes away from the Glenlake neighborhood. Many homeowners shop for groceries at the Gateway Shopping Center’s Whole Foods Market, about 15 minutes north, or a deluxe HEB grocery store about 15 minutes south.
Between 10 and 15 minutes from the neighborhood is a unique shopping experience: the Arboretum at Great Hills, an open-air mall featuring more than 40 specialty shops and restaurants, as well as a park, water feature and picnic area. Some of the more popular retailers include Barnes and Noble, Chico’s, The Gap and Gap For Kids, Jos. A. Bank, Pottery Barn, Z Gallerie, Coldwater Creek, GameStop, SAS Shoes and AZIZ Salon and Day Spa, to name a few. The Arboretum also offers a delectable selection of dining options, including Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Brio Tuscan Grille, Zoe’s Kitchen, Estancia Churrascaria, Cheesecake Factory, and for dessert, Amy’s Ice Cream.
Also easily accessed within 15 minutes is the Village at Westlake Shopping Center, a popular choice for local shoppers. The center includes an Office Depot, Twin Liquors, GNC, Alyson Jon Interiors, Finley’s Barbershop, Gold’s Gym, Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, Westbank Dry Cleaners and several other retailers. Hungry and thirsty shoppers can also enjoy their favorite hot or cold beverage at Starbucks, or a tasty meal at Izumi Sushi, La Madeleine and a few of the center’s other eateries.
Kickin’ It at a Local Watering Hole on the Water
When it’s time to kick back for the day, Glenlake residents often visit their favorite local watering hole, Ski Shores Cafe. The popular local restaurant provides a place to dock a boat, enjoy a bite to eat and watch activity on the lake.
An Austin icon, this 1950s waterfront café with patios extending over the water and vintage décor has a long history in the Austin community. Tacos, wings and a pizza named after a cat are just a few of the attractions that make this a legendary Austin destination. The sangria at Ski Shores is made fresh daily using their own special recipe and highly recommended for relaxing on the dock at sunset. Early morning diners at Ski Shores enjoy delicious migas tacos. Filled with eggs, jalapeño, onion, tomato, cheese and crushed tortilla chips wrapped in a warm tortilla, it’s a great way to start a day of fishing or paddle boarding on the lake.
Excellent Cuisine, Relaxed Ambiance
Eleven Plates & Wine offers sophisticated food in a slightly more formal setting than Ski Shores, but is still laid-back, casual, and fun. The menu is full of upscale items from the appetizers through dessert. Cocktails are prepared by excellent mixologists and house specialties such as the French75 (gin, soda, simple syrup, and lemon) or the Paloma (tequila, toronja soda, and lime with a salted rim), are fantastically refreshing and delicious.
Frequent Eleven Plates diners highly recommend starting with appetizers. The Brussels sprouts, deep-fried to a sweet caramelized brown and dressed in a lemon aioli, and the crispy tiger shrimp with old bay, lemon, and chipotle aioli are both excellent. For dinner, fans rave about the diver scallops with grilled corn, Spanish chorizo, and lemon aioli or grilled lamb chops with grilled asparagus, fingerling potatoes, and piquillo puree.
The most popular side dish (though others, like the truffle fries and grilled asparagus, have their supporters) is probably the Gouda mac & cheese with pork belly. People go crazy for this upscale twist on a classic comfort food. The crème brûlée draws a lot of praise, as does almost every other dessert that comes out of the kitchen such as Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake (with rich, moist chocolate and light, whipped peanut butter), the Sticky Toffee Cake, or sweet corn panna cotta with brown butter sorbet.