Shopping can be a form of leisure, and Mueller residents have at-your-doorstep convenience at the Regional Retail Center, just a few minutes away. With over 30 stores and restaurants, shoppers will find almost everything on their lists at Old Navy, Home Depot, Staples, Best Buy, Lane Bryant, Marshalls, Bed Bath & Beyond, and PetSmart, to name a few. The RRC also includes several eateries including Chipotle Grill, Starbucks, Pad Thai, and Tino’s Greek Café, among others.
For groceries, residents have their very own 83,000-square-foot, solar-paneled, LEED-certified HEB at 51st Street and Berkman, which has an extensive selection of organic meat, a tortilleria and the ever popular Café Mueller. A hub of Mueller social life, the Café offers both indoor and patio seating as well as community-centric performances including live music on the weekends.
Major Malls within Easy Reach
Mueller shoppers can enjoy a unique shopping experience at the Arboretum at Great Hills less than 15 minutes away. 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 most popular retailers at the Arboretum 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, and many more. Hungry shoppers can also get a tasty bite to eat at Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Brio Tuscan Grille, Zoe’s Kitchen, Estancia Churrascaria, Cheesecake Factory, and for dessert, Amy’s Ice Cream.
For an even more extensive shopping spree, locals can also take a short 15-minute drive to enjoy the day at The Domain, a 1,300,000-square-foot upscale outdoor shopping mall featuring 100 stores, including high-end retailers such as Neiman Marcus, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., and Barneys. A break from shopping for lunch or dinner offers several delectable selections including Maggiano’s Little Italy, McCormick & Schmicks, NoRTH, and the Daily Grill to name a few.
Exotic Cuisines and Endless After Dinner Adventures
Right next to the Mueller neighborhood, Austin original Verts Kebap offers locals “Berlin-inspired kebap” featuring a choice of beef, lamb, chicken or veggies on fresh baked bread or as a wrap or salad. Two other popular eateries near Mueller include Bonehead’s Grilled Seafood and the fleet of options at Austin’s famed food trailers, situated next to the Browning Hangar (which also hosts a farmers’ market every Sunday).
After-dinner adventures in Mueller often revolve around the Austin Film Society, which sits on the northwest side of the community, and shows films all year round. Music lovers enjoy listening to Music in the Park at the Lake Park Amphitheater, while outdoor recreation lovers looking for something new drop in at Paggi Park to get an impromptu lesson in petanque, a European lawn bowling game. Theater buffs enjoy a performance at the Austin Playhouse, which showcases two stages, with 225- and 99-seats respectively, as well as a rooftop terrace and the iconic Austin Java restaurant.
Finally, for even more options, locals hop in the car for a quick 10-minute drive to either the Blue Starlite Mini Urban Drive-In on East 51st Street, or to the University of Texas and its evening lectures, museum offerings and IMAX showings. Of course, the legendary music scene downtown is always active and ready to enjoy.