Survey Projects Texas Restaurant Sales will Rise in 2009

Despite the economic doom and gloom reports that appear on national media with almost tedious and mind numbing regularity, a very encouraging piece of new for Texas and Austin in particular has recently been released by the National Restaurant Association.

According to the survey, Texas leads the nation with a projected 5% increase in restaurant sales for 2009 over the previous year. This is particularly important news for Austin where surprisingly, jobs in the hospitality industry actually outnumber the vaunted technology sector. And despite the slumping national economy, Austin is pacing far ahead of other well-known restaurant cities like New York, San Francisco and New Orleans. Yes, there are slow nights, but as bad as business may occasionally seem in Austin, on the whole things are holding up.

While we’ve lost good restaurants like Mars, Vin Bistro, Cibo, Nunzia, Senoritas, and others in the past year, there have actually been more openings than closings. New on the scene is Chinatown Downtown on 5th next to Kenichi. Also opened downtown is Yu Sushi Izagaya and Maria Maria on Colorado. Perry’s Steakhouse is packing them in at 7th and Colorado, and a totally renovated Finn and Porter has reopened at the Hilton. Also taking over for Bennigan’s is the Celtic-oriented Fiddler’s Hearth. Out at the Hill Country Galleria Tony C’s coal fired pizzeria is packing them in along with the new Iron Cactus. And the stunning Steiner Ranch Steakhouse has opened to finally give those in the far southwest a taste of a good T-Bone. And how about Verdes on Hamilton Pool Road? I could go on but I hope you get the idea. It takes commitment and a belief in the city to open this many restaurants.

And there are many more mature Austin restaurants that are exceeding there 2008 numbers, and that’s another good sign. Scholz Garten is up 30% over last year, Mighty Fine Burgers just opened a second location in Sunset Valley, with a third on tap for Round Rock. And they are packing them in. Hyde Park Bar and Grill is going great guns and Estancia Churrascaria, Austin’s first Brazilian steakhouse, is doing very well. Ditto for Cannoli Joe’s, another relatively new restaurant. And of course Eddie V’s and the Roaring Fork are crowded mostly every night. And McCormick and Schmick’s is substantially up over this time last year.

So despite all the talk of doom and gloom, it is not as bad locally as many of us have been led to believe. People in the Austin area are dining out, and some restaurants are not just surviving, but thriving. To that I can only say, way to go and “bon appetit.” If you see me at your favorite spot, come on by and say hello!

UPDATE:

We happened to stop by several restaurants in Round Rock on Saturday, the 14th, and they were swamped. Tokyo Steakhouse at La Frontera Mall was mobbed by 5:30pm. Then we headed up to Louisiana Longhorn Café on Main St. They were mobbed as well but we went in, waited, and got a table in about 10 minutes. They’ve got a new BBQ Shrimp dish that is flat out delicious.

Then we swung by the new location of El Sol y La Luna at 600 East 6th and it was so crowded we couldn’t get in. We went back on Sunday, the 15th, and really enjoyed the food and the music.

If this area is hurting with regard to restaurant attendance, you sure couldn’t see it this weekend!