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(Yard Bar/Instagram)
It's no secret that Austin loves its dogs—with the most dog-friendly restaurants per capita in one of the most dog-enthusiastic cities in the world, it would probably be harder to find a restaurant that doesn't allow dogs than those that do.
That said, with so many options to choose from, it can be hard to narrow the search down to a few. From dog-themed restaurants to doggy food trucks, here are nine dog-friendly local businesses to try out.
Yard Bar, 6700 Burnet Road
Although this bar has plenty of options for humans to eat and drink, Yard Bar is a cafe made to please Austin pups. With its massive off-leash dog park front and center, Yard Bar aims to make going to the bar just as fun for dogs as it is for people. The doggy playground offers plenty of shade, a cold drink of water, a chance to make new canine friends and obstacles to challenge your pups while you sip on some on-draft cocktails.
Austin Terrier, 3435 Greystone Drive
Though this friendly neighborhood bistro is best known for its American food, specialty pizzas and rotating cocktail menu, your furry friend will remember it for its dog-friendly patio. Order the Spicy Terrier pizza and Pink Poodle Martini if you want to be festive—bonus points if you bring a terrier to match the mascot! 🐶
The Original Dog Treat Truck Company, 1720 Barton Springs Road
Don't visit this truck in hopes of grabbing a bite for yourself because you won't find any—this truck is only for man's best friend. With three locations touting healthy, artisan and organic treats for dogs, The Original Dog Treat Truck Company offers Woof Waffles, which aid digestion and coat health; Breath Bones, which are mint and berry-filled to help smelly breath over time; and the Nutripooch Pouch, a lickable smoothie that boosts the immune system. All three locations are in food parks, so not to worry, you won't go hungry.
Ani's Day and Night, 7107 E. Riverside Drive.
Popping up in a historic 1930s-era Victorian home, the very same house owner Freddy Fernandez grew up in, Ani's Day and Night is a brand-new all-day cafe that serves up coffee, cocktails and local brews. The new cafe has a sprawling outdoor space, perfect for your four-legged friend, and is also home to two permanent food trucks: Mexican food at Las Alegres Comadres and Caribbean at Nyam Sunshine Cuisine.
Perla's Seafood and Oyster Bar, 1400 S. Congress Ave.
Located on South Congress, Perla's Seafood and Oyster Bar's fairy-lit front patio is a bougie spot for your posh pup to nosh. For you and your fellow humans, Perla's is a seafood lover's dream with its fresh oysters, raw bar and array of fancy cocktails. There's no room for your pups to roam though, so make sure they will be content sitting down amid the busy city.
Fresa's, 1703 S. 1st Street
This wood-grilled Mexican restaurant is famous for its avocado margaritas (a must-try!) and its South 1st location not only offers week-long happy hour prices, it also has a huge open patio that is perfect for Fido. The patio is not only dog-friendly but dog-loving, so you're likely to run into some other puppies when you visit.
Better Half, 406 Walsh Street
Between Better Half and Hold Out Brewing, which sits right next door, the two establishments boast a well-spaced, natural patio that is happy to seat you with your pooch. As for the patrons, Better Half's menu is stocked with new takes on classic staples, like cauliflower tots and blue corn snickerdoodles, gourmet coffee drinks and a large wine list to work your way through.
Radio Coffee & Beer, 4204 Manchaca Road
With indoor seating plus an expansive outdoor patio, Radio is another great place to enjoy Austin with your best friend. The garden gives dogs plenty of room to stretch out and flexibility for their owners—Radio opens early, 6:30 a.m. most days, and closes late at midnight. Between the coffee, local beers, food trucks on-site and frequent live music, the coffee shop has a little something for everyone.
Cosmic Coffee + Beer Garden, 121 Pickle Road
With lush greenery, food trucks to choose from and coffee all day, Cosmic is undoubtedly fun for humans, but its massive dog-friendly garden is what attracts so many doggos. The open space is shady and cooled by fans, so there's no need to worry about your hound's health, and lots of exciting sights for two- and four-legged friends to see, like the chicken coop, pond and nature preserve on the property.
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Popular
Both "quiet quitting" and "quiet firing" point to general unhappiness within the workforce. (Pexels)
In the era of back-to-office battles, a labor shortage and increased unionization efforts across the country, employees and employers alike are labeling new terms to describe the state of the workforce.
"Quiet quitting" first emerged on Tiktok in July to describe workers who choose not to go above and beyond at work. Some say the term demonizes employees who simply strive for a good work-life balance, while others have slammed down on the "slackers," often Gen Zers, who promote the trend.
‘Quiet quitting’ discourse is funny because “simply doing the job you’re paid to do” is intuitively, morally correct but also like 80% of management training is based on preventing this—on using psychological tricks to get workers to do more than they’re nominally supposed to https://t.co/zkn9Q2LCJJ
— Adam H. Johnson (@adamjohnsonNYC) September 8, 2022
Enter "quiet firing." At its surface, it seems to be employers' counterpart to the trend. Both are very old ideas with new names, but "quiet firing" can often have more dire consequences.
Per The Washington Post, "quiet firing" can look like being "nudged out by a manager who can’t fire you but is making your job increasingly unpleasant and unrewarding." It may mean years without a promotion or a raise, fewer hours, or a lack of praise even when you feel like your performance hasn't dipped.
For some employers, the "quiet quitting" recipe is simple: reward your most productive employees while gently nudging others in a different direction.
I do a form of “quiet firing”. I hire good people from different educational backgrounds and some are inclined to follow what they studied. Usually these employees are disengaged in the work so I choose not to invest in their growth. They eventually find a job in their field
— Micky Ruñoz (@HighMs66) September 9, 2022
For others, it's an unwelcome punishment for employees who don't make work their sole priority in life.
"quiet quitting" and "quiet firing" are made up capitalist terms coined to shame workers and maintain worker discipline and productivity
they also insinuate that workers are more bound to their employers like serfs than they are committed to their own lives. it's such BS
— Austin McCoy (@AustinMcCoy3) September 8, 2022
Unsurprisingly, these two trends seem to be intertwined. In the remote era, lines were increasingly blurred between work and home life. Employee burnout, "quiet quitting's" predecessor, earned the spotlight as many found that going above and beyond didn't result in increased job satisfaction or rewards.
To put it simply, many workers aren't happy. A Gallup poll showed that up to 50% of employees are engaging in a form of "quiet quitting," and job dissatisfaction has shown itself in Austin through the unionization and worker strikes of several local businesses.
While both terms are nothing new, they do seem to point to a larger toxicity within modern workplace culture.
A lot of people have unhealthy workplaces but are forced to stay due a society unwilling to provide basic services and support
— Scott Specht (@ScottASpecht) September 9, 2022
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(Atchain)
Standing at 1,022 feet near the intersection of Waller Creek and Lady Bird Lake, a mixed-use high rise called Waterline is set to open in late 2026.
The 74-story building will be more than 300 feet taller than the Independent, Austin's tallest, and 20 feet taller than the state's current champ, the JPMorgan Chase Tower in downtown Houston.
Features:
- 3.3 acres at 98 Red River St.
- A 251 room hotel, Hotel Austin
- 352 luxury apartment homes
- 700,000 square feet of office space
The developers, Lincoln Property Company and Kairoi Residential, said Waterline will serve as a new gateway from the Central Business District to the Rainey Street district.
"Waterline marks a new milestone for downtown not only because of its height but also because of the positive impact this project will have on improving connectivity, enhancing public amenities, and attracting more people to this beautiful area of downtown," Seth Johnston of Lincoln said.
A Canadian pension fund manager is the project’s primary owner.
