There’s no shortage of hotels in Downtown Austin, which means that hotel restaurants play a dominant role in that neighborhood’s food scene.
This clash becomes especially powerful when a large investment group from outside Austin comes into the picture. Opry Entertainment Group, a hospitality conglomerate based in Nashville that counts the Grand Ole Opry among its brands, now has a primary financial stake in the W Austin Hotel on Lavaca Street, and their plans to reinvent this space include a brand new restaurant called Serenade, which is now open to the public.
Visually speaking, Serenade feels sleek, polished, and fairly impersonal. Neutral tones, a marble bartop, and high ceilings aren’t unusual sights at upscale hotel eateries, and Serenade adds a few small touches of personality via a stone mosaic and an impressive crystal chandelier installation hanging above the bar. It’s a versatile decor scheme that can take on any theme, and it makes sense for the W Austin as a hotel and Downtown Austin as a location.
The Serenade team uses their menu to merge classic European traditions with influences and ingredients that are distinctly Texan. “Texas has a rich history of European influence, and Southern cooking is deeply rooted in French technique,” explains Nate McCabe, Director of Beverage & Food at W Austin. “This inspired us to envision the classic French brasserie through a Texan lens. Texas has long been recognized as one of the best places in the world for smoked and barbecued meats, while the French are famous for refined and flavorful sauces. I mean, we wouldn’t have queso without béchamel.”
This France-meets-Texas menu concept is in the hands of Serenade’s chef de cuisine, Johnny Ray Stinebaugh. An alum of Contigo Catering and Geraldine’s, Stinebaugh is well-versed in modern Texan dining and is clearly enjoying the challenge of weaving those flavors and techniques into dishes strongly associated with French bistros. For instance, Serenade’s moules frites – mussels cooked in garlic and white wine and served with crispy French fries – is served with a red pepper rouille with a smoky undercurrent that reflects standard Tex-Mex flavor profiles. Stinebaugh also prioritizes local sourcing whenever possible; the crab used for Serenade’s daytime-only Blue Crab Benedict is from the Gulf, and the roasted root vegetables served with the Duck Confit all come from farms in Central Texas. Stinebaugh takes a thoughtful approach to this merging of gustatory cultures that also includes his own personal food memories. His signature dessert, a pecan caramel eclair, is inspired both by his childhood fondness of H-E-B eclairs and the pecan’s status as Texas’s state nut.
Serenade’s design may look a bit sterile and generic, but Stinebaugh’s inventive menu punches far above its weight. This isn’t a hotel restaurant to begrudgingly accept as a convenient last resort. Rather, it’s an ambitious and destination-worthy spot where “French-Texan fusion” feels like a deliberate and well-conceived idea. Whether you’re a traveler looking for a flavorful bite in the heart of downtown or an Austinite seeking sophisticated dishes that still feel hearty and accessible, Serenade is worth a visit.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated since publication to credit photographer Nick Barnes, and to correct what was originally described as botanical wallpaper; that feature is in fact a stone mosaic.
This article appears in October 25 • 2024.