Shake Shack's Texas Debut

Hotly anticipated Shake Shack locks down opening date for first Texas burger joint

Shake Shack_Austin_Lockhart Link Burger_2015

The Lockhart Link Burger, with Kreuz Market jalapeño cheese sausage, is an Austin Shake Shack exclusive.

We expect a traffic jam near the corner of South Lamar Boulevard and Treadwell Street in Austin on the morning of May 5, as the first Shake Shack in Texas has confirmed an opening date. And time: 11 a.m.

"We're so thrilled to be planting roots in Texas, and we couldn't ask for a better home than the cultural and culinary stronghold of Austin," Shake Shack CEO Randy Garutti said in a release. "We'll be working hard to cultivate a community gathering spot for locals and visitors to kick back with a delicious burger, frozen custard and cold beer."

The chain is reportedly scouting out Houston locations (and CultureMap readers have suggested some possibilities), but has not confirmed any spots. And some observers wonder if Shake Shack, whose all-natural burgers and quality custard have garnered the New York City-based chain a huge cult following, can compete in Houston's hyper-competitive burger scene

The South Lamar location will be serving Austin-only creations in addition to the standard favorites. Among the exclusive menu items are the Lockhart Link Burger (with Kreuz Market jalapeño cheese sausage), the Cold Shot (a vanilla and chocolate frozen custard named after the Stevie Ray Vaughan song), and Uchi-koncrete (a vanilla frozen custard with the Uchi team's miso hazelnut blondie and huckleberry jam).

Local influence has seeped into the beverage selections too, including cold brews from Austin outfits such as Hops & Grain, Independence, Karbach, Real Ale and Austin Eastciders.

Shake Shack plans to open a second Austin location further north, in The Domain.

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go west, young man

Michelin-recognized Houston chef reveals San Antonio restaurant plans

Carriqui/ Facebook

Almost a year after closing, Carriqui is being replaced by an unnamed concept from Houston's Bludorn Hospitality.

When Carriqui shuttered in October 2025, Pearl developer Silver Ventures promised the building wouldn’t stay vacant long. A year later, it will be revived by a marquee name. Bludorn Hospitality Group (BHG), the outfit behind Houston favorites Navy Blue and Bludorn, will take over the space in the fall.

The move brings three seasoned restaurateurs to the high-volume space. Chef Aaron Bludorn served as the executive chef of Manhattan's world-famous Café Boulud when he met his now-wife, Victoria Pappas Bludorn, the scion of Houston’s Pappas dynasty, herself classically trained in French cuisine.

Cherif Mbodji crossed paths with Aaron when the former was the general manager of Café Boulud, but didn’t hesitate to move South to join the team at Bludorn restaurant. The restaurant turned out to be one of Texas’ buzziest post-pandemic debuts — and the creation of a growing restaurant group that now includes Navy Blue, Perseid, and Bar Bludorn. Three of those restaurants — Bludorn, Perseid, and Bar Bludorn — hold Recommended designations in the Michelin Guide.

Bludorn Hospitality, Aaron Bludorn and Cherif Mbodji Chef Aaron Bludorn (l) and Cherif Mbodji are leading the new Pearl concept.Photo by John-Paul Garrigues.

Although the trio can tout an impressive culinary pedigree, they are staying tight-lipped on their first San Antonio restaurant. A release did not mention a name nor tease any details on the menu. Chef Bludorn is most known for French-kissed New American cuisine that incorporates Gulf seafood and cooking traditions from the American South. But, hey, who’s to say he won’t take a detour?

Whatever is on the menu, BHG will have a lot of seats to fill. When the original home of Liberty Bar was painstakingly renovated after years of disuse, the 19th-century house had 380 seats, including a spacious patio. This makes the unnamed San Antonio restaurant the group’s largest project by almost threefold, although it is certainly accustomed to packed rooms.

According to a press release, more details on the mysterious concept will be revealed in the coming months. Guests can sign up for newsletter updates through Bludorn Hospitality Group's website.

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