Parkside's massive remodel will close Austin restaurant for half a year
One of the few representations of sophistication and quality on Dirty Sixth is in need of its own cleaning. Parkside is closing its doors to regular dining after service September 17. The historic brick-walled Texas-style bistro, parts of which date back to the late 19th century, will undergo massive infrastructure and minor aesthetic updates.
Chef and native Austinite Shawn Cirkiel, who opened Parkside in the old Jean Luc’s Bistro in 2008, says there will be a full remodel to the HVAC, plumbing system and kitchen, and diners will notice minor changes like new lighting, additional private rooms, new booths, more windows looking out onto San Jacinto Boulevard and a covered upstairs patio.
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“It’s exciting. We like the old nature feel of it, but it needs new life to go for another 15,” Cirkiel said, adding that all of his industry friends thought he was crazy when he opened the restaurant 15 years ago on a street with a reputation for shot bars and blues cover bands.
The adjacent Backspace will remain open and extend dinner hours to seven days a week, with a possibility of adding back lunch hours. Parkside staff will shift to the restaurant's robust catering and events business.
Cirkiel hopes to have Parkside reopened in March 2023, just in time for the South by Southwest hordes.
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This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin's Parkside is closing for six months for a massive remodel
