Emmer And Rye

This restaurant just became one of my top 5 in Austin. Food was very good and the service was outstanding. Our server Ellie was attentive and knowledgeable. I got a bit over zealous with my hands describing something while talking at the end of our meal and accidentally spilled my last bit of wine. She was so nice to bring me a bit more to make up for the loss. We were celebrating our anniversary and everyone that we interacted with acknowledged that, and there was also a card signed by the staff waiting at our table when we arrived. The sourdough bread presentation did not disappoint and the Cacio e Pepe was another highlight. The salad suggested by our server was also perfectly balanced and dressed. We ended the night with the chocolate chip dessert… one of the most unique palate cleansing experiencing ever. We will be back!

Emmer & Rye exceeded all of my expectations. From start to finish, the meal was memorable and beautifully executed. Starters The Johnny cakes were a fantastic way to begin the evening. The sourdough bread with butter was unbelievably good—so much so that I genuinely wanted to buy a loaf to take home. Salads & Pastas The salad was wonderfully balanced with a variety of flavors and textures. The Cacio e Pepe was cooked to perfection and had the ideal balance of cheese and pepper. The Pappardelle was good, though a bit too rich for the table; the richness tended to overpower the dish. Mains The carnitas were unique and packed with flavor, especially in the sauce. The smoked half chicken was a standout juicy, tender, and perfectly seasoned. Desserts Every dessert we tried was exceptional. Service The bottle of wine took a little longer than expected to arrive, but the outstanding service and food more than made up for it. Our server, Felix, was truly amazing attentive, personable, and knowledgeable. Overall
I would definitely come back. Emmer & Rye delivered an impressive dining experience from beginning to end.

Overall: 4.5/5 [Dine In] The staff was welcoming, and the restaurant is dog friendly! We brought our friend's dogs to the outside patio, and the staff even brought out a water bowl for them which was sweet. The food came out at a good pace. They recommend 7 plates for 3 people, but we only ordered 4 since we had a heavy lunch. If we had a bigger appetite, adding an extra pasta or protein would round out the meal nicely. Smoked Gulf Oyster ($18): Four oysters served in a delicious pork and miso butter. I am not an oyster person, but this one completely won me over. The flavor is already perfect on its own, so the peach hot sauce on the side is entirely optional. Johnny Cakes ($16): Six small corn cakes with an egg foam sauce. The cakes were a touch salty, but the egg foam rounded things out nicely. Pappardelle ($24): Oh my goodness, the pappardelle was so bouncy and fresh that we were perfectly happy eating it on its own. That is not to say the smoked wagyu short rib was not equally enjoyable. The meat was tender and beautifully flavored. Texas Akaushi Wagyu ($65): The wagyu leaned on the saltier side, though it may be intentional. What really shined were the beef tallow sweet potatoes in black garlic sauce and chimichurri. They were delicious on their own and did a wonderful job of balancing out the richness of the meat.

We had the focaccia, cacio e pepe, pappardelle, and wagyu steak. Everything was delicious. I had the Love Story drink which was recommended by our waitress and it was really good. It was our anniversary and they even placed a Happy Anniversary postcard at our table signed by the staff. So cute! We also tried the PB&J ice cream which was also good. I think my favorites were the pappardelle and the wagyu steak.