Poeta has never really stood still. From its early days to its Michelin Guide recognition and most recently its residency at Swoop House, the Austin restaurant has evolved alongside its chefs and its guests. Now, as Poeta opens inside the East Austin Hotel, chefs and co-owners Krystal Craig and Ian Thurwachter are entering what feels like a natural next phase - one that brings more space, along with the return of the à la carte menu many diners have missed.
“Our time at Swoop House was special, although space limitations required us to be very focused and very streamlined in our menu options and cooking methods,” Craig and Thurwachter recently shared with Appetito. “Working within those limitations demanded its own creativity, but the move into East Austin Hotel provides expanded space for our team to stretch our creative legs further by literally having room to hold more ingredients to craft with.”
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The larger kitchen allows Poeta to bring back dishes that had to be set aside, including weekend brunch, while also giving the team the freedom to work with a wider range of ingredients and techniques.
For Craig and Thurwachter, the return to the à la carte menu is in response to how diners want to experience Poeta today.
“Our guests and what they care about have always been incredibly important to us,” they said. “Offering the tasting menu was a rewarding chapter, but hearing how much guests missed weekend brunch and the option to select from a wider range of dishes sent us on a journey to find a way back to that format.”
À la carte service allows diners to create their own meals, whether that means sharing several plates, stopping in for brunch or settling in for dinner without committing to a full tasting menu.
A new kind of dining experience
Situated on East Sixth Street and surrounded by locally owned businesses, Poeta’s vibe matches the surrounding neighborhood. “This new home feels relaxed and accessible for different everyday dining experiences,” the chefs explained. “Being on East Sixth Street places us in a good area of the city for both locals and travelers who may be discovering Poeta for the first time.”
Later this month, an upstairs bar and lounge will open, offering guests even more ways to enjoy the space. Diners can eat downstairs, stop by for drinks and small bites upstairs, or spend an entire evening in the lounge. The goal is flexibility without losing the intimacy Poeta is known for.
As Poeta reintroduces its à la carte format, several familiar dishes are returning.
“Brunch and dinner entrees that include arancini and tomato butter, our gluten free wafflegato and vegan gluten free chocolate sorbet,” the chefs told Appetito. “Some dishes establish themselves as crowd pleasers when they hit the right chord with consistency in taste.”
With both à la carte dining and a chef’s tasting menu available, Poeta is able to offer two distinct ways to experience its cooking.
“We look forward to the opportunity of offering both menu experiences and think it naturally balances out,” they said. “On certain days, we’re ready to sit down and enjoy the taste of familiarity, yet other days it’s enjoyable to change things up with a flavor adventure of sorts.”
Cooking with Texas at the center
Texas grown produce continues to shape Poeta’s menus as seasons change. The approach highlights the way Craig and Thurwachter cook at their other Austin restaurant, Intero.
“Just like in Italy, where food is shaped by what’s grown close to home, we strive to build our menus with what’s locally available,” they said.
While the à la carte menu focuses on staple dishes, the sourcing is important to them. Ingredients determine what appears on the menu, not the other way around. The chef’s tasting menu allows the team to provide local produce and proteins, using classic Italian techniques to show off the ingredients.
Chef de cuisine Kevin Donovan plays a key role in shaping Poeta’s food as it continues to grow.
“Chef Kevin is incredibly talented, and someone who mutually soundboards well with us for menu development with productive, creative input,” Craig and Thurwachter shared. “His background helps us collectively round out approachable dishes that still offer a finessed touch.”
Opening the doors to a new era
The restaurant officially opened on January 8, 2026.
As Poeta settles into its new home, Craig and Thurwachter hope both longtime regulars and first time diners feel the same sense of welcome that has defined the restaurant from the beginning. The space is larger, the menu more flexible, but the heart of Poeta remains the same.
