Austin's beloved street eats are leveling up with a new joint venture bound to tantalize taste buds and soothe souls in a lush, leafy locale. Leona Botanical Café and Bar, a unique coalescence of Mexican cuisine purveyor Veracruz All Natural and Thai food mavericks Dee Dee, broke ground at 6405 Brodie Ln., Sunset Valley, and is pegged for an early 2025 grand opening, as reported by Eater Austin.
The ambitious project is the brainchild of food truck connoisseurs Reyna and Maritza Vazquez of Veracruz All Natural and chef Lakana Sopajan-Trubiana and her husband Justin Trubiana of Dee Dee, who conceived the idea as neighbors over on East Cesar Chavez, with a friendship blossoming into a business partnership, their synergy sprouted plans for Leona Botanical Café and Bar, a spacious garden-park hybrid which will not only feature their renowned food in a static location but also a third yet-to-be-revealed dining concept; a café and bar will proudly serve a fusion of Mexican and Thai influences, as detailed in a CultureMap Austin release.
Leona's layout is designed to delight with multiple eateries, a shared outdoor pavilion, and extensive seating options, all set against an impressive backdrop of native greenery that includes a maintained treescape and added flora for culinary use. "Over the years, we've formed a friendship with Lakana, and our shared vision for this project is nearly here," Reyna Vazquez told CultureMap Austin, expressing the camaraderie and collective ambition fueling this gastronomic garden's growth. Reflecting a drive to honor local history, the visionary team has also made commitments to host fundraising events supporting UT Austin’s women’s sports courtesy of a namesake scholarship program established by the property's previous owner, Betty Grubbs.
The passion project promises to preserve and enhance the existing natural habitat, the property is slated to showcase over 7,000 individual plants of more than 80 species upon completion; moreover, 90 trees currently occupying the land will remain untouched while an additional 70 will be planted to augment the canopy, ensuring a serene vegetative vault over the happy hustle of culinary exploration; "Our goal with this project is to create a beautiful space that stays true to our cultures and highlights our upbringing by sharing the traditions we learned from our mothers and grandmothers," Lakana Trubiana shared with CultureMap Austin. With sights set on early next year, Austinites are already salivating at the thought of relishing the flavors of Mexico and Thailand in what promises to be a verdant culinary Eden.
