Juliet Italian Kitchen is dialing things down a notch across its Austin locations, shifting to a more casual neighborhood vibe while freshening up menus and interiors and leaning hard on daily happy hour and weekend brunch. The family-run spot even shut one location for two weeks so it could redo the menu and decor, then reopen with a simpler, more laid-back format. Management says the goal is to make house-made pastas, hand-tossed pizzas, and comfort dishes easier to find across the city.
As reported by Community Impact, co-owner Donna Wilkins said, "there's a number of things operationally and internally that we're working on" while the team tightens up service and offerings. The outlet notes the couple first opened Juliet in July 2015, then added a second location at The Arboretum in 2020, and it also reported the recent temporary closure that set up the relaunch. Wilkins told the outlet she does not expect additional expansions over the next year as the owners zero in on hospitality and consistency.
Where To Find Juliet Now
The restaurant's website lists two Austin locations and promotes a daily happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. and a weekend bottomless brunch at the Arboretum, per the Juliet Italian Kitchen site. That page shows the northside address at 10000 Research Blvd, while the Barton Springs restaurant is listed at 1500 Barton Springs Road, and both locations have menus, hours and contact information available online.
Menu Highlights And Crowd Pleasers
Community Impact points to antipasti like meatballs, caprese bruschetta, and black truffle arancini, backed up by hand-tossed pizzas, house-made pastas, and hearty entrees. The outlet names chicken parmigiana, lasagna and chicken piccata as fan favorites and notes that the menu is built to offer a range of price points and options for families and diners with dietary restrictions. The restaurant also runs a daily happy hour and a weekend brunch service that regulars now treat as part of the neighborhood routine.
Georgetown Pivot And What Comes Next
Last fall, the brand turned its Georgetown restaurant into Juliet Social, a daytime cafe and private event space available for bookings, according to the Austin Business Journal. The shift gave the company room to focus on neighborhood dining and private events while the owners sharpened operations. For the near term, management says the priority is consistency and hospitality rather than a fast-paced expansion push.
What Diners Can Expect
For Austin diners, that all translates to a more relaxed Juliet experience with streamlined menus, approachable prices, cocktails and small plates during happy hour, and familiar entrees that work for family dinners. Whether the plan is pizza and wine on a weeknight or a bottomless brunch over the weekend, the owners say the reset is meant to keep Juliet closely tuned to what its surrounding neighborhoods want.
