After having to delay its launch thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lutie’s Garden Restaurant at Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Resorts Collection, has at last flung open its doors, offering diners ingredient-driven Texas heritage fare by culinary power couple Bradley Nicholson and Susana Querejazu; all set in stunning surrounds reimagined by iconic stylemaker, Ken Fulk.
Located within the architectural landmark and destination hotspot, Austin‘s Commodore Perry Estate, Lutie’s is named after the estate matriarch who, along with her Texan businessman-husband Edgar ‘Commodore’ Perry, presided over lavish Jazz Age soirées. Now open to the public (although access to the estate grounds and amenities reserved only to hotel guests and club members), the decadence of the Roaring ’20s returns just in time for what many tout as its post-pandemic renaissance.
Returning to Austin after time spent at establishments such as San Francisco’s Michelin-starred restaurants Birdsong and Benu, along with Copenhagen’s Amass with former Noma chef Matt Orlando, executive chef Bradley Nicholson and executive pastry chef Susana Querejazu combine their extensive experiences to create a menu that honours familiar regional flavours and a sense of place with modern, world-class techniques and preparation; Nicholson explaining, “deceptive simplicity in cuisine has become my foundation for creativity. Lutie’s is the culmination of a personalised, handcrafted approach and allowing ingredients, sourced from local farms and purveyors, to be the guide.”
Serving as both designer and creative director of Commodore Perry Estate, Ken Fulk has delivered a modern interpretation of an old-school country club. A whimsical space brimming with natural light, vibrant shades of green, gilded details, and delicate greenery hung from a latticework ceiling. Bespoke upholstered furnishings—freestanding banquettes in a custom floral fabric and scalloped bar stools—impart a decidedly refined and residential feel. A covered terrace overlooks the property’s immaculate Italian gardens and fountains, blending an elegant air of glamour with good old Texan hospitality and relaxed European charm.
Whether you’re sipping on craft cocktails or dining on a modern interpretation of Old-World classics, there is a dramatic elegance and unmistakable sense of time here at Lutie’s Garden Restaurant; a truly cinematic experience that transports one to another place and time.
Lutie’s Garden Restaurant Photography, courtesy Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Resorts Collection.
