You don’t have to fight through the mobs of tourists and townies in downtown Austin to get all that 6th Street and the like have to offer. Uptown Austin is staking its claim on the cutting edge of arts and entertainment with Rock Rose, a district on the rise that offers everything from yoga studios to coffee shops. Perhaps the crown jewel of Rock Rose’s fine dining scene is St. Genevieve, an eatery that promises “divine dishes for the devout drinker.” Armed with premium cocktails, a sophisticated lounge atmosphere, and a brunch menu that’ll bring a tear to your eye, St. Genevieve brings a fine dining experience you can afford, but can’t afford to pass up.
Since opening in March of this year, general manager Jerritt Ray has assumed the role of a master tactician in debuting St. Genevieve to the North Austin community. When asked what sets St. Genevieve apart from the bevy of dining options in Austin, Ray’s response was a bracing shot of swagger with an honesty chaser: “ St. Genevieve is the place to see and be seen.” What makes St. Genevieve rise above the rest is an effortless sense of elitism and exclusivity with none of the pretention. And it’s easy to see why. Walk into St. Genevieve on any given night and you may get the sense that you’ve accidentally stumbled into the penthouse fortress of the beautiful elite. But it’s no accident—you’re on the list and there’s a chilled cocktail with your name on it.
While many bars are content to offer up your typical “pub grub”—pretzel nuggets, gravy fries, or cheeseburger sliders that look like frightened baby turtles somebody scraped off the pavement of I-35— St. Genevieve has pulled out all the stops in presenting culinary fare that’ll curl your toes. Just listen to some of the mouth-watering selections:
Looking to share a plate with a co-worker or two? Two words: “Dirty. Chips.” This epic epicurean event features homemade hand cut potato chips loaded with seasoned ground turkey, bleu cheese, hot sauce, scallions, and smothered in the mother of all flavor enhancers, bacon. Have I got your stomach growling yet? Why not indulge in one of St. Genevieve’s sumptuous flatbreads, like the pear & prosciutto pie topped with crumbled bleu cheese, red onions, and sinfully scrumptious truffle.
But perhaps to focus too heavily on the exquisite menu is to ignore St. Genevieve’s real bread and butter: their signature cocktail list. The Audrey, so named for the late actress Audrey Hepburn, is a sophisticated sweet treat that combines Grey Goose, lavender, and lemon to create a heavenly helping of liquid bliss. And don’t sleep on the whiskey drinks; The Distinguished Gentleman is the perfect storm of Dewar’s White Label Scotch, amaretto, and apricot preserves. Settle into one of those and tell me you don’t feel like you could take on the world. And while craft beer bars are a dime a dozen, St. Genevieve shakes up the game by offering a haven for craft wine enthusiasts looking to treat their palates to a night out.
Delicious delicacies. Classy cocktails. An upscale lounge atmosphere that’s second to none. Stop by St. Genevieve, 11500 Rock Rose in Uptown Austin; it’s the home away from home you’ve been pining for all along (you just didn’t know it).
