This “new mom and pop” combines tradition and elevated comfort with a holistic approach.

Words by Hannah J. Phillips  Photos by Ashley Haguewood

Anyone who has ever wandered down cobblestone Italian streets following the warm glow of café lights into one of those family-run, not-in-the-guidebooks local gems, may feel a kind of déjà vu on their first visit to Intero Restaurant.

Chocolatier Krystal Craig and her husband, Chef Ian Thurwachter, opened Intero with their “professional third wheel,” McVay Bennett, in early 2018. The team not only chose East Austin for nostalgic reasons (Krystal grew up with the Meza family of nearby Juan in a Million), but also for the area’s focus on art and community. 

The vision is to become “a new mom and pop” in the neighborhood, says Ian. “We want you [guests] to be able to come in and see the owners, see familiar faces behind the bar and feel really ingratiated by the whole experience.”

Of course, the first friendly face patrons will revisit regularly may be the Crave Artisan Chocolates counter, which displays Krystal’s delectable concoctions. Inspired by visits to Italy, Krystal Craig noticed how locals congregate around the chocolate or gelato counters of their nearest café. Friendly and inviting, her chocolates are the first nod to that comfortable Italian café feeling Intero seeks to replicate. 

Small, interior details add to that ambiance. Dried fish and fresh herbs hang from the kitchen’s pass-through window, where one might spy Chef Ian busily at work. Per the restaurant’s Italian name (“intero” means “entire” or “complete”), Ian sources whole animals and produce from local farms for his hyper-seasonal menu. As an added incentive to share plates, the offerings rotate weekly, even daily—not just to imitate authentic Italian family-style dining but to maximize sampling of elevated twists on classic Italian comfort food. Try, for example, the spaghettini: a regular staple with surprising seasonal variations. 

So Sweet: The Intero chocolate counter is Krystal Craig’s first retail venue, but she has crafted chocolates in Austin since 2005. Her truffles are an annual favorite at the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar, and her flavor combinations are equal parts innovation and nostalgia. The staple, PB & Honey, is handcrafted with the highest quality organic ingredients. “I have a more rustic approach in my style and flavors,” says Krystal. “I like to stay natural and familiar but combine things that are a little more elevated or interesting.”

“It’s always the same formula: very simple in presentation,” Ian adds. “That’s where we can really incorporate our food waste.” For a mushroom and Taleggio cheese version, he ferments mushroom scraps and combines the fermented liquid with Taleggio for added depth and tartness. Leftover solids are then dehydrated into a powder and dusted on top of the dish for an intense, almost chocolaty flavor. Much like Krystal’s delicate creations behind the chocolate counter, it’s all in the details. 

Distracted by loved ones passing around appetizers and sampling wine or Amaro from McVay’s carefully curated list, diners may miss some painstaking details designed to elevate the overall experience. “And that’s the goal,” says McVay, who in 2011 helped the McGuire Moorman team relaunch Jeffrey’s as captain and sommelier. 

“Above all, we want guests to leave with a memory,” he explains. “We want you to remember a meal at Intero in a broad sense – not just ‘wow, that food was great’, but ‘our anniversary was fantastic.’”

Whether sharing cocktails with friends during the daily happy hour (or making new ones at the bar), whether gathering with family or pairing an Amaro flight with Krystal’s truffles to round out date night, memories are made to last at Intero—memories that will keep guests coming back. 

Contact:
(512) 599-4052
2612 E Cesar Chavez St.
interorestaurant.com