The Comfort Issue

With the whirlwind of craziness this year, it seems that comforting moments, childhood favorites, classic dishes, and home-made memories have become a necessity these days. It can be healthy to reflect on a time when life was simpler and use those moments to remind us of our strength and propel us further. In fact, I’ll go as far to say, we need that simplicity right now.

Fewer things bring me more comfort than eating delicious food that reminds me of a simpler time and place, where good friends and family unite around something as simple as a meal. And East Austin has no shortage of comforting classic cuisine. The local fare that has been cooked up in kitchens here for centuries needs no introduction. I believe our readers already have their favorite diners or dishes and can tout about how good they are all day long. But let’s not forget that behind these amazing dishes are some wonderful people:  people who make up these businesses, people who are struggling to survive this downturn. More important than the dishes they serve or the products they offer, these people deserve to be recognized.

Finally, our intention is for everyone to find a little comfort in this issue and a little joy in supporting every local business on the following pages. Again, please shop local and patronize the businesses that we have taken great care to highlight in this issue. Our hyper-local community needs your support, now more than ever, in order to continue on for decades to come!