OCTOBER 2019 77
PLATES
SCHOLZ GARTEN
1607 San Jacinto
Blvd., Austin.
512-474-1958;
scholzgarten.comT
he state Capitol and the
University of Texas used to be
what Austin was most known
for—before the city became
a hotbed of live music and tech. Both
institutions still anchor the city and
cast iconic shapes in the skyline. And
directly between them, there’s an even
older, longer-surviving establishment:
Scholz Garten.
The beer garden and restaurant,
erected in 1866 by German immigrant
and bookbinder August Scholz, is the
place where college professors and
state legislators often meet over pints.
Nearly every Texas governor has pa-
tronized the bar, and it’s famous for
game-day crowds during Longhorn
football season.
But you don’t stake your claim to
being Texas’ oldest live music venue
and continuously operating tavern
without a few bumps along the way.
There have been fires, overhauls, and
upgrades—not to mention Prohibition.
After Scholz’s death in 1891, a litany
of different owners and operators ran
the business. In 2017, Daniel Northcutt
became the latest operator to take up
the mantle.
A veteran of the hospitality industry,
the 43-year-old San Angelo native
started out washing dishes at his
brother-in-law’s restaurant at age 13.
When he found out the management
contract for Scholz’s was up for grabs,
he submitted one of the 30 proposals
to Austin Saengerrunde, the German
cultural organization that has owned
the property since 1908. He won
the 20-year contract and, over the
past two years, has slowly but surely
implemented subtle changes.Garten of Eden
A 153-year-old Texas institution endures despite continuous change
By Kimya KavehkarPhoto: Eric W. Pohl