AUSTIN, Texas – Just a month after Austin’s popular Mexican restaurant El Patio closed down, it is preparing to reopen with new some additions.
- Restaurant closed in July
- Family members stepped up to save it
- El Patio will reopen at the end of September
Owned and operated by David Joseph and family, El Patio has a rich history in Austin. Paul Joseph founded the eatery back in 1954. When the closure was announced in July, it came as a shock to many, but Joseph thought it was time to shut the doors.
RELATED | Austin's El Patio Restaurant to Close After 65 Years
This of course did not last long, and the reopening was decided by the entire Joseph family when someone in the family had an epiphany.
“When my mom told me it was time to close El Patio, I approached Charles and Jennifer [relatives of Paul Joseph],” Kristyn Ciani, granddaughter of proprietors Paul and MaryAnn Joseph, said. “Seeing the lines around the building every day made it clear how beloved the restaurant is. So I’m confident in our decision to continue my grandparents’ legacy.”
Family members, including founder Paul Joseph’s children, have stepped up and vowed to continue to serve the Austin community at whatever cost.
When El Patio reopens Sepetember 20 at 5 p.m., many of the smiling faces who greeted customers over the decades will be there too. The loyal staff of servers and cooks, some who have worked at the eatery more than 35 years, have agreed to return. The restaurant will also be overlooked by restauranteur Jesse Herman.
“I’ve been in the business for a long time and have never seen anything as special as what the Josephs have created. I look forward to honoring that history while helping the family with operations,” said Herman.