The Grove Wine Bar & Kitchen

Such a great spot for a casual dining experience without having to compromise on atmosphere. The patio at night is lit up beautifully via the oak trees that run through it and the food has been tasty each visit. Ranging from the Pizza, Pasta, Bruschetta, and desserts, you can’t really go wrong. This is of course a wine bar so they have an extensive menus of wines to choose from and for anyone looking to have a cheap bottle of wine and just hangout, this is definitely accomplishable here. Would highly recommend giving this spot a try!

I had never been to the Westlake location before, but I was excited to try it out when my friend invited me to lunch with a group of friends. She had made a reservation in advance knowing we would be there during peak lunch hour (around 12:30) and when we arrived there was a table ready and we got seated immediately. I will say, it was very busy and parking was a little difficult, but I did find a spot around the back. There is additional parking in a small garage-like area to the back right near the Snap Kitchen. Another friend mentioned that the valet service was free (although I’m not entirely sure). Our server was undoubtedly busy, but he was still attentive. He made sure to greet us and take our drink orders quickly. Despite the restaurant being busy, the service was pretty good. I had to leave early, so I placed my order before everyone else. Being low carb, the menu wasn't the most accommodating, but there were a couple of good options. I ordered the Grove Chopped Salad which was made with fresh romaine, tomato, cucumber, egg, red onion, avocado, hardwood bacon, chicken breast, parmesan, and tossed in a caesar dressing. I believe it was priced at $19. I ordered it as is and it came out rather quickly. It was flavorful and delicious, but I will admit I would have liked more salad dressing. While I was eating my lunch, the table ordered 3 different bruschetta plates: the fig, brie, and julienned apples, the whipped herb feta, local honey, crushed pistachio, and the house smoked salmon and herb cream cheese. Though I didn't get to try them, they looked delicious and everyone commented on them being really tasty. The consensus seemed to be that the feta, honey, and pistachio bruschetta was the favorite. I would highly recommend trying this place out! While they didn’t necessarily have an extensive selection of low-carb or keto as-is menu choices, they did have an abundance of healthy options and you could substitute sandwich breads for lettuce wraps which opens up additional possibilities. I am not sure how flexible they are on the substitutions, but they do have options you could combine to make a great low carb meal that is not a salad! They also have a variety of proteins (steak, chicken, fish, etc.) and have a cauliflower pizza crust alternative (though it’s likely still not keto but is probably gluten free). All in all, they have a diverse range of choices to cater to different dietary needs.

My boyfriend and I had such a wonderful experience at The Grove! We chose this restaurant on a spur of the moment search for a place to eat late at night on our road trip in Austin and couldn’t have had a more pleasant time. Delicious food, wonderful service, and a cool atmosphere with lots of greenery and patio lights. Definitely recommend!