Mediterranean restaurant Ēma opens January 31 at Domain NORTHSIDE, expanding Lettuce Entertain You’s Austin footprint

A new Mediterranean concept arrives in North Austin

Ēma, a Chicago-born Mediterranean restaurant concept, is scheduled to open Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, at Domain NORTHSIDE in North Austin. The debut marks the brand’s first Texas location and expands the local presence of Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants, the Chicago-based group that also operates Aba on South Congress Avenue.

The Austin opening is positioned as Ēma’s third location overall, following its original opening in Chicago’s River North neighborhood in 2016 and a second location in Glenview, Illinois, in 2024. The company has previously described the concept as Mediterranean in inspiration with a California-leaning, seasonal approach.

Where it is and what to expect from the space

The restaurant is located at 3120 Palm Way, Suite 170, within Domain NORTHSIDE. Plans for the Austin outpost include a roughly 5,000-square-foot footprint, indoor seating and an outdoor patio. Published seating capacity for the space is 314 guests.

Operating hours posted for the opening week list seven-day service, with lunch and dinner daily:

• Monday–Thursday: 11 a.m.–10 p.m.
• Friday–Saturday: 11 a.m.–11 p.m.
• Sunday: 11 a.m.–9 p.m.

Menu focus: mezze-style, vegetable-forward small plates

Ēma’s Austin menus are organized around shareable Mediterranean small plates, including hummus and spreads, raw preparations, vegetables and kebabs. The concept has been described as lighter-leaning than its sister restaurant Aba, with an emphasis on produce alongside seafood and grilled items.

Items referenced for the Austin opening include spreads and hummus variations such as sweet corn hummus and broccoli & kale hummus, as well as dishes including octopus carpaccio, crispy wild mushrooms and grilled shrimp kebabs.

Ēma has described its goal as evoking a “sun-drenched summer day in the Mediterranean” through shareable plates and year-round indoor and outdoor dining.

Who is behind the concept and what comes next

The restaurant’s culinary direction is tied to chef-partner CJ Jacobson, who has been publicly associated with both Ēma and Aba. The Austin project also reflects a broader expansion strategy for national hospitality groups into mixed-use destinations such as the Domain.

Additional service formats beyond opening-day lunch and dinner—such as weekend brunch, delivery and carryout—have been outlined as future additions rather than immediate launch offerings.