With a handful of successful bars on Rainey Street, Bridget Dunlap has become a force to be reckoned with in the Austin nightlife scene. Recently, however, Dunlap announced that she is done with Rainey Street bars and is now ready to move forward with a few culinary projects. To commence her plans ”to take on Austin,” Dunlap and her team are opening Mettle, an upscale-urban bistro, with Andrew Francisco, former chef de cuisine of Olivia, as the head chef. Dunlap talked with TEXAS MONTHLY about Mettle, her future culinary projects, and when she plans to open the-much-anticipated Container Bar.

When did you start thinking about putting Mettle together?

We started thinking about it eight months ago when I was moving into the space. I just loved the space itself. It’s so pretty.

Tell me a bit about the location. Why did you choose that area for Mettle?

It’s 507 Calles Street where East Sixth Street dead ends. I think this area is ready to blow up. It’s got a need for good food.

What’s the dynamic of the restaurant?

The space is 4,000 square feet, which is quite large. We’re going to do a large bar area along with a large dining area. We’re going to utilize the aesthetic of being cozy and casual, but with superlative service. Our food will be a force to be reckoned with. We’ve got a great chef and general manager on the team, and we’re diligently working on the menu, which we’ve almost finished. We’re calling it an Austin bistro because we don’t want to box ourselves into any certain genre of cuisine because our offerings are going to vary from a vegan chicharon to charcuterie, pastas, local fish, and numerous other great things. What we want to say is that we’re a seasonal restaurant, so whatever is fresh, ripe, and good, we’ll probably be using.

How did you come across Andrew Francisco? I’m familiar with his work at Olivia. Did you track him down for this project?

I didn’t track him down. The general manager of Mettle is Daniel Brooks, and he is friends with Andrew. I think Daniel had some discussions with him about what we’re doing here and what we we’re looking to create. My background is in bars, but with Daniel and Andrew on my team, we’re looking to become a food group. Once we’ve got Mettle doing well, which we plan on doing from day one, we’re going to continue to open different restaurants. Basically, we’re going to take on Austin. That might sound cocky, but that’s our plan.

Tell me about the name Mettle. Why did you choose that one?

It’s about strength and fortitude. I feel like I relate to that word. I didn’t have it easy; nobody gave me anything. It was a lot of hard work to get to where I am, and I don’t think the hard work is over yet. It suits the restaurant and it suits my personality: basically crawling my way up to where I am and not letting anybody get in my way. There are so many people that would love me to fail, love me to quit, or love me to give up, but the mettle inside me doesn’t let me do that because I’m not done yet. My new food team is excited, involved, and ready to take this town.

How is Container Bar coming along?

Container Bar has been the bain of my existence for the past three years. It has been a hard project for several reasons. At one point I said, “I’m not going to do this one. I’m tired.” Yet the minute I said that I was like, ‘Bridget, come on!’ I’m not giving up on this one. Container Bar should be opening soon.

When would you like both projects to be open?

I’d like them to be open a month ago. They’re both slated for November, realistically. There are some things you don’t have control of, and I have learned through these projects not to lose my cool because there are some things you just have to sit and wait on, and it is very painful and it does make you lose that fight you have at times. You just have to get back up, fight, and know that it will get done.

Tagged: Andrew Francisco, austin, Bridget Dunlap, Container Bar, Layne Lynch, Mettle, Olivia

I first met Andrew Zimmern last fall at Whip In in Austin where the spirited television chef was filming his hit Travel Channel series, “Bizarre Foods.” Though Zimmern has traveled all over the world, he made it clear to me during his stop in Texas that Austin’s culinary scene evoked a certain quality he rarely ever saw in American cuisine. “The people of Austin really enjoy being experimented at,” Zimmern explained to me. “They redefine the meaning of bizarre food.”

Tonight, the Austin episode of Bizarre Foods premieres at 8 p.m. CT and features some Austin favorites, including Foreign & Domestic, Contigo, Lamberts, Barley Swine, Gourdoughs, Dai Due, and a number of other Austin spots. It seems like Rene Ortiz of La Condesa will also be featured on the episode as well, according to a post on Sway’s Facebook page which warns, “Spoiler alert: Rene might kill something [tonight].”

Bridget Dunlap with Andrew Zimmern

The host for Zimmern’s Austin visit is Rainey Street Queen Bridget Dunlap, owner of Lustre Pearl, Clive Bar, Bar 96, and the yet-to-be-opened Container Bar. ”Andrew and the crew are super badass! He was so fun, sweet, and down-to-earth,” Dunlap said of her experience with Zimmern. ”We all stayed out together until 12:30 a.m. and had a blast. He loves his job and the crew loves him…the whole experience was really amazing.”

Catch all the Austin bizarreness tonight on the Travel Channel!

Tagged: Andrew Zimmern, austin, Barley Swine, Bridget Dunlap, Contigo, Dai Due, Foreign and Domestic, la condesa, Lambert's, Layne Lynch, Rene Ortiz, Sway, Travel Channel, Whip In

Photo taken by Bill Baker.

Rainey Street wouldn’t be the same without Bridget Dunlap. The savvy businesswoman transformed the Austin bar scene by envisioning and delivering Lustre Pearl, Clive Bar, and Bar 96. Each of these three projects defied all norms and expectations of typical Austin bars. For those who hated Sixth Street, drunken pedestrians, and dubstep, Rainey Street became the perfect safe haven.

Dunlap’s bars have their own personalities, their own styles, their own narratives. Lustre Pearl embodied that beautifully carefree hippie you always admired. Bar 96 was the know-it-all jock you loved to hate. And Clive Bar? It’s like that loyal friend you knew you could always count on when the occasion called for it.

In just a few months, Dunlap is closing a chapter with her newest and final Rainey Street project – Container Bar. Here, Dunlap talks with TEXAS MONTHLY about Container Bar, her three “children,” and what’s next on the list for her.

What made you decide to use containers as the materials for your new bar?

I have an obsession for containers, and I thought they would be easier and cheaper to utilize than they actually turned out to be [laughs], but I still think the aesthetic of them is really profound, simple, and absolutely beautiful.

Bridget Dunlap. Photo taken by Bill Baker.

How did you visualize putting it all together?

I knew I wanted to create space, and we knew we couldn’t do a bar with just one trailer, so that’s where the idea of stacking them and surrounding it with a patio came from. We wanted a good outdoor space with the pretty aesthetics of containers.

Is this your last bar in Austin?

No, it’s just my last one on Rainey Street.

Why did you decide to make this one your last?

Well, this will be my forth one, and I started it all on Rainey Street. I’m just kind of done with it.

What’s next for you?

I’m moving in a different direction, and once you’ve done four projects on one street, you kind of just want to move forward. I want to do other fantastic projects, but just not on Rainey Street.

Which one of your bars has the most connection with you?

Lustre Pearl is my alter ego. Clive is her boyfriend, and 96 is their lovechild. I love them all differently, but I think of them as children. It would be weird to say which one mattered most to me. They all represent something different, and they all bring a different characteristic to Rainey Street.

What is going to be the alter ego or personality of Container Bar?

Sleek and foxy. A little more sophisticated. Still a comfortable atmosphere, but just a little more sophisticated.

How many industrial shipping containers did it take to put it all together?

Eight in total.

What comes next for you?

I have a restaurant I’m working on, and a few exciting things that I can’t quite reveal yet. Stay tuned.

When will Container Bar open?

I have been planning on the exact date, and I think October 3 is going to be the day. That’s the opening day, and I’m sticking to it!

Tagged: austin, Bar 96, Bridget Dunlap, Clive Bar, Layne Lynch, Lustre Pearl, Rainey Street