Jan 28, 2026 | 10:00 am
Austin’s Domain Northside is getting a new restaurant from a familiar group. Ēma, a Mediterranean and California-inspired concept by the team behind the famous South Congress restaurant Aba, will open Saturday, January 31. This is the second Austin restaurant from Chicago-based Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants.
Ēma means “mother” in Hebrew, while Aba means “father,” reflecting the complementary but distinct approaches between the two restaurants. While Aba leans toward a lively, evening-driven experience, Ēma is designed to evoke a Mediterranean summer day, with a lighter style of California cooking focused on vegetables, seafood, and mezze-style small plates meant for sharing.
With Ēma’s opening, Austin becomes the second city after Chicago to host both Ēma and Aba. In Austin, both restaurants are led by Chef Partner CJ Jacobson. At Ēma, his approach will emphasize brighter flavors, lighter preparations, and seasonal produce…