Birdie's
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox restaurant
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| established = 2021
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| current-owner = Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel, Arjaz Ezekiel
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| street-address = 2944 East 12th Street
| city = Austin
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| state = Texas
| postcode = 78702
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| coordinates = {{Coord|30.2764|-97.7046|format=dms|type:landmark_region:US-TX|display=inline,title}}
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| website = {{URL|www.birdiesaustin.com}}
}}Birdie's is a restaurant in Austin, Texas. In 2023 it was named Food & Wine
History
The restaurant was opened in 2021 by chef Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel and sommelier Arjav Ezekiel, who are husband and wife.{{Cite web |last=Hughes |first=Chris |date=2021-10-22 |title=The Powerhouse Duo Behind Birdie's Brings a Refreshing New Take on the Wine Bar |url=https://www.austinmonthly.com/the-powerhouse-duo-behind-birdies-brings-a-refreshing-new-take-on-the-wine-bar/ |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=Austin Monthly |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Shah |first=Kshushbu |date=15 September 2023 |title=Birdie’s in Austin Marries Destination-Worthy Dining With a Sustainable, Supportive Workplace |url=https://www.foodandwine.com/2023-restaurant-of-the-year-birdies-7963193 |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=Food & Wine |language=en}}
Business and service models
Birdie's is a counter-service restaurant and wine bar.
The restaurant's business and service models, which Austin Monthly calls a "new take", maintain a minimal front-of-house staff; it takes no reservations, all diners stand in line to place their initial orders and seat themselves, and further service is not assigned to a single server.{{Cite web |title=The Dish:Birdies |url=https://www.cbs.com/shows/video/7_iA8lZxFNoMeDy38WWvIN1EjHFyaTd9/ |website=CBS}}{{Cite web |last=Sharpe |first=Patricia |date=2022-01-18 |title=Are You Ready for Fine-Casual Dining? |url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/food/fine-casual-dining-birdies-austin/ |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=Texas Monthly |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Jennings |first=Lisa |last2= |date=30 June 2023 |title=This restaurant closes for 4 weeks every year to give its workers a vacation |url=https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/operations/restaurant-closes-4-weeks-every-year-give-its-workers-vacation |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=Restaurant Business |language=en}}
All workers are paid an hourly rate that does not assume tips; tips are pooled among all staff proportionately to the hours worked that week. The restaurant closes for two weeks in August and two weeks in late December/early January to provide staff paid time off. It offers paid family leave and health insurance.
The restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday. It sometimes closes to become a pop-up Italian restaurant called Aiello's, named after Malechek-Ezekiel's grandfather, who immigrated from Calabria.
Reception
The restaurant was named to the New York Times 2021 Restaurant List.{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2021-10-11 |title=The 2021 Restaurant List |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/dining/favorite-restaurant-list-america.html |access-date=2024-09-28 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} The Austin American-Statesman named it Austin's best new restaurant of 2021.{{Cite web |last=Odam |first=Matthew |date=2021-11-11 |title=This is the best new restaurant in Austin in 2021 (so far) |url=https://www.statesman.com/story/entertainment/dining/restaurant-reviews/2021/11/11/birdies-best-new-restaurant-austin-texas/6384405001/ |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=Austin American-Statesman |language=en-US}}
In 2023 Food & Wine