Austin Commercial Sites helps restaurants, cafes, bars, and food concepts find and lease restaurant space in Austin. We screen spaces for the kitchen infrastructure your concept needs, compare total occupancy cost, and negotiate the lease, and in most deals the landlord pays our fee.
Why restaurant space is different
Restaurants have the most expensive and least forgiving buildouts in retail. A space that looks perfect can fail on venting, grease, or power after you sign. We check these before you tour:
- Kitchen hood and venting. Is there an existing hood, and can exhaust be routed to the roof?
- Grease interceptor. Whether one exists and whether it is sized for your volume.
- Gas and electrical. Gas service for cooking lines and enough electrical capacity for your equipment.
- Plumbing. Floor drains, sinks, and restroom counts for your seating.
- Parking and patio. Enough parking at your peak hours, and whether a patio is allowed.
- Use restrictions. Exclusives held by other tenants and any limits on cuisine, hours, or alcohol in the center.
Second-generation vs. new restaurant space
Second-generation space, where a previous restaurant already built the kitchen, is often the fastest and most affordable way to open in Austin. The tradeoff is fit: the old layout, equipment, and condition need to work for your menu. Sometimes the outgoing tenant asks for key money for what they leave behind. We help you weigh that against the cost and timeline of building new.
What we negotiate for restaurant tenants
- Tenant improvement allowance toward your kitchen and dining buildout.
- Free rent during construction, and rent that starts when you open, not when you get keys.
- Exclusive use so the center cannot lease to a direct competitor.
- Patio, signage, and hours written into the lease.
- Assignment rights in case you sell the business, and limits on any personal guarantee.
Where restaurants do well in Austin
It depends on your concept. Busy central corridors bring foot traffic and nightlife at higher rents, while fast-growing suburbs like Round Rock, Pflugerville, Kyle and Buda, and Cedar Park bring families and lunch crowds in newer centers. We map population, daytime workers, traffic, and competitors around every site so you see the trade area before you commit.
Looking for other storefront space? See retail. Ready to start? Contact Tristen or read how to lease retail space in Austin.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is second-generation restaurant space?
It is space a previous restaurant already built out, usually with a kitchen hood, grease trap, walk-in cooler, and restaurant-grade plumbing and electrical. Reusing it can cut buildout cost and time substantially if it fits your concept.
How long does it take to open a restaurant in Austin?
Plan on 6 to 12 months or more from starting your search to opening. Restaurant permits, health inspections, and kitchen buildouts take longer than most retail uses, especially in new construction.
What permits does a restaurant need in Austin?
Typically a building permit for the buildout, a certificate of occupancy, a food establishment permit from Austin Public Health, sign permits, and a TABC permit if you will serve alcohol. Suburban cities run their own permitting. Confirm specifics with the city and a qualified expediter.
Who pays the broker when I lease restaurant space?
In most Austin restaurant leases the landlord pays the tenant's broker, so representation usually costs you nothing.
Should I pay key money for a second-generation restaurant?
Sometimes an outgoing tenant asks for payment for their equipment and improvements. Whether it is worth it depends on the condition and value of what stays, the remaining lease term, and what a fresh buildout would cost. We help you evaluate it before you agree.
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