Chow Chow to Open in East Austin This Fall

Chefs Amanda Turner and Jonathan Sánchez are launching a new restaurant in the historic former home of Hoover's.

Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Dining Out

Chow Chow to Open in East Austin This Fall

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Chef Amanda Turner and chef Jonathan Sánchez will open Chow Chow, a new meat-and-three concept, in East Austin this fall. The restaurant will occupy the space previously held by Hoover Alexander for nearly 30 years.

Why it matters

The owners intend to provide accessible and affordable food options to the East Austin community. By utilizing the historic site, the team aims to preserve local culinary history while introducing a new dining format.

The restaurant offers a meat-and-three format for $18 and a daily plated special for $10. The property, which previously housed Hoover Alexander for nearly 30 years, was purchased by Sam Hellman-Mass earlier this year.

The players

Amanda Turner

She is a chef with an 18-year career who will co-own and operate the new East Austin restaurant.

Jonathan Sánchez

He is a chef who will co-own and operate Chow Chow alongside Amanda Turner.

Hoover Alexander

He is a local restaurateur whose eponymous business occupied the building for nearly 30 years.

Sam Hellman-Mass

He is the property owner who purchased the building and plans to develop a taqueria on the eastern end of the lot.

The details

Chefs Amanda Turner and Jonathan Sánchez will run the restaurant as a long-term residency, serving proteins like fried chicken, catfish, and hambāgu paired with three side dishes. While the interior undergoes renovations, Hoover Alexander's merchandise will remain available at the entrance.

Sam Hellman-Mass purchased the East Austin property earlier this year.
Chow Chow is scheduled to open in late fall 2026.

Culture Shift

The restaurant's residency follows the historical preservation of Austin's legacy restaurant spaces by repurposing an iconic site. This move highlights a growing local trend of maintaining neighborhood culinary history through adaptive reuse projects.

Residents can expect affordable meal options with $18 meat-and-three dishes and $10 specials. The continued availability of Hoover Alexander's merchandise at the front entrance provides a consistent connection for loyal patrons of the previous establishment.

The takeaway

The transformation of this longtime Austin location marks a new chapter for the East Austin food scene. Patrons looking for consistent, value-driven dining can anticipate a transition that honors the building's 30-year history.