Lovely to Make Your Acquaintance.

Welcome in, take a seat and enjoy a moment without haste to appreciate the little things…

Outline of a flower with five petals and stamen.

As a neighborhood restaurant in Central-East Austin, Poeta looks forward to your visit with us. For the same reasons behind revisiting the works of your favorite poet, when novelty wears away, we aim to offer an experience that brings you back for memorable food and atmosphere. Find familiar comfort, or inspire new moments, with friends, family, and self at Poeta.

Poeta is a Michelin Guide-recognized concept from local Austin chefs Ian Thurwachter and Krystal Craig. Poeta offers approachable Italian cooking with ingredient-driven menus using Texas-grown produce and careful craftsmanship to create our dishes. An inviting sense of warmth can be felt throughout our spaces as you enjoy our à la carte format menu for brunch and dinner, or a chef’s tasting experience with hand-rolled pastas and slow-simmered sauces for thoughtful preparations in addition to classically inspired Italian desserts.

Meet the Team…

A woman with blonde hair, blue eyes, red lipstick, wearing a mustard yellow top, standing indoors near a window with vertical blinds.

Exec. Pastry Chef

  • A native Austinite, and self-taught Chocolatier, Pastry Chef Krystal Craig was inspired in a culinary career from growing up in and around the local food scene. After years of creating chocolates for multiple top-Austin establishments, Krystal now co-owns Intero Restaurant and looks forward to continuing her passion for chocolate, pastry and providing a great customer experience with Poeta.

A man with short, dark hair and a light beard wearing a gray shirt, looking to his left with a slight smile, standing in front of a wall with vertical green and black stripes.

Executive Chef

  • Born & raised in Austin, Chef Ian Thurwachter is self-taught in his profession, specializing in whole animal butchery and sustainable cooking practices. In addition to co-owning Intero Restaurant, his career includes cooking with some of the city’s most well-known institutions.

A smiling man with a dark mustache wearing a white shirt and an apron, standing indoors near a green wall and a wooden shelf with hanging copper pipes.

Chef de Cuisine

  • Hailing from Massachusetts, Chef Kevin Donovan began his career early on through culinary training in a vocational highschool program and working as a short-order cook. After attending the CIA in New York, he made his way to Austin working for several well-known restaurants. He is a fan of history, all things Italian, honoring regional traditions of cuisine with a Texas flair.

Assistant Gen. Manager : Molly

Front of House Faces : Chelsea, Darian, Shawna, Steph, Ryan & Will

Sous Chef : Nick

Poeta Kitchen Crew : Billy & Kyle

A dessert with a white rectangular base topped with red fruit preserves and crushed nuts, served on a dark oval plate. In the background, there is a cup of coffee on a tray, a glass of water, and a lit candle.
A clear glass plate containing fresh cherry tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, black sesame seeds, and green onion sprigs, with a toasted breadstick on the side, on a dark wooden table next to a white napkin and a glass of red wine.
Painted image of a two-story building with a sign that says 'Poeta', surrounded by greenery and flowers.
A plate of thinly sliced cured meats garnished with fresh green leaves and sliced onions
Close-up of a bowl of pasta garnished with fresh herbs on a dark green textured surface.