The neon Whip In sign is as much a part of Austin life as the molasses-slow traffic on the I-35 highway along which it sits. One of the ever-dwindling signifiers of the “old Austin,” the Whip In dates back to 1986, when the Indian-immigrant Topiwala family purchased the convenience store and former gas station and transformed it into a unique combination of craft beer mecca, Tex-Mex-Indian fusion restaurant, South Asian supermarket, and live music venue.
Today, the city is positively overflowing with craft beer, but long before you could fill up your growler at Whole Foods, the Whip In offered more than 70 local and regional beers on tap for drink-in and takeout, its ever-changing chalkboard menu attracting beer lovers from around the city and beyond. The lively juxtaposition of beer nerds, music lovers, diners, and grocery shoppers made this a cultural hub where music of any genre could be found every night of the week, with regulars and visitors jostling for space at wonky trestle tables. When my husband and I first visited, shortly after moving to Austin, we found ourselves circle-dancing around the dining area to live Jewish klezmer between sips of a rare and delicious Avery Ginger Sour: just an average Tuesday here.
Pam Bernat moved to Austin from El Paso and has been a regular at the Whip In since 2009. She recalls quirky features like the “simple hippie décor, not-so-comfortable stools, and small stage shrouded with gilded curtains,” and how “every fall they would cover the tap pulls with paper lunch sacks with pumpkin faces drawn on them before revealing that year’s Pumpkin Ale lineup.” The Whip In also once boasted a fusion menu of South Asian and Tex-Mex flavors unlike anything else in the city, with dishes including daal sliders, chicken-fried steak with ginger, South Asian frito pie, and Bangalore biscuit sandwiches, joining the Topiwalas’ Indian heritage with Central Texas cuisine. This theme extended to the on-site brewery, run by Dipak Topiwala, the son of original owners Amrit and Chandan Topiwala. Topiwala’s Namaste Brewery was highly regarded for brewing creative, South Asian-influenced beers, and even won a gold medal at 2013’s Great American Beer Festival.
But amidst accusations of cultural appropriation and imperialism, Dogfish Head Brewery’s owner Sam Calagione requested Topiwala change the brewery’s name, claiming it was a breach of Dogfish Head’s trademarked Namaste Witbier. Austinites sided firmly with the little guy, but Dipak rebranded the brewery as Kamala Gardens to avoid legal action, and took it with him when the Topiwala family sold the business in 2017.
With new owners and a full refurbishment in 2021, combined with the rapid growth of Austin’s craft beer market, the Whip In’s identity has evolved, making it less of an eccentric outlier and more of a conventional craft beer bar and bottle shop, but its local emphasis and popularity remain; a Monday morning visit found a surprising number of guests tucking into a beer or two. Current co-owner and manager Arif Prasla is keen to emphasize its 95-beer-capacity tap wall, strong selection of independent Texan wines, weekend live music program, and Indian-fusion menu. The food is more traditional and less eclectic than its predecessor’s, though its Stoner Snack Indian-spiced loaded fries are a nod to the Topiwalas’ original menu favorite.
Like most small businesses, the Whip In suffered heavily during COVID, but the expansion of neighboring I-35 now poses an even bigger threat. Initial plans promised to demolish the site; current revisions may spare the building, but would still take away its parking area and famous sign. While the Whip In’s future remains uncertain, its legacy is firmly cemented as the city’s original craft beer hub and beloved fusion venue, one that captures Austin’s eclectic character in full.
Words by Ruvani de Silva