An acclaimed former local chef is tantalizing the Austin-area restaurant scene with a new eatery in Wimberley.

Chef Ryan Hildebrand stunned Houston in November 2019 when he exited his famed FM Kitchen & Bar. Now a newly minted Wimberley resident, Hildebrand is collaborating with two childhood buddies on Hildee’s Dine-Inn, with the name incorporating his and his grandfather’s nicknames. Hildebrand describes the concept as a “Hill Country bistro.”

“I can’t really think of a word other than bistro that leaves it open to interpretation. I don’t love the word bistro, but it gives you the ability to do everything,” Hildebrand tells CultureMap. “I used to call it a smokehouse, but people would immediately think that it’s a barbecue restaurant. And that’s not what it is at all.”

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