Austin’s Montopolis neighborhood along East Riverside Drive is older than the city itself and is home to tons and tons of history. The area was once home to many plantations, including the Burditt Plantation, which later became freedmen’s community Burditt Prairie, and to Native Americans. It now faces gentrification challenges.
Here’s how to experience Montopolis and some of its history:
☕ Ani’s Day & Night, 7107 E. Riverside Drive
Located in landlord Freddy L. Fernandez’s childhood home, Ani’s Day & Night is a little bit of Montopolis history with coffee and treats served up on the side. The coffee shop/bar is named after Fernandez’s mom, Aniceta “Cheta” Limon. Visit Ani’s for a peek into Austin history and stay for the wonderful coffee, ample seating, events, and food trucks.
A beautiful pair. (Kelsey Bradshaw/City Cast Austin)
🥐 JD's Market #5, 7310 E. Riverside Drive
Stop into JD’s, a supermarket attached to a gas station, for pan dulce and other pastries, and burritos. My sweet bread haul was barely $3!
🏫 Montopolis Negro School, 500 Montopolis Drive
The Montopolis Negro School is one of the last surviving Jim Crow-era rural schools in Travis County. The school was open from 1935 to 1962, and became the Montopolis Church of Christ until the ‘80s following school desegregation in 1962. The city acquired ownership of the school in 2019, and officials have been working on a plan for the site ever since.
San Jose Cemetery No. 1 is currently covered in bluebonnets. (Kelsey Bradshaw/City Cast Austin)
🪦 San Jose Cemetery No. 1, 718 Montopolis Drive
In a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it spot on Montopolis Drive sits San Jose Cemetery No. 1. The cemetery was built in the early 20th century for Mexican Austinites to have a place to bury their families for free, as they were excluded from many burial sites. Hundreds of people are buried at the cemetery, which is maintained by residents and the San Jose-Montopolis Cemetery Association. Make sure to be respectful when you visit this part of Montopolis history!
🌮 Hecho en Mexico Montopolis, 2101 Montopolis Drive
Skip Torchy’s Tacos, Taco Deli, and Taco Joint and opt for Hecho en Mexico instead. It’s that serious. The taquitos al pastor are only $12 and well worth every cent!
