New Auburn location and the Bluebonnet Market
CONTRIBUTED BY BOW & ARROW PUBLIC RELATIONS
AUBURN — Following a soft opening over Labor Day weekend, five-time James Beard Award semifinalist Chef David Bancroft officially opens the next chapter of Bow & Arrow with a second Auburn location. The Bluebonnet Market — an old-fashioned, grab-and-go market connected to the restaurant and designed to function as both a waiting area and a destination of its own — is set to follow in the coming weeks. Located at 2298 E. University Drive, the new restaurant builds upon the success of the original Bow & Arrow with a dramatically expanded footprint, a moody South Texas-inspired design and new ways for guests to experience Bow & Arrow beyond the dining room.
Since opening Bow & Arrow in 2018, Bancroft has introduced Auburn to his signature blend of South Texas smokehouse traditions and Mexican influences — a style he calls “BBQ-Mex,” inspired by the cowboys and vaqueros who have long shared the same fire in Texas. Inspired by his upbringing in the Texas Hill Country, the restaurant pairs slow-smoked or grilled meats with fresh tortillas, vibrant Tex-Mex flavors and the welcoming spirit of an Alabama potluck, creating a place where everyone is welcome around the table.
The new location represents a natural evolution of that vision. Seating 240 guests across two levels, the restaurant offers expanded dining spaces, an upstairs bar and private event space and a more immersive experience that begins the moment guests walk through the front door. In the coming weeks, The Bluebonnet Market will open directly alongside the restaurant, extending that experience even further.
“When we opened Bow & Arrow in 2018, we knew we had created something special,” says Chef Bancroft. “This new location gave us the opportunity to dream bigger — not just building another restaurant but creating a place where people can spend an afternoon, grab dinner for tomorrow, enjoy a margarita while they wait and experience the kind of hospitality that has always been at the heart of Bow & Arrow.”
More than a second restaurant
Rather than simply recreating the original concept, Bancroft envisioned a place that feels like a destination unto itself, designed to capture the come-as-you-are spirit on a larger scale. The two-story brick building blends the warmth and familiarity of the original Bow & Arrow with the atmosphere of a moody South Texas saloon. Layered interiors transition from lively communal gathering spaces to cozy corners, while spacious booths and banquettes invite families and groups to settle. Upstairs, an additional bar and dedicated event space creates even more opportunities for guests to gather. Throughout the restaurant, Bow & Arrow’s signature taxidermy carries forward the character of the original location, while new design elements give the new space its own distinct identity.
Introducing The Bluebonnet Market
Opening in the coming weeks and connected directly to the restaurant, The Bluebonnet Market will extend the Bow & Arrow experience beyond the dining room. Rather than waiting by the host stand, guests will be encouraged to add their name to the waitlist and settle into the market — enjoying a margarita or Ranch Water at the cabana bar, relaxing in the lounge area and grabbing snacks like chips & queso and housemade jerky while they wait.
The market will be anchored by a collection of illuminated butcher cabinets showcasing beer, Topo Chico, house margarita mixers, vacuum-sealed smoked briskets and bacon ready to take home, to the lake or on the road. A dedicated jerky cabinet — reminiscent of a classic Texas roadside stop — will feature housemade, pit-smoked carne seca-style jerky, sliced to order and wrapped in butcher paper. Guests will also be able to browse grab-and-go and take-and-bake favorites from both Bow & Arrow and Acre, including enchilada pans, taco kits, pimiento cheese, peanut butter pie, banana pudding and Memaw’s éclair. Shelves will be stocked with Bow & Arrow merchandise (hats, private label spice rubs and BBQ sauces), alongside locally made products from regional farmers and purveyors, including honey, grits and jams.
In the kitchen
At its core, Bow & Arrow remains a celebration of South Texas smokehouse traditions viewed through Bancroft’s distinctly Southern perspective, with a menu that reflects a balance of barbecue and Tex-Mex. Meats are slow-smoked or grilled over live fire using post oak and pecan before appearing throughout the menu — from pit-smoked brisket, ribs, turkey, pulled pork and jalapeño cheddar sausage to wood-fired fajitas, brisket enchiladas, tacos, burritos and barbecue sandwiches. Fresh flour tortillas are made to order using a tortilla press, while appetizers like smoked & fried chicken wings, queso blanco, brisket nachos and goat cheese guacamole complement Southern-inspired sides like mac & cheese and collard greens. Nostalgic desserts feature banana pudding, seasonal fried pies, Memaw’s éclair and more.
Behind the Bar
The beverage program reflects Bow & Arrow’s “BBQ-Mex” identity, placing margaritas front and center with more than a dozen variations ranging from the Classic and Frozen to signatures like the Top Shelf, Jackalope and Ranch Water. Beyond margaritas, the bar features craft cocktails, agave spirits, whiskey and regional craft beer, all selected to pair seamlessly with the restaurant’s bold, smoke-driven flavors.
About Chef David Bancroft
Chef David Bancroft is a five-time James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: South and the chef-owner of Acre and Bow & Arrow in Auburn, Alabama, where he has become a defining voice in the modern Southern food movement. Born in Alabama and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Bancroft developed an early passion for cooking through his family’s deep ties to farming, fishing and eating intentionally from the land. After attending Auburn University, Bancroft began honing his culinary skills as head chef at Amsterdam Café, where he helped pioneer farm-to-table dining in East Alabama. In 2013, Bancroft and his wife opened Acre, a Southern-inspired restaurant that practices living off the land surrounding it and the nearby waters of the Gulf Coast. Built on an acre in downtown Auburn, surrounded by onsite orchards and gardens tended by the team, the concept reflects Bancroft’s philosophy of celebrating seasonal, locally sourced ingredients and giving a fresh and modern lens to traditional Southern cuisine. In 2018, he expanded his vision with Bow & Arrow, a wood-fired, smoke-driven restaurant inspired by his upbringing in the Texas Hill Country that blends the traditions of a South Texas smokehouse with Mexican influences and flavors. An avid outdoorsman with a deep respect for land, community and tradition, Bancroft is a passionate advocate for Southern fishermen, foragers and farmers who are good stewards of the land and sea. Through his restaurants and advocacy, his work continues to elevate Auburn as a culinary destination while honoring the heritage and ingredients of the American South. For more information, visit www.acreauburn.com and www.bowandarrowbbq.com or follow @acrerestaurant and @bowandarrowauburn on social media.
