In the Field

Juniper Gets a Borges Boost | Listen

By: Veronica Meewes

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A Brazilian Heart Beats in This Italian Kitchen

Since opening in 2015, Juniper has consistently remained one of Austin’s top restaurants. Now, one decade in, the upscale Italian concept is getting a refresh with the arrival of acclaimed chef Junior Borges, who brings with him a unique blend of Brazilian heritage, culinary precision, and creative ambition. After meeting chef Nic Yanes, when the two worked at Uchi together over a decade ago, the 2023 James Beard Awards semifinalist has joined him at Excelsior Hospitality Group as a chef-partner and is stepping into the role of executive chef at Juniper, the group’s flagship restaurant in East Austin.

Borges, best known for leading the award-winning Meridian in Dallas, will now help shape Excelsior’s culinary direction across its portfolio while playing a key role in expanding operations into cities outside Texas. But here in Austin, his presence is already felt through a complete culinary refresh at Juniper. Under Borges’ leadership, Juniper’s menu is returning to its roots with a refined focus on northern Italian cuisine—but now approached with the chef’s signature blend of global technique and Brazilian soul.

“Brazilian cuisine has many flavors from different cultures that have become part of its overall identity,” says Junior Borges. “Growing up, the African-based cuisine of Bahia was a huge part of my childhood and memories. Additionally, the cultural diversity in Brazil played a significant role. Brazil has the second-largest population of Italians outside of Italy, along with influences from many other cultures—European cuisine as a whole, Lebanese cuisine, and the Indigenous and slavery-era practices that have influenced Brazilian food. All of these factors have shaped my approach to cooking, along with the experiences I’ve had throughout my life.”

The reimagined five-course tasting menu features standouts like seared scallops with toasted fregola, oyster cream, and seaweed oil, and Sakura pork collar with porchetta rub, cippolini onions, grilled mustard greens, and marsala. Borges has also introduced new à la carte selections which weave elements of his Brazilian background into the kitchen’s DNA, such as eggplant milanese with diavolo sauce, burrata, and basil, and crispy polenta with braised fennel, pepperonata, and Parmigiano.

“A big part of this has been a refocus on refined simplicity, which, to me, is a key element in the intersection of my heritage, experiences, and the approach at Juniper,” says Junior Borges. “I started incorporating new cheeses for sauces and pasta, as well as more aromatic peppers that complement seafood preparations and so on. I approach [cooking] with a fundamental knowledge of food and what I believe the guest will enjoy, as well as what I’d like to eat.”

While Dallas (where Borges has spent the last decade) offered a more polished, cosmopolitan restaurant scene, the chef sees Austin as a canvas for creativity, with a more hip edge. “What we are trying to do is focus on creating a great restaurant focused on hospitality, making people happy, supporting the community, and delivering great food and experiences—something that’s important no matter where it’s located,” says Borges.

Junior Borges & Nic Yanes credit Consumable Content

That same philosophy informs Excelsior Hospitality’s other new projects outside of Texas. Elisabetta, modern Italian-American served in a vibrant atmosphere, opened in Oklahoma City in early 2025, and Nic & Junior’s is set to launch in Chicago’s River North in the spring. The latter collaboration between longtime friends Yanes and Borges will feature a cocktail and wine program curated by Austin’s Travis Tober (Nickel City, Murray’s Tavern), a lively bar and an intimate 30-seat prix fixe dining room where Brazilian and Italian cuisine will play together as both à la carte dishes and through an imaginative prix fixe experience.

For now, though, Borges is focused on shaping the next chapter at Juniper. With its renewed menu, deepened culinary identity, and commitment to warm hospitality, the East Austin staple is poised to capture a whole new audience while honoring the roots that made it special in the first place.