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2 acclaimed Austin BBQ joints fire up in London and more popular stories

InterStellar and La Barbecue at The Ned London

Get authentic Austin barbecue in London.

The Ned London/thened.com

Editor's note: It's time to catch up on the top Austin news of the week, from local barbecue joints heading across the pond to a prime parcel of land's upcoming redevelopment. Read on for our most popular stories, then plan your weekend right here.

1. 2 of Austin's greatest BBQ joints are smoking on holiday in London. Two of Austin's best barbecue joints are on a vacation together, and Londoners are benefiting. InterStellar and La Barbecue have started a one-month residency at The Ned, a London hotel, through October 4.

2. Famous Austin hospitality group signs 6th St. lease for new restaurant. One of Austin's leading restaurant groups, Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group, has signed a lease at Old 6th, a part of Sixth Street that developers are working on revitalizing.

3. Run-down Central Austin property to become restaurant and retail market. A prime parcel of land at 2825 Hancock Dr., near Shoal Creek, is poised to become a new "neighborhood-focused retail destination."

4. Austin healthy food and farming org seeks help after losing city funds. September is Hunger Action Month, and one Austin nonprofit is asking the community for help after losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in city funding.

Perla's patio Perla's is temporarily closed. Perla’s Seafood & Oyster Bar/Instagram

5. South Congress seafood restaurant closes after extensive fire damage. Popular South Congress seafood spot Perla's is temporarily closed due to a kitchen fire.

Parks News

Org that 'adopted' and designed new South Austin park ready to debut it

Austin Parks and Recreation/austintexas.gov

Grand Meadow Neighborhood Park was a passion project for a group of neighborhood representatives. Now the first phase of the makeover is done.

Once in southeast Austin, there was an undeveloped patch of land that covered nearly 10 acres; now there's Grand Meadow Neighborhood Park. Austin Parks Foundation (APF) will host a ribbon-cutting at 10 am on Tuesday, September 15, to celebrate the completion of a first phase of improvements.

According to a press release, the site-turned-park at 8022 Thaxton Dr. now includes natural surface trails, concrete walkways for accessibility, a play area, an open field, and a pavilion with picnic tables and lighting.

There will also be a community garden and food forest, starting with a community event. Friends of Grand Meadow, the group that designed the park with a 2022 grant from APF, will host a garden kickoff Saturday, October 17, inviting community embers to plant seeds, make art, and enjoy live music and food. The event, from 10 am to 2 pm, is part of the Roots and Wings Festival, a multi-day celebration that combines Arbor Day and Monarch Appreciation Day.

Friends of Grand Meadow is an "adopter group," which refers to their involvement via APF's Adopt-A-Park program. According to the program website, almost all Austin parks are "adoptable." Adopter groups make a longterm commitment to improving their park and representing the surrounding community. They aren't doing it on their own; In return, APF hooks the group up with design resources including on-site consultation and long-range planning.

After APF granted the design grant, Friends of Grand Meadow worked with them, Austin Parks and Recreation, and residents in the neighborhood to complete the concept plan, which was approved in March of 2024. The first phase of work was funded by the Urban Forest Fund, the City of Austin Parkland Dedication Fund, and Austin Parks Foundation, the release says.

Grand Meadow Neighborhood Park is located just east of Onion Creek and Onion Creek Metropolitan Park. It is bounded on three sides by Thaxton Road, Panadero Drive, and Alum Rock Drive. The surrounding area is mostly residential.

Phase II of the park's development is listed in a draft ordinance for an upcoming General Obligation Bond Election. That means Austin residents will get to vote on November 3, 2026, to decide if it and other parks will get up to $260 million in maintenance and improvements.

parks nature community volunteering