The hot height of summer is no match for Austinite's willingness to get out there and enjoy the local restaurant scene. Two closures loom, but guests have time to pick up some final goodies; then longtime restaurants and a coffee shop celebrate the passage of time with a new dining room, a 20th anniversary celebration, and a big SWANA (Southwest Asia and North Africa) blowout.
Openings and closings
Lammes Candies, one of Austin's oldest businesses, is closing after 141 years this weekend. The business has been slowly winding down operations since an announcement in late April; the Airport Boulevard location stayed open longer than the other locations to give customers time to make their final purchases. An Instagram post confirms that July 30 and 31 are the days to pick up the company's last batch of candies, which will include Cashew Critters, Chewie Pecan Pralines, and Kisses, among other treats that might pop up. Store hours the final two days are 9 am to 5 pm.
Arizona-based restaurant and wine bar Postino is opening a new location at Village at Westlake (701 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., Ste. J760) in the late summer, according to a press release. It will be Postino's third Austin location and the 12th in Texas. Every location looks a bit different and makes nods to the local surroundings; Austin's will include Austin-themed wallpaper and a piggy bank mural that references the location's past with a series of finance tenants. The menu at Postino is all about sharable dishes, and the chain is known for its many bruschetta varieties.
Austin's popular gourmet grocery store Tiny Grocer is hosting its first-ever sale as it closes its South Congress space and works on launching its new space at 2411 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., the former home of Longhorn Meat Market. The sale, which started July 15 and ends July 31, offers 10 percent off everything in the store. Owner Stephanie Steele also showed off the upcoming space in a video posted July 29, signaling that the process is moving along. Steele says in the video that the shop should be opening "later this year."
Other news and notes
Local Texas-Asian fusion restaurant the Peached Tortilla is showing off a new dining room at its Burnet Road flagship. Both inside and outside areas have been updated with plants, new seating, new dinnerware, and more. The change in decor also comes with a refreshed menu. A press release says the change is to elevate the experience. The updated menu includes items like smashed cucumbers with tahini and lacto-fermented morita hot sauce, a Tuscan kale salad, pork wontons, Hainanese chicken, and Texas snapper in red curry. There are also three new cocktails in the beverage program: twists on a Paper Plane, Painkiller, and rosemary gin gimlet.
One of Austin's collective favorite coffee shops, Epoch Coffee, is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a nearly 24-hour party on August 1. The shop has booked 20 hour-long sets by 20 DJs, starting at 7 am and ending at 3 am. There's also a drink special to mark the occasion: the Heart Parade, an iced latte with housemade mixed berry syrup and almond marzipan cold foam. The Heart Parade is available now through next Monday, August 3.
August 1 is a party day; after you get your Heart Parade at Epoch, consider heading over to the Beitna community's first anniversary party at local French restaurant Justine's Brasserie from 7-11:30 pm. Beitna is a local collective for arts, music, and culture from the SWANA (Southwest Asia and North Africa) region. The party will include live musical performances by Caravan Strange, Atash, and Julie Slim; playlists by DJ Zuzu; belly dance by Zina; food specials by Chef Manuel Rocha and a curated cocktail menu, both highlighting SWANA flavors; limited-edition Beitna merch; and vendor pop-ups by Magic Caravan, Knafe ATX, Aasiyah Baig, and Youssef Shabo. The party is free to attend. Head to Instagram for more details.
