School is back in session and for some, that brings a new sense of freedom. Celebrate that (or celebrate that you don't have to know these things) at local restaurants, with the debut of a long-awaited Hopdoddy Burger Bar, a very reasonably priced meal from Lenoir, a $1 pizza slice from Small's Pizza, a super-fancy midsummer dinner at Jupiter Supper Club, and more.
Openings and closings
After years of planning, Hopdoddy Burger Bar is ready to open its Mueller location on August 23. The highly anticipated new location will also be one of only two that serves a Boozy Breakfast menu. The first 100 guests on opening day, starting at 9 am, will get a free t-shirt and breakfast sandwich. There will be more special offers throughout the day plus giveaways, live music, and airbrush tattoos. The Mueller burger joint is located at 2005 Aldrich St.
Hecho Amano, a Mexican coffee trailer parked in Pflugerville, is moving on to bigger things in Austin. Its last day in Pflugerville will be August 29. The announcement on Instagram states that the team knew the business would only be temporary in its current location. They've been working on plans to move to East Cesar Chavez Street (though the post does not share an exact address), so East Austinites should be on the lookout for Hecho Amano nearby soon. For now, the trailer is at 1900 E. Howard Ln., Bldg. 1.
Other news and notes
Longtime East Austin café Cenote, which closed and reopened in a new location in September of 2025, is now on the other side of some trouble with its new surroundings. Business owner Mary Jenkins says the alley behind the restaurant had been closed because of a private construction project, which restricted access to parking and other restaurant activities. However, after her "[Raging] Against the Machine," in her words, the alley has reopened.
Chef's Choice Week is currently underway at classic South Austin restaurant Lenoir, and it will continue through August 24. The deal offers four course meals for $45, which is half-off the regular Wet Hot Italian Summer menu that's ending with the promotion. Dishes on the Italian menu include antipasti with porchetta di testa (pig's head in a roulette), sourdough spaghetti, braised oxtail and lamb, and a blue masa ice cream sandwich with corn ice cream and peach.
Lenoir's menu this summer has been focused on Italian cuisine.Lenoir/Instagram
The New York-style Small's Pizza will celebrate its first anniversary August 28 with $1 slices; guests can choose between cheese or vodka slices. The deal runs from 11 am to 5 pm.
Trendy oyster bar Austin Oyster Co. is debuting its own Maine-grown oysters, called the Lone Pine Pearls, a reference to the restaurant's Lose Pine Ranch where they're grown. A press release describes them as bright and briny, and they come from inter-tidal waters of the New Meadows River. Quantity is limited, but the restaurant has other news to fall back on if they run out during your visit: a new happy hour Tuesdays through Fridays from 4-5:30 pm, plus a new wine garden opening behind the patio on Fridays and Saturdays from 5-10 pm to start. Brunch service will also be added this fall.
Caribbean restaurant Canje will host a free panel discussion with the producer, director, and lead actor of Puerto Rican short film While I Have You, which represents a mother-daughter relationship that's changing because of dementia. Chef Tavel Bristol-Joseph will moderate the panel. For the rest of the night, 10 percent of restaurant proceeds will support the film's production. RSVPs are available on Eventbrite, and reservations are available via OpenTable.
Jupiter Supper Club, a plant-focused restaurant with "omnivore" options, will host a special Midsummer Night candlelit dinner August 27. Guests will be treated to a welcome cocktail featuring Chrome Horse Society Tequila and serenaded by local musician Luis Bañuelos on Spanish guitar. Floral installations by Austin Floral Design make the four-course seasonal dinner extra magical. Only 30 guests can attend, but tickets ($150) are still available via OpenTable.
Lenoir's menu this summer has been focused on Italian cuisine.