Editor’s note: We get it. It can be difficult to keep up with the fast pace of Austin’s restaurant and bar scene. We have you covered with our regular roundup of essential food news.

Openings

A new wing joint has roosted in Round Rock. But it’s not just another slap-some-sauce-on-it-and-call-it-wing-tastic type of eatery. In fact, Anchor Bar holds a very important place in the annals of American food history, as the original New York location created the deep-fried, sauced delicacy that would become known as the Buffalo wing. Located at 2702 Parker Dr., the new Round Rock Anchor Bar is helmed by local franchisees, one of whom grew up near Buffalo, New York, and is a die-hard Buffalo Bills fan. So, in addition to serving up a flock of world-famous sauced or rubbed wings, appetizers, loaded fries, pizzas, burgers, and sandwiches (not to mention offering a full bar and an impressive draft beer menu), Anchor Bar will also be a dedicated Bills spot where Bills Backers can enjoy their football games while stuffing their faces with authentic Buffalo wings. Anchor Bar is open Sunday through Thursday 11 am-10 pm and Friday and Saturday 11 am-11 pm.

Austin’s favorite handheld pies business is going through a big change. Tiny Pies, the Oprah Winfrey-endorsed mother-and-daughter biz founded in 2011 by Amanda Wadsworth and her mother, Kit Seay, is closing up shop at its 2032 S. Lamar Blvd. location on Wednesday, November 3. But don’t panic! The shop is closing so Wadsworth and Seay can reopen nearby in a, well, less tiny space, at the Lamar Union development. The new Tiny Pies shop, at 1100 South Lamar Blvd., suite 1116, opens Thursday, November 4 and will feature all the delicious bites Austinites love, from sweet tiny pies and full-sized pies to savory farm-fresh meat and vegetarian pies. Spinach ricotta empanadas and egg-filled breakfast pies will be available daily. There will be indoor and outdoor seating so you can stuff your piehole onsite, and the new shop will be open daily from 8 am-10 pm — two hours later than other Tiny Pies locations.

The Mueller development will be home to three new eateries opening in the coming months, adding to its diverse collection of more than 40 restaurants. Coming soon to Mueller’s Aldrich Street District: Austin’s adored Veracruz All Natural, which will swap its food trailer near the Browning Hangar for a prime location at the corner of Aldrich Street and Simond Avenue. It’s expected to open by the first quarter of 2021 — and will feature a full bar. Locally owned Tinys Milk & Cookies is set to open its second Austin spot in 2022 on the ground floor of the Origin Hotel, which is currently under construction at Mueller. Tinys will offer a walk-up window, limited outdoor seating, and its spectacular cookies, plus coffee, homemade ice cream, and pastries. The first Austin location of Marufuku Ramen, the wildly popular San Francisco eatery, is also scheduled to open in 2022. It will be located on the ground floor of the Alpha Building on Aldrich Street.

The Arizona chain known for its Brooklyn-style pizzas has finally opened its much-anticipated first full-service restaurant in Austin at Domain Northside. Grimaldi’s Pizzeria, located at 11700 Domain Blvd., officially opens Tuesday, October 26. It’s the chain’s 18th location in Texas and 41st nationwide. (It also has a to-go-only location at Kitchen United Mix on Burnet Road.) The new nearly 4,000-square-foot Grimaldi’s includes tons of space to spread out and grind a slice. The menu features Grimaldi’s coal-fired brick-oven pizza and calzones, salads, starters, and desserts. The eatery also offers a full bar program of handcrafted cocktails, premium and local craft beers, and a diverse wine list. The new Domain Northside location will be open Sunday through Thursday from 11 am-9 pm and Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 10 pm.

Other news and notes

If you’re looking to get into the Halloween spirit by noshing some themed meat a la adorable animated series Bob’s Burgers, you’ll definitely want to swing by Huckleberry on Saturday, October 30 from 4-9 pm for a Bob’s Burgers pop-up. The show is a favorite of owners Melinda Reese and Davis Turner, who will forgo their North Austin food truck’s usual menu in favor of four Bob’s-themed dishes: One Fish, Two Fish, Not a Fish (a veggie sandwich); Seems a Bit Fishy (fish sandwich); Something’s Not Fishy (a burger); and Neither Fish nor Fowl (a shrimp sandwich). And keep an eye out for staffers dressed as the Bob’s Burgers cast! No word on whether the crew will also feature a burger-themed jack-o-lantern. Huckleberry is located at 2340 W. Braker Ln.

Local vegan lovers of the thin, caramelly Dutch treat known as the stroopwafel have reason to celebrate. Austin-based Stroop Club, which was founded when the owners moved from The Netherlands to the Capital City in 2015, specializes in authentic Dutch stroopwafels, and two years ago, the “stroopers” created a vegan version of the wafer waffle treat. While loads of vegan stores, coffee shops, and websites in the U.S. already know the power of the vegan stroopwafel, the Stroop Club’s vegan creation is now getting some international attention. At the World Plant-Based Taste Awards, which took place in London October 15, Stroop Club’s vegan stroopwafel was named the winner in the category of best sweet snack, biscuit, or confectionery. We’d call that a pretty sweet acknowledgement!