Austin's food scene is booming after some summer sluggishness, so this week's column will look a little different. Below are 8 openings, closings, a pop-up, and a rebrand we've heard about in the past week.

Opening

Buzz has spread about a new event space for Franklin Barbecue, and everyone is turning to the Austin American-Statesman, who originally got the scoop, for more details. (For those who don't have a subscription, our media partners at KVUE summarized the report.) The highlights are that it's larger than the existing restaurant, located in the old Contigo and Redbud Ice House space (2027 Anchor Ln.), and pitmaster Aaron Franklin hopes to finish the project in November. If anyone can make that space stick, it's Franklin.

Toastique, a fancy toast chain, debuted in Austin last summer, closed it, and is now opening a new location at The Domain (3220 Amy Donovan Plaza, Ste. 100). In addition to signature toasts like smoked salmon and tomato burrata, the restaurant also serves smoothie bowls, cold-pressed juices, and other health-conscious snacks. The first 100 guests in line on opening day, October 4, will get $50 rewards dollars to use on future visits.

Fried chicken chain Dave's Hot Chicken will officially open at 1039 W. University Ave. in Georgetown on September 19, according to a press release. The brand is best-known for offering seasoning that works on various levels, whether truly spicy or not hot at all, plus having Drake as a significant investor.

Chicago-style pizza chain Crust Pizza Co. is opening in Leander at 145 South Brook Dr., Ste. 180, on Saturday, September 20.The first 100 guests who make at least a $20 purchase on opening day will win free pizza for a year — that's one free pizza a month for most winners (95 in total), but five winners will get one every week.

Closing

(Temporary): Moreno Barbecue, an effort that's highly regarded among foodies but still building name recognition, is briefly closed while doing a big catering job and working on opening a new location in Southpark Meadows. That's all the Instagram post says, but the original announcement regarding the new location also included that the existing location will become a new concept called Moreno Burger Company. There's still no firm date for the new location to open, but the existing spot reopens September 22.

Despite good news above about more barbecue, Austinites are losing one family-owned and operated option. A spokesperson for Vic's Bar-B-Que confirms over the phone that the business will close October 31. The contact declined to provide a reason for the closing, but the restaurant's financial difficulties have been well-documented. Vic's has been around in Del Valle and Austin since 1987.

Rebranding

Cedar Tavern, the beautiful and historic bar behind American restaurant Eberly on South Lamar Boulevard, is now its own business. The bar itself was built in 1886, hosted the likes of Bob Dylan, Jackson Pollock, Jack Kerouac, and Jimi Hendrix, and was eventually shipped down to be preserved in Austin. Reflecting its heritage, the new menu now focuses on New York-inspired tavern food such as a lobster roll, prime rib French dip, and Texas Wagyu steak frites. A daily happy hour will offer $5 snacks, $10 burgers, and $7 martinis between opening and 7 pm, followed by a reverse happy hour from 10 pm to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Cedar Tavern is still located in the same building as Eberly; it is just operating separately.

Popping up

The horrors never cease at hotel bar Lefty's Brick Bar, and that's just the way they like it. Lefty’s Shop of Horrors, an over-the-top Halloween pop-up, is coming back for 2025 from October 1 to November 2. This spooky activation means Lefty's will be covered in unsettling Halloween decorations, serving drinks in especially fun containers (how about a blood bag?), and hosting themed activities such as tarot card readings, scary movie screenings, and more.