Whatever mysterious spirts drive Austin food heard us saying it's been slow around here and decided to shake things up. This week, openings and closings are reshaping high-traffic neighborhoods. Scroll on for pup cups if you need to unwind.
Openings and closings
Pizza and beer is a great combination, but pizza made at a brewery is especially exciting. Good Vibrations, a wood-fired pizza trailer, is now open at Vacancy Brewing (415 E. St. Elmo Road 1-D2). Thanks to past pop-ups, Austinites may have already tried these pies — mostly traditional, with subtle creative twists — but now they'll be easier to track down, available Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6-11pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 6 pm to midnight, and Sundays from 6-11 pm. Opening weekend is August 31 and September 1, where guests can enjoy pizza and beer specials, giveaways, raffles, and more, according to a press release.
The nostalgic bakery SusieCakes is opening a second location, this time at 1111 West 6th Street. Although the bakery brands itself as a purely retro affair, it does take some liberties to keep up with the times, including some Taylor Swift-themed cakes, a "shag rug" decorating job, and more. A grand opening September 6 from 3-6 pm will include one free full-size cupcake for everyone; guests wearing burnt orange will get a free "Hook'Em Cupcake." There will also be a raffle for a year of free cake and other prizes. Susie, a children's balloon artist, and a DJ will all be attending. The bakery will be open daily from 11 am to 6 pm.
Vintage-style cakes just look like they taste better.Photo courtesy of SusieCakes
One neighborhood staple in Mueller is no more. Halcyon, the coffee shop known for its airy daytime vibes and popular nighttime events, has called it quits at that location, although its downtown location on 4th Street remains open. Perhaps this isn't surprising to everyone, since the Mueller spot cut events from its schedule in July "due to business demands," according to an Instagram post. But that post contained no hints that the blight would spread.
Aviary Wine & Kitchen, a highly regarded South Lamar spot, seems to have closed, reported Eater today, August 22. The drama includes a posted eviction noticed, fired staff, and a disconnected phone line. This information has been cobbled together from Reddit, neighbors, and at least one unnamed source, so expect more solid updates to come.
In July, a buzzy Irish pub opened on 6th Street, while also teasing delicious things to come at its sister restaurant next door. Those things have arrived with the opening of the also-Irish Neighbourhood Café. Expect extravagant but unfussy baked goods and other breakfast and lunch plates. The daytime spot is open now, from 8 am to 3 pm daily. Learn more about the newer venture in our editorial coverage here.
ICYMI: This week, we saw two beverage-focused spaces take on opportunities. First, food hall Fareground announced that the former South Texan pop-up Y Comida would be moving in with Ellis, the onsite cocktail bar. It's the first time the restaurant incubator is combining concepts like this. Next, we shifted our attention to a different cocktail bar, Kramer's Cocktails, this one a new addition to the Hopsquad building. In addition to an extensive menu of agave spirits including sotol, bacanora, and raicilla, this spot will differentiate itself from the attached brewery by providing air conditioning.
Other news and notes
Home Slice, one of Austin's longtime favorite pizza spots, announced in July that it finally found the perfect vegan cheese after nearly a decade of searching. Now it's available by the slice rather than just entire pies. The cheese by Selfish Cow is made with coconut oil, potato starch, tapioca starch, sunflower oil, and chickpea protein, according to a press release. Notably, Selfish Cow exists under a larger company that deals in traditional dairy cheese, so perhaps that's how it achieved such impressive results.
This is the face of someone who loves pup cups.Photo courtesy of Lick
No more FOMO attending food events without man's best friend: Lick Honest Ice Creams is celebrating National Dog Day in a two-day special. The first 10 dogs at each store on August 25 will receive a free pup cup containing oat milk and peanut butter, plus a free bandana. If your dog is not an early bird, Lick is also giving out free bone broth samples and treats while supplies last, and any purchase of two pup cups on August 25 & 26 will also include a free bandana. [UPDATE: A release formerly said the free cups deal was on August 25. This story has been updated to reflect the actual date.]
