Austin is in a temperate spell, enjoying the space between cold winter weather and South by Southwest. It's a perfect time to linger at a restaurant, so hopefully these food news tidbits offer some inspiration, from new all-you-can-eat sushi, to beautiful tea drinks, to a Cuban café rebrand.

Openings and closings

A new all-you-can-eat (AYCE) sushi concept made its Austin debut with a mid-Feburary soft opening. Hanami AYCE Sushi is located at 7020 Easy Wind Dr. #100, across the street from 99 Ranch Market. According to the business' Instagram account, there are more than 50 rolls to choose from and more than 130 menu items in total. Dinner is $36.95, while lunch clocks in at $25.95. The soft opening period continues through February 28 with 15 percent off all tabs. Hours are limited until February 23 when they become 11 am to 10 pm daily.

Lion’s Den Tea isn't brand-new — having been open for a few months now — but local awareness is starting to grow as the shop owners introduce themselves and post beautiful videos mixing specialty drinks. Located at 760 Airport Blvd., Ste. 168, Lion's Den Tea specializes in matcha lattes and herbal blends, and visitors can also try cacao and coffee from Talisman. Customers can also purchase gifts, attend fun events, get a tarot reading, and hang out to cowork or just decompress. Hours according to Google Maps are 8 am to 5 pm Mondays and Wednesdays, 8 am to 7 pm Thursdays and Fridays, and 10 am to 9 pm Sundays.

A new restaurant is bringing "San Diego-style Mexican food" to Austin in April 2026. Tacolada already has a sign up at 9828 Great Hills Trail, Ste. 140, and an Instagram post seems to suggest more locations are expected to open in the future. For now, all Austinites have is some sleek branding.

ICYMI: The Austin food scene is quiet this week, but that didn't stop us from hearing about a few more openings. Former Whisler's manager Matthew Wenger is almost ready to debut Solstice, a new all-day "all-day gathering place" in Jonestown for coffee, cocktails, and food trucks in March. Plus, Austinites heard about a surprising plan by Terry Black’s to open a bathhouse in San Antonio, and Bartlett's announced via the Austin American-Statesman that a second location will take over the famous Threadgill's in South Austin sometime in 2028.

Other news and notes

Manny’s, while not quite a speakeasy, opened in April of 2024 with promises of "a definite element of surprise and discovery," according to designer Peter Bowden at the time. However, a new press release says the coffee and cocktail spot at 301 W. 5th St. is "done playing second fiddle to Powder Room," the more formal, more hidden speakeasy that shares the space. A makeover has transformed Manny's into a Cuban-inspired café with breakfast empanadas, salads, Cuban sandwiches, and more. The first 100 customers from 7-10 am on Saturday, February 21, will get free drip coffees; then the party continues from 3 pm to 2 am. New hours are 7 am to "late" daily. On Google Maps, that's represented by a closing time of 1 am Sundays through Wednesdays and 2 am Thursdays through Saturdays.

The Peached Tortilla in Cedar Park has unveiled a new dining space with its own menu. Called The Backyard at the Peached Tortilla, it offers a playscape, Adirondack chairs, and picnic tables. While out there, guests can try a banh mi taco, charred Brussels sprouts, pesto udon, and a Social Burger with Peached sauce, American cheese, miso caramelized onions, japanese pickles, and lettuce. The full kids menu is also available outside. The Backyard has the same hours as the main restaurant, and there is a social hour from 5-6:30 pm daily.