News You Can Eat

Sports club snacks and Mediterranean brunch arise in Austin food news

East 5th Coffee is opening at the new Padel39 location along with a pizzeria, a cocktail bar, and more.

Photo by Skyler Moore

The proprietors behind this week's food news in Austin really wanted to get things right. That could be a whole food and beverage program launching at once with a new padel club, or a new brunch expanding a Mediterranean restaurant's offerings. Foodies who are willing to travel can also help an Austin chef celebrate the second anniversary of his impactful San Antonio dessert destination.

Openings and closings

Padel39, an Austin-based padel club that debuted in 2024, is opening its second Austin location at 4716 E. 5th St. The new sports club will house a Club39 sports bar, a coffee shop, a pizzeria, and a local taco truck. A grand opening weekend starting Friday, June 12, combines a FIFA World Cup watch party with live music, cold plunges, vendors, cocktails, and more, including free introductory padel clinics. More info on each concept here:

Club39 specializes in refreshing cocktails and aims to be a watch party destination with a staggering 36 televisions.
East 5th Coffee serves drinks made with Greater Goods coffee and matcha, plus pastries from Rockman Coffee + Bakeshop and bagels from Rosen's Bagel Co.
Forno Veloce will cook up Neapolitan-style pizzas and fun desserts like the Nutella Calzone.
Santo Patio, an existing local taco truck, will move in with Mexico City-inspired street food.

A new mother-and-daughter-owned ice cream and milkeshake trailer called MilkMade has opened at 6519 N. Lamar Blvd. It had a long soft opening phase but celebrated its official grand opening May 23. Flavors are made in small batches, and there are both dairy and vegan options. MilkMade is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays from 1 pm to 10 pm, and Fridays and Saturdays from 1 pm to 11 pm.

Fans of the Italian hotel restaurant Poeta might find this to be old news, but less attentive cocktail sippers are catching up. The restaurant quietly opened its upstairs cocktail bar a few months ago, and now it's promoting the new space. The menu is simple, focusing on spirit-forward drinks and Italian wines in a space that guests can easily settle into before their meals. For now, the space is open Thursdays from 5-9 pm and Fridays and Saturdays from 5-11 pm. Hours will expand this summer.

At the end of May, the Austin-American Statesman broke news that McGuire Moorman Lambert Hospitality (MMLH) is working on opening a new Greek concept at at 1211 West Lynn St., the former home of Sledd Nursery. The restaurant is expected to open in 2027.

Other news and notes

Oria, the new Mediterranean restaurant that opened on Barton Springs Road this winter, is expanding its service with a Saturday and Sunday brunch. The brunch menu is simple and designed to facilitate sharing; items include the French toast with brûléed Catalan cream, and a steak and eggs with baharat chimichurri and potatoes. The drink menu keeps it classic as well, with options like a Mediterranean Bloody with tomato juice and olive tapenade or a Grand Golden Hour Spritz with strawberry-infused aperol.

Yes, it's a bit of a commitment to drive to San Antonio just for dessert. However, Nicosi, the highly lauded fine dining dessert experience by Austin chef Tavel Bristol-Joseph at Pullman Market, is having a milestone birthday celebration June 26 that should be well worth the drive. This will be Nicosi's first-ever chef collaboration dinner, featuring pastry chef Camari Mick of L’Atelier Ébène, an upcoming bakery and restaurant in New York City. Mick joins Bristol-Joseph and chef Jorge Hernandez for a wide-ranging four-course menu that represents West Africa, Spain, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Texas. Interested diners should purchase tickets ($150) ASAP on OpenTable. Seatings are available at 5:30 pm and 8 pm.

news you can eat openings coffee matcha mediterranean cuisine san antonio desserts ice cream pastries

BBQ on TV

Food Network digs into Austin barbecue twice this June

KG BBQ/Facebook

When the Food Network says it's visiting an Egyptian cowboy in Austin, locals know that means Kareem El-Ghayesh.

People all over the country are interested in Austin's food scene, especially when it comes to barbecue. This June, two Food Network shows will be highlighting Texas' capital city: Food Network's Top 10 will dive into a local barbecue favorite, and BBQ Brawl will task pitmasters with making dishes that represent local culture.

Food Network’s Top 10 is a new series that premiered May 25, 2026. Each episode represents a type of food — like pizza, the star of the first episode — and selects the top 10 dishes in that category around the country. Then notable chefs take a look at those dishes and break them down, adding some insight into why they're so good and maybe even helping viewers commit to their next night out.

Of course, Austin is featured in the barbecue episode, which airs June 8 at 10 pm. Episodes are also available to stream online after their initial premiere.

The Food Network keeps its episode descriptions slightly vague, but it's usually obvious to locals what they're hinting at. The barbecue episode features an "'Egyptian cowboy' in Austin, Texas, [who] redefines pit mastery with a North African-spiced rack of lamb." That has to refer to Kareem El-Ghayesh of KG BBQ, who has become one of the most influential pitmasters in Austin by incorporating Mediterranean flavors.

We don't know who will break down the greatness of KG BBQ for viewers, but chefs Michael Voltaggio, Andrew Zimmern, and Aarón Sánchez will all be featured in the episode. It also sounds like there will be a focus on regional styles, which will be interesting for a hybrid cuisine that's equally Egyptian and Central Texan.

The BBQ Brawl episode, which premieres June 15 at 9 pm, will be a bit more abstract, yet also more focused on Austin. This show organizes competing pitmasters into teams led by celebrity chefs Bobby Flay, Maneet Chauhan, and Brooke Williamson. Then they compete in themed challenges.

The teaser text for "Capital City 'Cue" says the episode is inspired by Austin's live music scene, and "the brawlers must listen closely and hit all the right notes with their BBQ feasts." BBQ Brawl also streams online.

For both shows, online viewers may need to link their TV provider to gain access. Some episodes are available without linking.

barbecue tv shows chefs