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

Word is out that one of Austin’s favorite Italian restaurants, L’Oca d’Oro, is opening a pizza spot. Details are sparse so far, but the concept's name will be Bambino, led by L'Oca's team, chef Fiore Tedesco and Adam Orman, and inspired by pizza from their respective upbringing in the Northeast. Expected to open in summer 2023, the concept will include a full bar with specialty cocktails and a curated wine list. The neighborhood pizza joint will follow the same ethos as L'Oca — utilizing ingredients at their peak to create a refined pizza to be enjoyed by all.

Only an impossibly trendy bar could seriously pull off a name like the Wiggle Room, and this one certainly does. Now open between its sister bars Ranch 616, Beez Kneez, and Cat’s Pajamas, this West Texas-themed mirage includes lots of succulent, snake, and cowboy references amid its otherwise disco-safari aesthetic. It looks as chaotic as it sounds. Since its grand opening on November 25, the place has been a revolving door for DJs and dancers who love “stiff drinks.” Reserve at wiggleroomatx.com.

No one plans a party like an Austin brewery, but it can be hard to keep up with everyone’s favorites. City Brew Tours, a company that gives brewery tours in 18 cities around the United States, is new in Austin, with tours starting in February. Each tour visits three or four locations, and so far Austin breweries include Independence Brewing Co., Family Business Beer Company, Celis Brewery, Beerburg Brewing, among other unnamed partners. A knowledgeable guide brings visitors along with included transportation and a meal or snack, then encourages them to support the local business by taking products home. Reserve at citybrewtours.com.

Other news and notes

Cookie Rich and influencer A Taste of Koko, two Austin institutions with cult followings, are teaming up for a limited-edition holiday flavor. These gold-dusted, white chocolate chip sandwich cookies contain dark fudge and marshmallow fluff for an elevated wintertime combination called the Hot Koko. Her curated boxes come with the Hot Koko, birthday sprinkle, cookies and cream, and red velvet flavors in packs of four ($18) or 12 ($36). Order online at getcookierich.com, or at the Austin trailer.

Tiff’s Treats is making stocking-stuffers and gift swaps easy this year with holiday packages and same-day delivery. Santa Packs come with a blank card for writing a note to the big guy, and gift bundles include the founders’ book It’s Not Just Cookies and an earring collaboration with Kendra Scott. Customers can also add an ornament inspired by El Arroyo’s signs, reading “In a world where you can be anything, be kind” ($18). Order online at cookiedelivery.com.

Anyone with a ring in their pocket or on their finger this holiday season should consider stopping by Camp Lucy for its annual “Sip, See, Experience” this January 7. From 10 am to 4 pm, the Hill Country wedding venue is putting its best foot forward for tours, including specialty snacks and drinks from Chef Meredith Shaffer and the rest of the culinary team. It’s free to attend, so it’s worth a try even four couples with a different dream venue. RSVP on Eventbrite.