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5 things to know in Austin food right now: Deep dish pizza fave takes a slice of Bee Cave

News You Can Eat

Photo courtesy of Via 313

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

One of Austin's favorite pizza places, Via 313, is opening a new location in Bee Cave (3944 S. FM 620 Rd.) on May 15. The Detroit-style deep-dish makers now have 14 locations, 10 of which are in Texas. The opening day celebration includes a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a partnership with Cerebral Palsy Awareness Transition Hope (CPATH), which will receive a quarter of the day's sales. The restaurant has several active job listings, including an hourly wage for servers in addition to tips. Hours only appear in the business' Google sidebar.

Wu Chow, a downtown Chinese restaurant known for its soup dumplings, is expanding from its high-traffic location on West 5th Street to something more accessible to the northern masses: the former site of Rosedale Kitchen and Bar (3800 N Lamar Boulevard). This is the first full expansion from the original location, although Little Wu serves up dumplings to-go at Fareground. The location opens on May 19, with a lunch service starting on June 19, and dim sum on July 8. The dinner service this month will be open Monday through Saturday, from 4:30-10 pm.

Austin drive-through heroP. Terry’s has now hit a milestone number of locations: 30. The newest is in Cedar Park (851 W. Whitestone Blvd.), across from Stiles Switch BBQ. Like the other locations, this one will serve breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night eats, from 7 am to 11 pm, Monday through Thursday, until midnight on Fridays; 8 am to midnight on Saturdays, and until 11 pm on Sundays. The classic menu offers burgers, veggie burgers, fries, chicken patties, cage free eggs, and scratch-made sweet bakes.

Other news and notes

Austin sees its fair share of food festivals and competitions, but the American Lamb Jam is kicking it up a notch with a multi-city contest. The American Lamb Board hosts this event series to promote family-owned lamb producers in the U.S., calling on chefs from Austin, Boston, Denver, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C., to create a signature sharable lamb plate or appetizer to be served at their home restaurants. Austin participants hail from El Naranjo, Interstellar BBQ, KG BBQ, Lenoir and more. Diners can vote for the best dish at americanlamb.com.

Forget the spelling bee — Bee School at Waterloo Greenway will teach one group of kids everything they need to know. French perfume maker Guerlain is launching a "Guerlain Bee School" at the park in partnership with its bee conservation program. (Remember the photos of Angelina Jolie with bees?) A group of pre-selected local second-graders will attend a beekeeping class on May 12, tour the pollinator garden, taste honey, and more. Then the program will be integrated into a current photography exhibition at the Greenway, "Seeing Bees". Adults with FOMO can look into classes at Round Rock Honey, which is helping to host the private event.

Sushi|Bar ATX, one of Austin's most upscale omakase experiences, always books up fast. This series will be no different, but might light a fire under some sushi lovers who have been meaning to splurge on a visit. The new chef series, "The Second Room" (a play on the restaurant's single-room dining), has its inaugural dinner on June 8 and 9. Two Michelin-starred chef Paul Liebrandt, previously chef-partner of NYC restaurants Corton and The Elm, will join Sushi|Bar ATX executive chef Ambrely Ouimette for a 20-item menu ($495 per person), contributing 10 dishes each. Find out more and reserve on Tock.

Photo courtesy of Raegan Haggard.

Popular Saturday night concert series returns to the Hill Country Galleria

HILL COUNTRY CONCERTS

A popular spring concert series has returned to the Hill Country this month. The Hill Country Galleria’s “Saturday Night Concert Series” is a seven-week music spectacle hosted by Austin City Limits Radio.

Visitors can sit on the Central Plaza Lawn from 7 to 9 pm on Saturday nights to listen to local musicians like Bob Schneider, Patrice Pike, Two Tons of Steel, and more. With plenty of dining options surrounding the plaza such as Buenos Aires Cafe or The League Kitchen & Tavern, it makes for a wonderful date-night spot or family night out.

The first concert to kick off the series on March 25 featured Rosie Flores, known for her country-rock vocals and her talent for singing across multiple genres. She has released 13 albums since her debut in 1987 – her latest album Simple Case of the Blues was released in 2019.

This week's featured act is Austin's favorite musician Bob Schneider. He is the winner of 55 Austin Music Awards, and has released over two dozen albums in his career as a solo artist and as the former lead singer of rock band Ugly Americans. His most recent album came out in 2021: In A Roomful of Blood With A Sleeping Tiger.

The concert series lineup is as follows:

More information about the concert series can be found at hillcountrygalleria.com.

Photo by Beeing on Unsplash

2nd annual buzz-worthy book festival draws busy bees to the Hill Country

POLLINATION PROMOTION

Bee Cave’s buzzing Books and Bees Festival is back at the Hill Country Galleria for an education-packed weekend of fun, with a new twist: their first-ever HoneyFest.

The Bee Cave Public Library launched their bookish festival in 2022 to promote their programming and bee conservation efforts. The city has a Bee City USA affiliate designation, meaning the local community is dedicated to sustaining bee pollination through the growth of native plants and reduction of pesticides.

The library's goals with the festival are to educate children and families about the importance of bees in nature, while also uplifting important literature.

Highlighted events on April 1 include a musical performance from “The Singing Zoologist” Lucas Miller, a children’s craft and storytime space, and bee education sessions. Guests can also expect to see book signings, Q&A sessions, and readings from several featured authors, including Fridge-Opolis author Melissa Coffey and Nicolas Solis, author of My Town, Mi Pueblo.

The inaugural HoneyFest the following day will allow visitors to engage with local honey makers, enthusiasts, and creators from the community. There will be a bee-themed farmer’s market with plenty of local honey tastings to go around. The Bee Cave Library also invited several self-published local authors for guests to discover. While you’re there, you can help decide on the Best Beekeeper in Bee Cave contest.

The Books and Bees Festival will take place on April 1 from 12:30-4:30 pm. HoneyFest will run from 10 am to 2 pm on April 2. The festival is free to the public, but registration is encouraged via Eventbrite. More information about the festival can be found on booksandbeesfestival.com.

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Property Showcase

UT Austin's Texas Exes awards 43 of the fastest growing, Longhorn-run businesses in Austin

WE LOVE LOCAL BIZ

Maybe it's not as much of a surprise given how big our city is, but did you know dozens of our favorite local businesses are run by University of Texas at Austin grads? Now, 43 of Austin's fastest growing, Longhorn-run businesses are receiving the recognition they deserve by their alma mater.

UT Austin's alumni association, the Texas Exes, celebrated 100 nationwide companies who were founded, owned, or led by Longhorns over the past five years with the inaugural Longhorn 100 Gala on May 18. Award recipients must have held a minimum annual revenue of $250,000 since 2019 to qualify, in addition to their Longhorn status.

Of course, Austin-area businesses took home the most awards, whose winners include popular restaurants, beverage brands, real estate groups, and more.

The five Austin-area shopping and retail businesses that were recognized include:

  • Poncho Outdoors
  • BURLEBO (Dripping Springs)
  • Korman
  • Texas Standard(not to be confused with KUT's statewide radio program)
  • Home Trends and Design, Ltd
Seven Austin-area restaurants, breweries, and beverages were also awarded:
  • El Arroyo
  • Rambler Sparkling Water
  • Beatbox Beverages
  • Desert Door (Driftwood)
  • Garrison Brothers Distillery (Hye)
  • Zilker Brewing Company
  • Independence Brewing Co., Inc.
Real estate groups, construction and architecture firms, and home improvement providers that won awards include:
  • OJO
  • Watters International Realty
  • Maestro Integrations
  • Amazing Exteriors
  • RiverCity Cabinets
  • Freedom Solar Power
  • The Steam Team
  • Austin Deck Company
  • Michael Hsu Office of Architecture
The five Austin science and technology companies that were celebrated are:
  • AlertMedia
  • Fractilia, LLC
  • E & Co Tech
  • Pushnami, LLC
  • Blacklake Security
Business and legal services providers that won awards include:
  • AffiniPay
  • Daito Design
  • Palisades Group
  • SOAL Technologies, LLC
  • Willi Law Firm, P.C.
  • Potts Blacklock Senterfitt, PLLC
Other Austin businesses that won awards include:
  • Carbon Better
  • Tower Rock Oil & Gas
  • Cypress Industries
  • Roots Behavioral Health
  • College Inroads
  • A Taste of Koko
  • 365 Things Austin
  • Third Rail Creative
  • Giant Noise
  • GSD&M
  • Stems
The full list of Longhorn 100 winners from around the state can be found on texasexes.org.

14 Austin icons star in new Texas Monthly book documenting most influential Texans of last 50 years

LONE STARS RISING

Texas Monthly's editors have released the next book for reading list queues. To commemorate the publication's 50th anniversary, they've collected and bound the stories and photographs of 50 iconic Texans that have shaped our great state and the country over the past 50 years. And 14 Austin megastars have made it on the roster.

Lone Stars Risingis Texas Monthly's third book, created in collaboration with Harper Wave Books. Among the book's 256 pages are not just the rich histories and commentaries about our most recognizable Texas legends, but a few "lesser-known individuals who have been toiling on the sidelines, quietly and intentionally shaping" our perception of our vast and great state.

The 14 Austin idols that made it into the book include state political figures, business magnates, legendary musicians, inspirational writers, and more.

  • Willie Nelson, because, Willie Nelson
  • Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Johnson, wife of former president Lyndon B. Johnson
  • Américo Paredes, author and founder of the University of Texas at Austin's Center for Folklore Studies
  • Richard Linklater, film director and mastermind behind Dazed and Confused andSchool of Rock
  • Louis Black, co-founder of the Austin Chronicle and South by Southwest
  • Molly Ivins, Texas newspaper columnist
  • Ann Richards, former Texas Governor
  • Karl Rove, former White House Deputy Chief of Staff
  • Bob Bullock, former Lieutenant Governor of Texas
  • Rick Perry, former Texas Governor
  • Aaron Franklin, founder of Franklin Barbecue
  • Liz Lambert, owner of hotel empire MML Hospitality
  • Dan Patrick, current Texas Lieutenant Governor
  • Michael Dell, founder of Dell Technologies
Lone Stars Rising will be available for purchase on June 6. More information about the book can be found on texasmonthly.com.

Willie Nelson
Photo by Pamela Springsteen

Willie Nelson leads the list of Austinites.

It only takes 3 steps to get medical cannabis in Texas

Easy As 1, 2, 3

As the Texas Legislature convenes for its 88th session, many patients, physicians, and advocates are pushing for expansions to the Compassionate Use Program, the state’s medical cannabis program.

Since 2015, the program has expanded twice, allowing for more than 150 conditions to qualify for medical cannabis.

For thousands of patients in the state, medical cannabis provides a safe alternative to opioid medications and effective relief for symptoms like pain, insomnia, anxiety, nausea, muscle spasms, and more.

Texas Original, the state’s leading medical cannabis provider, makes the process of getting a prescription easy. Receiving a medical cannabis prescription starts with a few simple steps:

Step 1: Find out if you qualify
The first step is to find out if you qualify by scheduling an appointment with a doctor registered in the Compassionate Use Program.

Several registered doctors offer convenient virtual appointments through telemedicine practices so patients can meet with the doctor from anywhere in Texas.

To set your appointment, visit Texas Original’s website and fill out the form. Veterans, first responders, teachers, and medical professionals are eligible to receive a free first appointment for a six-month prescription. If you belong to one of these eligible groups, simply check the box on the form.

Step 2: Talk to a doctor
During your appointment, the doctor will review your medical records and confirm if you are eligible for medical cannabis, then discuss your treatment plan.

Once approved, your doctor will add your prescription to the online medical cannabis registry, where it can be accessed by licensed dispensaries.

Step 3: Receive a prescription
After your appointment, call 512-614-0343 to place your first order. Texas Original offers the state’s leading medical-grade cannabis products, including Texas’ first fast-acting medical cannabis gummies.

All products undergo rigorous testing and the results are published publicly on Texas Original’s website for patients to access anytime.

The dispensary team will help you select your products, then schedule you for a pickup at a location nearest to you or arrange home delivery.

Medical cannabis provides Texans an all-natural option that may help alleviate symptoms like pain, insomnia, and anxiety that are commonly associated with approved medical conditions.

If you or a loved one are ready to start your journey with medical cannabis, reach out to Texas Original to get started. Plus, enjoy a 20 percent discount on your first order at Texas Original.

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