If the way to their heart is through their stomach

• Head to a food truck park and get the first, second, and third courses from different trucks. Play “rock, paper, scissors” to decide who gets to choose each restaurant.
• Impress your date by taking them to one of Austin’s best restaurants — here are the ones that ATXtoday readers think are deserving of a Michelin star.
• Eat dinner at a restaurant in the 2nd Street District (let its twinkling trees set the mood), then keep the conversation going over chocolate fondue for two at Crú Food & Wine Bar.

For the ones who like to play games (just not with your heart)

• Watch a Round Rock Express baseball game with a cold beer and hot dog in-hand.
• Fuel your competition with cider and go head-to-head in Skee-Ball, air hockey, and pinball at Cidercade.
• Kick your love into overdrive in a karting race at Circuit of the Americas.

If you want an “old fashioned”-style date

• Eat French fare at Justine’s Brasserie, then take old-timey portraits together at Lumiere Tin Type in the back lot.
• It’s a classic for a reason — see a film or a show while sharing popcorn at The Paramount Theatre.
• Drink an actual old fashioned at The Roosevelt Room — or mix it up at one of its cocktail classes.

• Hai-Fi + Highballs | Tuesday, Aug. 13 | 6-9 p.m. | Watertrade | Cost of purchase | Enjoy a vinyl listening party at this Japanese-inspired cocktail bar inside the South Congress Hotel.
• Boss Street Brass Band | Tuesday, Aug. 13 | 9 p.m. | Elephant Room | $7 | The horn-driven contemporary ensemble will take the stage for the venue’s monthly “Phatt” Tuesday.

• Bob’s Running Club | Wednesday, Aug. 14 | 6 p.m. | Blue Owl Brewing | Cost of purchase | Enjoy drink specials after this weekly run that accepts runners, walkers, and sprinters.
• Kings of Leon | Wednesday, Aug. 14 | 7:30 p.m. | The Moody Center | $45-$145 | The “Can We Please Have Fun” tour arrives in Austin with special guest Phantogram.

• Pan African Film Festival in Austin | Thursday, Aug. 15 | 7-10 p.m. | AFS Cinema | $60 | The festival from Los Angeles returns to Austin for the second year with a variety of acclaimed films.
• Mozart’s Movies on the Lake | Thursday, Aug. 15 | 8:30 p.m. | Mozart’s Coffee Roasters | Free | Watch “Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse” on the water from a paddleboard or the coffee shop’s deck.

• A new mixed-use development will bring 110 apartment units to south Austin — and half of them will provide workforce housing for those earning between 50%-80% of Travis County’s median income. Plans for the 600 Cumberland Road project also include restaurant and retail space. (Austin American-Statesman)

• It’s back to school season in Austin and the first course is sweet: Austin ISD students will eat breakfast and lunch for free this school year. The school district is implementing the Community Eligibility Provision under the National School Lunch and Beverage Programs in 77 AISD schools. (CBS Austin)

• Beep beep, two new rapid bus lines coming through. CapMetro will debut Pleasant Valley and Expo Center MetroRapid lines in spring 2025, which are part of the entity’s mass transit expansion program. Both will operate at a 20-minute frequency during most hours of the day. (KXAN)

• After just over a year in business, Zilker neighborhood restaurant Elementary closed. The owners said financial woes and slow summer months contributed to the shutter, but some dishes will still be available at its wine bar, Hopscotch, which remains open. (Eater Austin)

• Another day, another exciting opening in east Austin. The team behind Ma’Coco launched a new concept called Recreation at 1630 E. 6th St. It’s a cafe by day and a bar by night, so expect classic bar eats, colorful libations, and live DJs in the evenings. (Eater Austin)

• A new bar coming to Austin is switching booze for botanical drinks. Taano House, a non-alcoholic bar, opens at 1109 E. 6th St. on Thursday, Aug. 15. The drinks will be made with legal psychoactive plants that are meant to evoke relaxation and joy. (Culture Map Austin)

• The Astros are on a high after sweeping in Boston — what’s behind the team’s power surge? Get the biggest stories every day from the local experts of the Houston Astros with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
  

• It’s almost time for the most exciting eight seconds in sports. The Austin Gamblers will host PBR Gambler Days presented by Tecovas from Aug. 23-25. Tickets (starting at $26) are now on sale. Bonus: Shaboozey will perform live Friday night at the Ford Fan Fest before the competition kicks off.*

• We’re beyond the halfway point of 2024 — aka a good time to make sure you’re maximizing your money. Personal finance experts have reviewed hundreds of credit cards to present you with the four very best bonus cards of the year.*