Plus, we found delicious local salsa you can get at the grocery store.
 
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104º | 0% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:02 a.m. | Sunset 8:04 p.m. | Full Weather Report | Traffic Report
 

🍴 Hope you’re hungry

Get hungry for Austin Restaurant Weeks 2024

A tres leches cake, topped with a rich, caramel sauce that drips down the sides. The top of the dessert is sprinkled with sesame seeds, adding a touch of texture and contrast. The dish is presented on a dark, minimalist plate, and the background is a rustic wooden surface, enhancing the warm and indulgent appearance of the dessert.
La Popular’s tres leches cake is piled high with a torched meringue and topped with caramel. | Photo courtesy La Popular
It’s time to work up an appetite, because Austin Restaurant Weeks is right around the corner.

From Friday, Aug. 30 to Sunday, Sept. 15, dozens of restaurants, bars, and bakeries will offer prix-fixe menus — $20 for lunch + brunch and $40-$60 for dinner — and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Central Texas Food Bank.

Here are a few deals to dig into.

Lunch

An indoor mini-golf course with various creatively designed holes and pathways. In the foreground, there's a small table with a drink and a golf scorecard. The mini-golf course features colorful and artistic elements, including graffiti-style decorations and unique structures like bridges and tunnels. Several people are seen playing mini-golf, adding to the lively atmosphere. The background includes a well-lit area with more mini-golf holes and a bar where people are gathered, enhancing the social and recreational ambiance of the space.

Putt your ball across the Pennybacker Bridge while you sip on a craft cocktail at the Dirdie Birdie.

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Photo courtesy Consumable Content

The Dirdie Birdie | $20 | Enjoy a round of mini golf (included in the price) at this Austin-themed indoor course, plus your choice of the “Birdie Bites” boneless wings or Bavarian pretzel sticks.

Laurel | $30-$60 | Get a taste of the Italian coast with the choice of an antipasti, like “Nonna’s Meatballs,” and an entrée like the “Fungus Amungus,” with roasted mushrooms and pesto. You can also get a $60 dinner menu in the evening.

Dinner

Bar Peached | $40 | Serving a fusion of Asian comfort food and Texas flavors, Bar Peached will serve three courses including Japchae noodles, summer chicken, and a mango peach sundae.

La Popular | $40 | Patrons can try some of the signature dishes from this restaurant (which is based in Mexico City), like the queso fundido, chicken mole enchiladas, the churros with dulce de leche, and cactus pear + pomegranate agua fresca.

El Raval | $60 | This Spanish tapas bar will offer a four course meal (plus paella and dessert) including options like hamachi ceviche, Iberico ham + chicken fritters, adobo calamari, and Basque cheesecake.

Special menus

Nomade Cocina's scallop crudo on a plate.

Nômadé Cocina’s beloved scallop crudo is on the special menu.

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Photo by Jay Huang, provided by Nômadé Cocina

Cinful Sweets | $28 | If you’ve got a sweet tooth, indulge in choices including a chocolate marshmallow, Black Forest ice cream cookie cake, and a tiramisu dessert bar.

Nômadé Cocina | $60 | Have your choice of crudo, appetizer, entrée, and dessert from this lauded restaurant that focuses on upscale wood-fired cuisine.

Deals are still incoming, so get more info on the website.
Hungry yet?
Higginbotham Insurance and Financial Services
 
Events
Thursday, Aug. 22
  • Java and Jokes | Thursday, Aug. 22 | 4 p.m. | Sunset Strip Comedy & Entertainment | Cost of purchase | Drink a cup of joe and practice your jokes at this stand-up comedy event in the heart of Downtown Austin.
  • Sierra Ferrell | Thursday, Aug. 22 | 7 p.m. | Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater | $110-$300 | It’s not just “In Dreams” — the singer-songwriter will perform the “Shoot For the Moon” tour in Austin.
Friday, Aug. 23
  • Gambler Days 2024 | Friday, Aug. 23-Sunday, Aug. 25 | Times vary | The Moody Center | $27-$126 | Catch three days of bull-riding fun with the Austin Gamblers.
  • Y’all Means All (Shorts You Don’t Mess With) | Friday, Aug. 23 | 9:45-11:15 p.m. | Galaxy Theatres Austin | $15 | Grab your popcorn and watch shorts made by four Texas film makers.
Saturday, Aug. 24
  • Abbey Lights Up COTA Gala | Saturday, Aug. 24 | 5-10 p.m. | Circuit of the Americas | $325 | Enjoy culinary delights, live music, and prizes for auction for a cause with local celebrity Chet Garner.
Sunday, Aug. 25
  • COME DANCE 2024 | Sunday, Aug. 25 | 1-6 p.m. | Ballet Austin | Free with RSVP | Dance your heart out and experience a variety of dance classes at Ballet Austin for free.
Plan Ahead
  • Green Day | Tuesday, Sept. 10 | 6:30 p.m. | Germania Insurance Amphitheater | $75-$220 | The band behind “American Idiot” will bring Rancid and The Linda Lindas to Austin on the “Saviors” tour.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
Plan Ahead

Culture

🌴 3 standout spaces for your next event
Presented by an ATXtoday Partner
A flamingo float sits in the pool at The Graeber.
Host up to 40 guests at The Graeber by Lodgewell, a stunning downtown venue with a private pool, modern kitchen, and lush outdoor spaces. | Photo provided by RestauRent
Planning an event can be stressful, but securing the perfect space doesn’t have to be.

Austin’s electric energy (hello, Live Music Capital of the World) is the perfect backdrop for any event. And with RestauRent, finding the ideal venue to bring your vision to life is a breeze.

Simply enter your event details into RestauRent’s easy-to-use search tool, and let the platform do the work for you. You can browse venue profiles, filter for specific amenities, and check real-time availability — all in one place.

Whether you’re throwing a festive holiday party or corporate soirée, RestauRent offers a diverse range of venues. From stylish downtown spots to unique outdoor spaces, there’s something for every occasion.

Need inspo? Check out these must-see venues:
Explore more venues on RestauRent
News Notes
Weather
  • Despite the recent heatwave, Austin is poised to weather far fewer days above 105º compared to last year. By this time in 2023, there had been 36 days above 105º, but so far in 2024, there have only been two. (KVUE)
Development
  • The Austin-to-Manor Trail, a 5.5-mile trail beginning at Austin’s Daffan Lane and ending at Manor’s Ben E. Fisher Park, will open this Saturday, Aug. 24. The trail will follow the future Green Line of Project Connect and joins with the Southern Walnut Creek Trail. (KXAN)
Announced
  • Don’t talk to us until we’ve had our Desnudo coffee. The local coffee trailer has a new location at Fareground (111 Congress Ave.) and will be open today through at least December. Stop by for a brown sugar miso latte and a brown butter chocolate chip cookie.
Sports
  • Longhorn-stamped burgers, baked mac and cheese, and bread pudding, oh my. Football fans can expect a different menu — inspired by the team’s rival — at each game at DKR Texas Memorial Stadium this season. Think crawfish boils for LSU and alligator for University of Florida. (KXAN)
Ranked
  • Austin is the No. 5 best city in the world — and best in the US — for nightlife, according to Time Out. Joining the ranks of cities like Rio de Janeiro and Berlin, Austin was praised for its array of events, buzzing streets, and great places to dance.
Try This
  • The 38th annual AIA Austin Homes Tour is Saturday, Oct. 26-Sunday, Oct. 27, showcasing eight innovative homes built or renovated by local architecture firms. Tickets for the self-guided tour are on sale now, ranging $10-$125.
Pets
  • We love our four-legged friends here in ATX. When it comes to hounds, the Bernese Mountain Dog is the favorite breed across Texas (as well as California and Florida), according to a report from Forbes.
Listen
  • As we head into the 2024 football season, which Houston Texans player has made the most of their spot in the NFL? Get the biggest stories every day from the local experts of the Houston Texans with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
    Festival
    Health
    • Did you hear that? Most hearing aids have one processor. These bad boys have two. They process speech and noise separately, so speech gets clearer and crisper. No wonder 385,000+ customers love them.*
     
    Food

    🌶️ Keep Austin spicy

    Stay spicy: salsa and hot sauce made in Austin
    Three jars of "El Patio Legendary Salsa" displayed on a supermarket shelf. The jars are lined up side by side and labeled as "Medium," "Hot," and "Habanero" flavors, respectively. Each jar has a distinctive label featuring the El Patio brand name, with a sombrero design above the text. The price for each jar is marked as $4.48. The jars are placed on a shelf, with other salsa products partially visible on the left and right.
    Step into our office — er, the salsa aisle at H-E-B. | Photo by ATXtoday
    No taco, bowl of chips, or burrito is complete without the perfect salsa. Luckily, that’s easy to find in ATX.

    Try some of these local salsas + hot sauces that can be purchased near you.

    El Patio | H-E-B, Central Market, and more | Available in medium, hot, and habanero, this salsa is made from a family recipe that hasn’t been altered since 1954. Pro tip: try El Patio’s restaurant at 2938 Guadalupe St.

    Yellowbird | H-E-B, Central Market, and more | Whether you like classic flavors like sriracha and habanero or small batch creations like garlic shiitake and plum reaper, Yellowbird keeps your mouth watering.

    Jaime’s Spanish Village | Whole Foods, Natural Grocers, and more | Austinites have enjoyed this award-winning salsa (both green and red) since 1931.

    Austin Chile Co. | Whole Foods, Central Market, and more | Founded by brothers Hector and Jerry, this brand uses Hatch chile, and also sells queso + bean dip.
    Asked

    Which items on your grocery list are you most likely to source locally?
    A. Produce
    B. Meat + dairy
    C. Baked Goods
    D. Snacks
    Shop 'til you drop
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    The Wrap
     
    City Editor Figi poses with an adorable goat.

    Today’s edition by:
    Figi
    From the editor
    Salsa is very important to me, and I’m always looking for a new one to try. El Patio salsa has altered my brain chemistry — I went through an entire jar by myself last week.
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