Ēma’s first Texas location will open in Austin in the fall of 2025. | Photo by Jeff Marini
2024 was an epic year for our local dining scene — the first-ever Michelin stars in Austin were awarded, and tons of new restaurants made their debut. That said, we can’t wait for what 2025 has in store.
Here are twelve restaurants on our radar that are set to open this year.
Bad Larry’s, 2027 E. Cesar Chavez St. The burger pop-up’s first standalone location is set to open its doors in the Holly neighborhood early this year. Expect smash burgers, breakfast dishes, and events like a music and food festival.
Ēma, 3120 Palm Way, Ste. #170 Aba’s sister restaurant — coming to Domain NORTHSIDE in fall 2025 — will feature a mezze-style menu of Mediterranean small plates.
Leona Botanical Café & Bar, 6405 Brodie Lane Get excited for the upcoming launch of this garden concept, which will host counter-service restaurants like DEE DEE and Veracruz All Natural.
Bonsai Beginner Workshop | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Central District Brewing | $75 | Experts at Bonsai Bar will teach you the art of potting, pruning, and designing tiny trees.
Thursday, Jan. 16
Unplugged @ The Chapel | 7:30 p.m. | Riverbend Centre for the Arts | $35+ | Local artists Bob Schneider, Mitch Watkins, and Jo James will perform acoustic sets at this concert series’ first show of the year.
Friday, Jan. 17
Flight Club x OSOME | 6-10 p.m. | Cape Bottle Room | $125 | Elevate your Friday night dinner plans — taste five South African wines paired with 10 courses of OSOME sushi.
Saturday, Jan. 18
Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow-N-Fire | Saturday, Jan. 18-Sunday, Jan. 19 | Times vary | The Moody Center | $33+ | Bring the kiddos to see a show filled with fantastical trucks like the Bone Shaker, Gunkster, Tiger Shark, and Skelesaurus.
11th Annual Sonic Guild Ball | 7 p.m. | The Long Center | $30+ | Wear your “Austin chic” attire to this charitable gala with live music from some of the Capital City’s best local bands.
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Mark your calendar for Friday, Jan. 24 — that’s when tickets for this year’s iHeart Country Festival will go on sale to the general public. Performers like Brooks & Dunn, Thomas Rhett, Rascal Flatts, Sam Hunt, and more country superstars are set to take the Moody Center stage on Saturday, May 3.
Coming Soon
BARk House Social, an off-leash park and membership-only club geared towards dog owners, will open in east Austin in April. Membership begins at $45 per month, and the venue will feature a cafe and full-service bar. (Community Impact)
Travel
There’s a new way to get around Texas. Gogo Charters will launch a luxury bus service that travels from San Antonio to Dallas daily, with stops in San Marcos, Austin, Temple, and Waco. The company’s new buses include perks like Wi-Fi and reclining seats. (CultureMap Austin)
Number
260,899. That’s how many folks visited the Blanton Museum of Art last year, a record-breaking number of visitors for the newly renovated museum. Plan your visit and find more places to see art with our guide to local museums.
Development
Costco may be coming to Liberty Hill. According to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, the company plans to build a 160,000-sqft store near North U.S. 183 and Seward Junction Loop. Construction on the ~$63 million project would begin in May and wrap in November. (KVUE)
Cause
If you’re looking for local avenues to aid Californians affected by the Los Angeles wildfires, many Austin businesses are collecting donations or donating a portion of their proceeds through the end of the month. Find a way to give back to LA. (Austin Monthly)
Sports
LOVB Austin Volleyball, the Capital City’s newest professional sports team, will play its first home game at 7 p.m. today at the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park. Tickets for the game against LOVB Atlanta Volleyball range from $25 to $70.
Listen
With key players like Isaiah Bond, Matthew Golden, and Jaydon Blue entering the NFL Draft, the Longhorns are poised to enter a new era. Get the biggest stories every day from the local experts of the Texas Longhorns with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Job
Ready to get connected with the best local talent in 2025? We created our community job board just for you. Give it a try by posting your first listing for free.
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🎉 Never be bored again
Keep up with our events calendar to stay in the know about beloved local events + community happenings. | Photo courtesy ABC Kite Fest via Business Wire
You may be familiar with the events section of our newsletter — but what about our website?
Make the most of our events calendar with these pro tips for navigating our site like a true local. Hosting an event soon? Keep reading to learn how to add it to our calendar.
Click “Add Event” in the top right-hand corner (or just click here.)
Voila! From there, we comb through all of our events and mark our top recommendations as “Editor’s Pick” so you can easily spot the most relevant events happening in Austin.
Psst... our online calendar is where we source most of our events for the newsletter.
The Buy
The Buy
Bananagrams. The award-winning family game is travel-friendly + perfect for all ages. Bonus: Add a little chaos to family game night when you try the party edition features 14 new tiles with challenges and hijinks.
Speaking of restaurants... here’s your reminder to book a dinner reservation for Valentine’s Day while you still can. If your favorite spot is already booked, you could always try your luck at a local restaurant that doesn’t take reservations.
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