Playa Bowls plans a new downtown San Marcos outpost at Vie Lofts, with construction slated mid‑February to mid‑May.

A husband-and-wife pop-up from Clay and Kimberly Jasper opened inside A Health and Wellness Shop in Steiner Ranch, serving seasonal lattes, matcha and breakfast tacos.

Chef Mike Graffeo's Umarell will open at 4413 Guadalupe in Hyde Park, serving fried-forward Italian comfort dishes like end-piece lasagna and an Italian hot dog. The team is targeting a Feb. 3 opening.

Insomnia Cookies has filed to open on South Congress at 4341 S Congress Ave; state filings list an April 1, 2026 completion and an estimated $240,000 fit-out.

Phoebe’s Diner is taking over the former Local at 9901 Brodie Lane and is targeting a March opening, bringing breakfast and barbecue to Southwest Austin.

A state‑by‑state analysis from Escoffier finds Texas will add roughly 52,000 culinary jobs by 2032, outpacing other states as restaurants warn hiring remains tight.

Terrible Love owner Brian Knowles is converting the Baker Center's band room into a wine bar focused on Spanish‑style vermouth and low‑ABV pours.

Koko’s Bavarian has reopened on South Lamar as a 7,000‑sq‑ft beer hall with massive screens, an oak‑shaded patio and a menu of house sausages, pretzels and big pours.

Con Madre Cocina will reopen at its East Oltorf location this Friday with a new 24-foot trailer and its full breakfast taco menu.

After a lengthy closure following an October 2024 fire, Frankie’s NY Style Pizza & Pasta reopened in Georgetown on Jan. 19, returning pizza, pasta and subs to the neighborhood.

Austin institution Texas French Bread is aiming to reopen in April after its Rio Grande building burned in 2022. Owner Murph Willcott says the rebuild is nearly finished and will return to the original footprint.

Whataburger filed for a $2M renovation at its East Austin MLK location, with state records showing upgrades to the building, parking and landscaping. Construction is slated to start mid‑July and run about five months.

Houston-born Gyro Republic announced nine new Texas restaurants for 2026, with a heavy push into Austin and franchise opportunities on the table.