The Rustic is heading to Grandscape in The Colony, taking over the former Lava Cantina space and aiming for a summer 2026 opening.

Tiny's Milk & Cookies opens a Heights walk-up Wednesday at 3423 White Oak Drive, serving cookies, pastries and in-house espresso. The new site also adds daily breads and a small kitchen for sandwiches.

Babe's Ice Cream in Bay View reopens Feb. 5 under new owner Michael Ludwig. The Cruzes are retiring but customers can expect the same menu and staff during the handoff.

The Lodge, a Piedmont Avenue staple, closed at the end of January. New Alameda owners plan to reopen in spring with light renovations and a daytime menu.

Christopher and Ariana Teigland are opening Odd Rabbit at 5845 Arapahoe this spring — a sushi-forward concept that blends nigiri with the noodle dishes that made them known.

Portillo’s will open in Humble on Feb. 24 with a morning ribbon cutting; the new “Restaurant of the Future” includes double drive‑thru lanes and seating for about 166.

Machetes, the Mexico City–inspired pop-up, will run Hey Love’s kitchen at Jupiter NEXT, bringing machete quesadillas, tacos and late-night al pastor to Burnside.

State auditors have launched a review after Texas comptroller filings showed seven months of zero-dollar alcohol sales at the Moody Center in 2025. The audit aims to reconcile venue records with public filings.

Carniceria Gonzalez opened a second Palmdale location at 820 W. Rancho Vista Blvd, offering carne asada, marinated meats and ready-to-go sides daily.

Burl, the new wood‑fired spot from Tom and Rachel Carlin, has opened on Prairie Avenue with farmer‑driven, Midwestern‑leaning plates and Great Lakes fish. Hours, menu highlights and booking info inside.

White Label Cookies is opening a compact walk‑up at 8714 Santa Monica Blvd in West Hollywood, serving oversized, fudgy cookies with a signature Salty Bottom.

Little Mexico, a South Austin fixture for weekend breakfasts and tamales, will close Feb. 28 as owner Rosa Elia Martinez retires after nearly 40 years.

Intelligentsia is converting a Pico A‑frame into its first Santa Monica drive‑thru coffeebar, pairing car‑window service with a sunny outdoor patio.