Austin Flower Co., a walk-in flower market at 1612 W. 35th St, celebrated 30 years of its beautiful cut flowers and house plants last month. Hard to believe it was 30 years ago that the gas station at the corner of 35th St and Jefferson transformed itself into West Austin’s go-to place when we need a little something something to fluff up our spaces. Owner and West Austinite Thomas Gay honored the late August milestone by inviting everyone for burgers and ice cream. Open seven days, Mon-Sat 9am-6pm and Sunday noon-5pm; wholesale and retail; more at 512-451-6447 or austinflowers.com or @austinflowerco
Local Foods opened last month at 3800 N Lamar #170, Austin’s second location of the Houston-based restaurant with a robust offering of vegan and vegetarian options. Local Foods partners with Texas growers, farmers, ranchers, fishers, bakers, coffee roasters, and food artisans to provide “flavors so fresh, you’ll swear our food is flirting with you.” The crunchy chicken sandwich on a pretzel roll gets raves, and I’ve got my eye on the escabeche, a vegan side of cauliflower, carrot, jalapeno, and onion. Pluswhich, free parking in the garage, soft serve froyo, batched cocktails, full bar. Open seven days 10:45am – 9pm, with weekend brunch soon from 9am – 3pm. More at localfoodstexas.com
ThunderCloud Subs Turkey Trot registration is open for the 36th year of the Thanksgiving Day run. And the good news is you have till Oct 1 for early turkey – I mean, early bird – registration at $25 for an actual untimed or virtual 5-mile or $30 for a timed 5-mile run/walk. Did I mention long-sleeved T-shirt? My favorite, and you’ll be doing a world of good for Caritas of Austin, a local nonprofit that all proceeds benefit – more than $6M over the years. See thundercloud.com or turkey trot 2026 for registration and packet pickup details.
People’s Pharmacy has a new owner and expanded services at its four locations, including our Westlake and North Lamar stores. New owner Kimberli Wiley, also owner of CPRx Pharmacy in Austin, has collaborated with Victory Medical Center to bring GLP-1s, peptides, and in-store nurse practitioners to Peoples Pharmacy. See peoplesrx.com
Cinque Terre West ATX has come to Rosedale with its flavors of Italy’s Cinque Terre region, offered by owner chef Gianba Vinzoni, who learned to love cooking while spending time with his grandmother in her kitchen. Gianba and Marlo Vinzoni relocated their Cinque Terre West restaurant – and themselves -- from California’s Pacific Palisades to Austin after the Pacific Palisades fire. Check out chef’s amazing culinary creations at cinqueterrewest.com and @cinqueterrewestatx
Dirty Martin’s Place turned 100 this summer, grilling burgers and serving shakes at 2808 Guadalupe on the Drag since 1926. Opened back when its location was in North Austin, the place was part of a bar and gas station and had just a few bar stools on a dirt floor. I ate in the back room in the 60s and 70s where there were half a dozen tables or so – what I reckon they’re calling the historic front room these days, because now Dirty’s has a really big back room with big tables. Has there ever been another place where you could tell the waitperson your order and then you get asked, “You want any fried sides with that?” See dirtymartins.com
Yummy Mommy Thai Cuisine is coming soon, according to the sign draped over the front of the old Pit BBQ at 4707 Burnet Rd, and online projects a September opening with the promise of nostalgic home-cooked Thai comfort food blended with bold street food energy. That Rosedale stretch of Burnet Road from 45th to 49th Street is hopping with food places these days. See @yummymommy_atx
Sandy’s Hamburgers, beloved burger and fries and soft serve drive-in restaurant at 603 Barton Springs, celebrated 80 years recently, getting its start in May 1946. Me too, y’all, me too – Alana here, and I just couldn’t resist our mutual May 1946 birthdays. Sandy’s is open from 10am to 10:30pm every day, serving up A Taste of Old Austin with old fashioned hamburgers, a grilled chicken sandwich, BLTs, hot dogs and corn dogs, fries, and a slew of malts and shakes and cones and sundaes. Sandysaustin.com
NAMI Walks Central Texas steps off from the Palmer Events Center at 9am on Oct. 17. Hosted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, this national event unites communities to break the stigma surrounding mental health conditions and to raise vital funds for local NAMI programs. Join a team, start a team, walk without a team, but see namicentraltx.org for fundraising info – it’s a chance to do good, my friends.
Preservation Austin, housed at the Mcfarland-McBee House at 3805 Red River, is celebrating 2026 Legacy Business Month during the month of October to honor “a beloved local establishment open for 20 years or more that anchors a community and epitomizes classic cool.” This year there are ten businesses being recognized: Callahan’s, The Tavern, Boggy Creek Farm, Westgate Lanes, Shenanigans, Coco’s Café, Elysium, Casey’s New Orleans Snoball, Juan in a Million, and Texas Chili Parlor. Pick up a free Legacy Business Month Passport at any of these spots or at Preservation Austin, and attend the Wrap Party Nov 4 at The Tavern to enter to win prizes. See preservationaustin.org
