Downtown Southern finer-dining restaurant Fixe opened this casual sibling cafe up in the Arboretum in early October. The all-day menu featuring those biscuits as well as breakfast and lunch plates (think pancakes and crawfish mac and cheese), sandwiches, and drinks. Takeout orders can be placed online or in person; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

The team behind former cafe All Gimmicks Coffee turned their attention to running this very unfussy Chicago-ish restaurant and bar in North Austin in June. The casual space offers dishes like giardiniera ranch-covered chicken wings, Chicago-style thin-crust pizza, lots of cocktails, and Malört. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in areas.

Austin chef Ling Qi Wu opened this Chinese spot in the Rosedale neighborhood. Much like its sibling restaurants — Lin Asian Bar, Qi, Ling Kitchen, and Ling Wu Asian Restaurant in Lantana Place — Ling Wu Asian Restaurant at the Grove serves up Chinese and dim sum dishes, including so many dumplings, rice, noodles, meats, seafood, and vegetables for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

The duo behind acclaimed Los Angeles Sichuan restaurant Chengdu Taste ventured into Austin for the first time with this new casual Chinese restaurant in the Triangle in mid-October. The menu offers up Sichuan and Shanghainese dishes; of the former, expect dishes like spicy beef noodles; and the latter offers soup dumplings and buns. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.

The oh-so-cheesy Austin cafe reopened in Cherrywood in October, offering charcuterie and cheese boxes, tartines, and sandwiches. Takeout orders can be placed online or in person; there are indoor dine-in areas.

Two new Irish-leaning spots opened in the heart of downtown Austin this July. First, there’s New York City-based Irish pub the Dead Rabbit, which debuted its first Texas bar and restaurant. On deck are its Irish cocktails and whiskeys, alongside a pub food menu featuring the classics, such as fish and chips, chicken pot pie, and Irish breakfast plates. Next door is the first American location of Belfast-based restaurant Neighbourhood Café. The cafe serves up daytime food with Irish and Texan slants, for example, the quesadilla made with Guinness beer-braised beef or the breakfast sandwich with Irish cheddar cheese and thick bacon strips. There’s also coffee and tea, along with pastries from Austin restaurant Epicerie. Both restaurants have indoor dine-in services.

Another New York bar import, this one brings Midwestern and retro vibes to Central East Austin in early October. Yes, there are easy cocktails and beers, but there’s also a food menu spanning New American, pub, and Australian cuisines. Think mushroom rigatoni, fish and chips, and meat pies. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

One of Mexico City’s essential taquerias expanded into the U.S. for the first time and decided to open in Central East Austin in early September. The restaurant is all about coastal Mexican dishes and seafood, including tacos made with shrimp longanisa and pork rinds; burritos stuffed with smoked swordfish and octopus; and Tostitos served with Sinaloan-styled ceviche. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

Biannual Round Top pop-up Y Comida ventured into downtown Austin for its first somewhat regular Austin location in late August. Chef and owner Nick Middleton took over the kitchen at downtown food hall Fareground’s street-level bar Ellis, where he and the team are serving South Texan-New American dishes in a casual setting. That means Buffalo quail lollipops, brisket confit tacos, and mezcal affogatos. The restaurant will be open through the end of December 2024, with the potential opportunity to stay on beyond that. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

East Austin modern American Italian restaurant Casa Bianca opened up its rooftop bar in late September. The similar “weirdo-Italian” ethos from the restaurant applies up here — find bar snacks like conservas and mussels, along with sandwiches and chilled pastas, perfect for alfresco dining. There are outdoor dine-in services.

The notable Austin farmers market stand-coffee roaster-nixtamalization operation opened its first physical cafe in Holly in early July, making use of its star ingredients for its food and coffee drinks. While there’s still limited service and menus, find great bites like masa Twinkies, masa biscuits, and masa pancakes, alongside thoughtful coffee, espresso, and masa-based drinks. There are outdoor dine-in areas.