Austin, Pflugerville, Georgetown and Bastrop will be welcoming a handful of additions to their dining scenes including several local operation expansions from a juice eatery to a coffee spot. This list is not comprehensive.
Impacts of the week
JuiceLand bringing smoothies, juices to Pflugerville this month
JuiceLand, a Texas-based smoothie and juice bar, is opening a new Pflugerville location, expanding its footprint in the North Austin metro with a target opening date for later this month.
Merit Coffee to open fourth Austin location in the Mueller area
The business serves coffee and cold brew alongside hot and iced espresso and tea beverages like lattes, cappuccinos and matcha lattes. Current specialty drinks include the bourbon cream cold foam, strawberry cheesecake cold foam and cereal milk cold brew.
Oria to serve wood-fired mediterranean fare near Zilker in South Austin
The restaurant specializes in charcoal- and wood-fired cooking inspired by flavors from the Eastern Mediterranean and Southern Europe, including bright acidity, bold spices and fire-forward cooking techniques, according to Oria information. Sharable plates include the Fire-Roasted Harissa Branzino, Wood-Fired Pita Bread, and Spicy Walnut and Yogurt Dip.
JuiceLand is opening a new Pflugerville location near H-E-B on TX-130 and East Pflugerville Parkway, with a target opening date of Feb. 20. (Manuel Holguin Jr./Community Impact)Georgetown’s first Summer Moon Coffee planned for along Hwy. 29
A Summer Moon Coffee is planned for Georgetown’s Bluebonnet Plaza development, according to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. According to the filing, construction on Summer Moon’s new space is set to begin in March and wrap up in June. The coffee house is known for its wood-fired coffee roasting process and signature Moon Milk creamer.
True Texas BBQ brings brisket and more to Bastrop H-E-B
The smell of smoked brisket is now a part of Bastrop shoppers’ weekly grocery run after True Texas BBQ opened inside H-E-B. The True Texas BBQ location, which smokes all-natural meats in-house over Texas oak wood, opened as part of an ongoing $30 million expansion in Bastrop—a project that kicked off in July 2023.
Crimson Creek Smokehouse also sells Spare Ribs and Pork Belly Burnt Ends. (Dacia Garcia/Community Impact)
Dining spotlight
Crimson Creek Smokehouse provides Dripping Springs locals with meals and memories
In July 2023, Crimson Creek Smokehouse brought its barbecue to the Dripping Springs area showcasing an Oklahoma influence with some Chicago-inspired sides.
The backstory
The eatery is owned by husband and wife duo Jamie Dickens and Marcus McNac, who started attending bar pop-ups and cooking competitions in 2013. The couple moved to the Dripping Springs area in 2020 and found a way to stay connected with their old neighbors by sharing a home cooked meal.
The pair accepted the requests, crafted barbecue meals and delivered them to their old neighbors in the Lake Creek area. After expanding deliveries beyond their old neighborhood, the couple’s journey in the Austin barbecue scene took off.
The eatery first launched a food truck in October 2020 on Nutty Brown Road before planting roots at its current location outside Deep Eddy Vodka Tasting Room in Dripping Springs.