Woman-owned Mazúr Coffee & Boutique set to open Aug. 30
Woman-owned coffee shop Mazúr Coffee & Boutique is hosting its grand opening this Saturday, Aug. 30.
What you need to know: The business is owned by Marissa Mazúr and will offer traditional coffee items, specialty coffee, matcha, tea and baked goods.
While customers enjoy their drink or treat, they can browse the boutique’s many selections featuring custom candles, jewelry, tops, bottoms, jackets, dresses and more.
“Our boutique brings timeless, effortless style through a thoughtfully curated collection designed to help women feel confident, graceful, and truly themselves,” Mazúr said. “Inside, you’ll also discover Mazúr Coffee—a space where fashion meets community. Whether you stop by for a new favorite wardrobe piece or to enjoy a cup of coffee with friends, Mazúr is built on faith, love and the belief that true beauty begins within.”
Local restaurants to fight food insecurity during Austin Restaurant Weeks
Dozens of Austin restaurants are teaming up from Aug. 29 to Sept. 14 to help combat food insecurity.
The details: Austin Restaurant Weeks is a two-week dining event that features specially-priced meals and cocktails at a variety of participating eateries. A portion of the proceeds from each meal will be donated to the Central Texas Food Bank.
Pricing options include a $25 lunch and brunch package, a $50 dinner package and a $75 dinner package. The resulting donations are $4, $7 and $10, respectively.
Austin launches $3M civic comprehensive plan update
The 30-year civic blueprint Imagine Austin will be undergoing a $3 million update after City Council formally kicked off the comprehensive planning and public engagement process in August.
Austin's city charter calls for ongoing planning efforts, and city leaders first adopted Imagine Austin as a government and community roadmap in 2012. The city's grown and changed since then but the plan hasn't gone through a full revision, leading to the update that's now moving ahead.
Officials funded the update in Austin's budget two years ago. City outreach like public events, surveys and other efforts will take place over the coming months as the new Imagine Austin takes shape. An updated draft plan for the city's next 20 years will be up for resident review in late 2026 or early 2027, to be followed by formal adoption later that year.
The new concept will be led by chefs Daniel Berg and Dylan Salisbury, of the Austin-based Berg & Sons Hospitality. The company opened its first restaurant, Bill’s Oyster, in 2023 and opened Teddy’s Restaurant & Bar in 2024.
The menu blends fine dining with casual fare, featuring Pat LaFrieda steaks—sourced from the renowned East Coast butcher—alongside burgers, cocktails and wines at a range of price points, according to a news release.
🌮 Horror-themed food truck Fright Bite opens in South Austin (Read more)
🆕 Injera & Beyond brings Ethiopian eatery to Cedar Park (Read more)
🦪 Austin Oyster Co. to open brick and mortar in East Austin (Read more)
😋 Big Daddy Jay's Creole Kitchen serves fresh gumbo in Buda (Read more)
Asian-barbecue fusion food truck Si Baby-Q relocated to Pink Flamingo Food Court in July. The menu features barbecue dishes with an Asian twist, such as brisket and ribs with an Indonesian pepper and spice rub.
Sides include smoked kimchi; queso noodles made with long peppers from India; street corn; roti, or an Indian bread; and a banana pudding dessert.
The food truck also sells smoked meats by the pound and features weekend specials such as smashburgers.
Amid Democratic criticism, Texas lawmakers vote to overhaul STAAR and launch new tests in 2027
Both chambers of the Texas Legislature have voted to overhaul the state’s standardized testing system, putting public school students one step closer to taking new exams in the 2027-28 school year.
The details: House Bill 8 would eliminate the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness and replace it with three shorter tests, which students would take at the beginning, middle and end of each school year.
Bill author Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Salado, said HB 8 would “reduce test anxiety, provide teachers with immediate feedback and create a pathway for trust in our system again." The majority of House Democrats and a few Republicans disagreed, arguing Aug. 26 that the bill would increase the amount of time students spend on exams and essentially create “another STAAR test” developed by the Texas Education Agency.
Next steps: After state senators passed HB 8 with a 21-7 vote Aug. 27, the bill returned to the House for consideration of a Senate amendment. If House lawmakers sign off on the changes, HB 8 will be sent to the governor.
