Al pastor street tacos are a popular menu item at Conejos Tex-Mex Cantina. (Daniel Schwalm/Community Impact)
From a fried chicken newcomer in Round Rock to a fusion flagship refresh in North Austin, here's this week's dining roundup, including Hopdoddy’s Mueller debut, Conejo's Tex-Mex Cantina expanding to Round Rock, Bella Donuts opening in Hutto, Taqueria de Diez now in West Lake Hills and Mam Mam coming soon to Pflugerville.
This Asian-Southern fusion restaurant has launched a new menu to accompany its renovated dining room and patio at its flagship location in North Austin. Guests can now try the new Hainanese Chicken, which is a slow-poached half chicken with lacquered sweet soy, ginger scallion sauce and chili crisp or the Texas Fish Curry, which features a Texas snapper, a lentil and kale red curry and fire-roasted tomatoes. Other new menu items include smashed cucumbers, charred cabbage and pork wontons prepared with Lacto-fermented morita hot sauce. The eatery also launched three new cocktails, including the Peach Departure, crafted with mezcal, amaro, Aperol, peach and lemon.
Taqueria de Diez opened its third location in West Lake Hills last spring. The eatery first debuted in downtown Austin in 2024, serving up a variety of tacos, burritos and quesadillas along with traditional sides like chips and guacamole. The restaurant operates as an open-kitchen style where customers can watch their food be prepared, as previously reported by Community Impact, and it is in the process of opening two other locations on Guadalupe Street and at The Domain, according to its website.
A new spot bringing a new take on fried chicken is now open in Round Rock. The Arkansas-based Slim Chickens chain serves a variety of chicken wings, tenders and sandwiches alongside Southern-style sides, such as macaroni and cheese, potato salad, and fried pickles. For a sweet treat, customers can choose from a selection of dessert jars including chocolate brownie pudding, key lime pie and strawberry cheesecake; fried cookie dough bites; and chocolate chip brownies.
Bella Donuts opened at the beginning of August in Hutto, according to a sign on the business. The shop serves doughnuts, kolaches, biscuits, coffee and croissants.
Hopdoddy Burger Bar has expanded to Mueller, offering specialty items like the Cadillac Wagyu burger, fried chicken, and shakes. This location, along with the East Fifth Street spot, features a Sunday Boozy Breakfast from 9-11 a.m. with unique items like the Hot Bird Biscuit and Dirty Breakfast Fries. A grand opening celebration is scheduled for Aug. 23 from 9 a.m. to noon, featuring live music, giveaways, and free burgers for the first 100 guests.
A Round Rock location of Conejo’s Tex-Mex Cantina opened in early August. The business is locally owned by Bobby Joe Hernandez, chef Eduardo Miguel, and Matt and Sandra Morcher. It currently operates one other location in Leander. The restaurant’s menu blends Mexican cuisine with Tex-Mex staples and Southern flavors. Offerings include tacos, fajitas, enchiladas, quesadillas and more.
Popular menu items at Conejos Tex-Mex Cantina include the crispy short rib quesa-birrias, the al pastor street tacos and the Coco Loco margarita. (Daniel Schwalm/Community Impact)
Mam Mam, a chef-driven Vietnamese and Thai concept from chef and co-owner Kris Hoang, is set to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant this fall in Pflugerville. After building a following through its pop-up, Mam Mam’s brick-and-mortar spot will serve an expanded menu alongside a full bar complete with Asian-inspired cocktails. The offerings will be built around the pop-up’s most popular dishes, including Vietnamese chicken and rice, fried pork belly vermicelli bowl, fish sauce chicken wings, and xoi man porchetta.
