Austin Restaurants Will Donate Sales to Help Fight Australia Fires

Austin for Australia Benefit
Austin restaurants are banding together to help aid with the battle against the ongoing bushfires in Australia. The one-day benefit, organized with nonprofit Austin Food & Wine Alliance, will take place on Sunday, January 26. Participating restaurants will donate partial sales from the day or from special menus to nonprofits aiding in recovery. The lineup includes Franklin Barbecue, Suerte, Patika, and King Bee, among others. Likewise, Tito’s will donate one dollar of every cocktail made with the vodka sold at those participating restaurants, with a maximum donation of $5,000. Rainey Street bar Half Step is also holding a party with live music, food, drinks, and prizes from 3 to 6 p.m. There is also a related online fundraiser, Austin for Australia, via GoFundMe. The raised funds will be split between the Australian hunger-relief organization Foodbank, donation network organization GIVIT, and wildlife rescue organization WIRES.

New San Antonio Taco Restaurant
A new restaurant dedicated to tacos will open within San Antonio food hall The Bottling Department in February. SayTown Tacos is from hot sauce company and Pearl Farmers Market stand Humble House Foods. The menu features six tacos, including one with chicken, pickles, cheese, and crema, and another named after San Antonios Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. Then there are sides like fideo and rice pudding, and drinks like agua frescas. The taco stall is taking over the space previously occupied by healthy cafe The Good Kind from chef Tim McDiarmind (aka Tim the Girl).

Best Austin Barbecue
Conde Nast Traveler highlighted the city’s best barbecue spots, ranging from South Austin truck Brown’s Bar-B-Que to the obvious (La Barbecue, Franklin, Valentina’s) to East Austin Korean restaurant Oseyo (for Korean barbecue), interestingly enough.