Taco-Heavy Downtown Scene Is Getting OneTaco to Rule Them All

Downtown Austin Taco Switcheroo
Taco restaurant and truck OneTaco is expanding into downtown Austin this year. It’s going to take over what had been local chain Taco Shack’s downtown location on 402 Brazos Street, which closed last fall, within the Frost Bank Tower. The new restaurant is expected to open in late February or early March, just in time for the South by Southwest crowds.

This will be OneTaco co-owner Tony Avila and Axel Beverido’s third restaurant, after the ones on West Anderson Lane and in far north Austin, as well as the truck parked at Little Woodrow’s on West Sixth. The restaurant had appeared on an episode of Guy Fieri’s television show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives in 2019. There are still plenty of Taco Shack restaurants around the Austin area, too.

Other taco options right near this OneTaco include Velvet Taco (opening this month on Congress Avenue), Tacodeli, Dai Due Taqueria, and Austin Taco Project.

Barbecue & Pastry Pop-Up
Highly anticipated bakery Abby Jane Bakeshop, led by baker extraordinaire Abby Love, is hosting a pop-up brunch this Sunday, with new-school barbecue truck LeRoy & Lewis. On deck are dishes like breakfast sausages filled with bacon, eggs, and cheese, served alongside sourdough pancakes; an everything-crusted brisket with bagel chips; and the South Texas breakfast taco made with a pork-fat flour tortilla and barbacoa. Pastry-wise, expect beef-tallow doughnuts, brisket cinnamon rolls, and more. It’ll take place at Cosmic Coffee + Beer Garden off South Congress on Sunday, February 16 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., or until everything is sold out.

Love is also hosting two more bakery pop-ups this month, one at Dolce Neve’s new East Austin location on Saturday, February 22 and the second at Confituras on Sunday, February 23.

Another Downtown Austin Hotel Bar
Plans for yet another downtown hotel, this time on 14th and Lavaca streets, will include a rooftop bar if approved.