Well-Known New York Bakery Milk Bar Is Popping Up at Austin Hotel for December

Very popular New York-based national bakery Milk Bar is embarking on a month-long pop-up in December in Austin. The sweets are part of a collaboration series at Zilker neighborhood hotel the Loren at Lady Bird Lake.

Milk Bar’s pastries — the iconic cookies such as the confetti, compost, and corn-blueberry; the cakes like the birthday cake, red velvet cheesecake; truffles; and the milk bar pie; as well as seasonal offerings— will be sold. A portion of the pop-up’s proceeds will go towards the hotel’s Loren Roots Imperative, which focuses on green initiatives. The pop-up starts on Friday, December 1, and runs through Sunday, December 31.

Milk Bar founder and CEO pastry chef Christina Tosi has a fondness for Austin: she and the bakery have popped up for events like South by Southwest and Hot Luck; there was that Launderette collaboration in 2017; and the third-party delivery pop-up in 2021.

This is the first stint of a new ongoing series where the hotel will host bakers and bakeries from around the world to Austin at its Cafe at the Loren space for the next six months through June 2024.

New rotisserie chicken restaurant opening

A new fast-casual restaurant opened in South Austin this month. Ollie Birds is found at 8906 Brodie Lane within a location of convenience store Big Bucket as of November 7. The menu focuses on rotisserie chicken available in various formats and options (from whole to dark meat to legs) paired with pita. Then there are salads, pita wraps, and sides like pastas with broccoli or chicken. Co-owners and couple Amanda Hamilton and Nathan Hamilton, wanted to opent his restaurant as a way to offer something quick and easy and good for lunch and dinner in the neighborhood.. They’re also helped out by Nathan’s brother Matthew.

Taco truck expansions

Excellent Highland neighborhood taco truck Paprika expanded with a second but temporary location this month. Pegged as a pop-up, this second Paprika is found at Highland bar Long Play Lounge as of November 9. Its hours are from 6 p.m. until everything is sold out on Fridays and Saturdays.

Austin food spots on vacation

South Lamar Thai truck Kiin Di is going on a winter break as its owners go to Thailand. The truck will be closed from Wednesday, November 22 through Tuesday, December 12.

And then Lake Austin restaurant Ski Shores — now under the McGuire Moorman Lambert umbrella — is temporarily closed for winter as of November 13. The Instagram announcement post notes that the restaurant will undergo renovations and dock repairs. The reopening date isn’t shared as of yet.

White truffle season

Both locations of pizzeria and wine restaurant Bufalina and Bufalina Due are hosting its regular white truffle specials this week. There will be white truffles available in four-gram portions for $30 or six-grams for $45 for all of your pasta and pizza needs. It’ll be available from Thursday, November 16 through Sunday, November 19 (or until all the truffles are gone).

Update, 10:43 a.m.: This article, originally published at 10:01 a.m., has been updated to clarify how long the Milk Bar pop-up will last for.