Austin dining scene shifts locations

Taqueria Chapala began serving customers on South First Street on Oct. 29. The family-owned business moved after closing its longtime location on East Cesar Chavez Street on Sept. 27. Owner Manuel Lopez oversees the relocation, which brings classic dishes such as tacos and fajitas to the new site. The menu also includes the Chapala Especial, a traditional Jalisco-style barbacoa plate, and menudo.

The move follows a month of varied changes across the Austin metro region. In Hutto, a new Mexican seafood food truck opened in October. This expansion comes from an original location in Round Rock. The new truck serves traditional options like aguachile verde, ceviche, and shrimp tacos. Drinks include mangonadas and horchata.

Leander saw the arrival of Black Rock Coffee Bar on Hero Way. The company states this is its 11th establishment in Central Texas. The shop serves coffee, tea, and smoothies. It also offers breakfast sandwiches and freshly baked pastries throughout the day.

Kyle received a new cafe at the Shops at Brick and Mortar District near Heroes Memorial Park. This full-service location offers a rotating seasonal menu and a full bar. Signature dishes include Nashville hot chicken and waffles. Dragon fruit pancakes are also available on the menu.

Leona Botanical Cafe and Bar in Leander is now operating with a new in-house restaurant. Head chef Bob Moren leads the kitchen. Moren previously worked at Launderette and Paperboy. The menu features handcrafted burgers on bakery buns from Veracruz Fonda. Other items include Parmesan truffle fries and soft-serve ice cream.

The Whitestone Boulevard location in Cedar Park reopened after a brief closure. Robert Mason purchased the business last month. Mason plans to open additional locations in the Austin area. The menu includes Haus Dogs, gourmet burgers, and burritos. The nearby location on FM 620 is permanently closed.

Ownership of the Spicewood Winston's location changed hands to Aaron and Sally Creamer. They renamed the business Neighbor's Cafe. The previous owners sold the site to focus on their Hill Country Galleria location. The new cafe serves coffee, pizza, and breakfast items. A Round Rock wing spot owned by T.J. and Erin Mahoney celebrated five years of operation in October.