LocalEats 1/23/26

🎉 THIS IS OUR SECOND EDITION, THANKS FOR JOINING AND WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK TO MAKE THIS NEWSLETTER THE BEST IT CAN BE. IT’S NOT PERFECT BUT IT WILL GET BETTER WITH EACH EDITION.

 NOTE: 🆕 Indicates new additions this week. We will remove items after they are open for a month.

✅ NOW OPEN

Mercado Libertad — Latino grocery store/Restaurant — Liberty Hill
- A Latino grocery store that is now open in Liberty Hill.
- Address: 13750 W Hwy 29, Ste 102, Liberty Hill, TX 78642
- Website: https://mercado-libertad.toasttab.com (No standalone “official” website found beyond online ordering/listings.)

Bahler Street — Wood-Fired Sourdough Pizzas — Near Georgetown/Round Rock border.
- This is a new spot serving wood-fired sourdough pizzas.
- Address: 2080 Westinghouse Rd, Georgetown, TX 78626
- Website: https://bahlerstreet.com

Jersey Mikes - The sandwich shop officially opened in December, serving cold subs, hot subs, drinks, sides and desserts in Leander at Hero Way Crossing. 3,255 locations nationwide.
-Opened Dec. 31
-Address: 11312 Hero Way West, Ste. 160, Leander
-www.jerseymikes.com

Café Java- Café Java opened its third Austin-area location Jan. 12 near the Austin-Cedar Park border, according to a representative from the location. This is the first new Café Java location in 20 years, according to previous Community Impact reporting. Café Java has a selection of coffees, teas and juices and a range of breakfast and lunch offerings including pancakes, breakfast tacos, soup and salads.
-Opened Jan. 12
-12129 RM 620, Ste. 120, Austin
-www.thecafejava.com

🆕Frankie's NY Style Pizza & Pasta reopened in Georgetown after closing in October 2024 due to damage from a fire.
-Reopened Jan.
-191211 Leander Road, Georgetown
-www.frankiesnypizzapasta.com

🏗️ COMING SOON

🆕 Shake Shack
Construction on the burger and shake chain is slated to begin later this year, wrapping up in early 2027, according to a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filing. The build out is expected to take place along the 183A Toll Frontage Road, costing an estimated $1 million.

🆕 PopStroke. Co-owned by golf legend Tiger Woods.
Coming to Cedar Park in April, PopStroke has two 18-hole mini-golf courses, full-service scratch kitchen restaurant & ice cream parlor. It will include indoor and outdoor restaurant seating, three bars, outdoor beer garden, yard games and an enclosed soft-surface playground.

🆕Dill N Chill

Chipotle Mexican Grill — Mexican/Build-your-own — Leander

Estancia Brazilian Steakhouse — Brazilian Steakhouse — Leander

Desiwala Pizza & Wings — Pizza & Wings — Leander

Panda Express - American-style Chinese restaurant. There are well over 2,000 Panda Express restaurants in the United States.

Hopdoddy Burger Bar - According to a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filing, construction on a new Hopdoddy Burger Bar is slated to begin in early January as part of the Gateway 29 development. Work is set to last until late June, the filing states. The burger restaurant has seven locations in the Austin area. This will be its first spot in Leander.

❌ RECENTLY CLOSED (Based on Community Impact news alerts)

⭐ Featured Restaurant

🆕 Texas Wine Flyer

Perhaps not a “restaurant” but we’re going to include it because it’s Wine! In Cedar Park, the Texas Wine Flyer does a 66-mile round-trip ride with a two-hour layover in Burnet. It’s a 21-and-over train ride that includes a wine tasting from Wedding Oak Winery.

🗣️ COMMUNITY

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✌️ Until next Friday,

Eric S.

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P.S. Corrections welcome. If I got something wrong let me know at [email protected] . I try to double check the information but I can certainly make mistakes.