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(Yard Bar/Instagram)
It's no secret that Austin loves its dogs—with the most dog-friendly restaurants per capita in one of the most dog-enthusiastic cities in the world, it would probably be harder to find a restaurant that doesn't allow dogs than those that do.
That said, with so many options to choose from, it can be hard to narrow the search down to a few. From dog-themed restaurants to doggy food trucks, here are nine dog-friendly local businesses to try out.
Yard Bar, 6700 Burnet Road
Although this bar has plenty of options for humans to eat and drink, Yard Bar is a cafe made to please Austin pups. With its massive off-leash dog park front and center, Yard Bar aims to make going to the bar just as fun for dogs as it is for people. The doggy playground offers plenty of shade, a cold drink of water, a chance to make new canine friends and obstacles to challenge your pups while you sip on some on-draft cocktails.
Austin Terrier, 3435 Greystone Drive
Though this friendly neighborhood bistro is best known for its American food, specialty pizzas and rotating cocktail menu, your furry friend will remember it for its dog-friendly patio. Order the Spicy Terrier pizza and Pink Poodle Martini if you want to be festive—bonus points if you bring a terrier to match the mascot! 🐶
The Original Dog Treat Truck Company, 1720 Barton Springs Road
Don't visit this truck in hopes of grabbing a bite for yourself because you won't find any—this truck is only for man's best friend. With three locations touting healthy, artisan and organic treats for dogs, The Original Dog Treat Truck Company offers Woof Waffles, which aid digestion and coat health; Breath Bones, which are mint and berry-filled to help smelly breath over time; and the Nutripooch Pouch, a lickable smoothie that boosts the immune system. All three locations are in food parks, so not to worry, you won't go hungry.
Ani's Day and Night, 7107 E. Riverside Drive.
Popping up in a historic 1930s-era Victorian home, the very same house owner Freddy Fernandez grew up in, Ani's Day and Night is a brand-new all-day cafe that serves up coffee, cocktails and local brews. The new cafe has a sprawling outdoor space, perfect for your four-legged friend, and is also home to two permanent food trucks: Mexican food at Las Alegres Comadres and Caribbean at Nyam Sunshine Cuisine.
Perla's Seafood and Oyster Bar, 1400 S. Congress Ave.
Located on South Congress, Perla's Seafood and Oyster Bar's fairy-lit front patio is a bougie spot for your posh pup to nosh. For you and your fellow humans, Perla's is a seafood lover's dream with its fresh oysters, raw bar and array of fancy cocktails. There's no room for your pups to roam though, so make sure they will be content sitting down amid the busy city.
Fresa's, 1703 S. 1st Street
This wood-grilled Mexican restaurant is famous for its avocado margaritas (a must-try!) and its South 1st location not only offers week-long happy hour prices, it also has a huge open patio that is perfect for Fido. The patio is not only dog-friendly but dog-loving, so you're likely to run into some other puppies when you visit.
Better Half, 406 Walsh Street
Between Better Half and Hold Out Brewing, which sits right next door, the two establishments boast a well-spaced, natural patio that is happy to seat you with your pooch. As for the patrons, Better Half's menu is stocked with new takes on classic staples, like cauliflower tots and blue corn snickerdoodles, gourmet coffee drinks and a large wine list to work your way through.
Radio Coffee & Beer, 4204 Manchaca Road
With indoor seating plus an expansive outdoor patio, Radio is another great place to enjoy Austin with your best friend. The garden gives dogs plenty of room to stretch out and flexibility for their owners—Radio opens early, 6:30 a.m. most days, and closes late at midnight. Between the coffee, local beers, food trucks on-site and frequent live music, the coffee shop has a little something for everyone.
Cosmic Coffee + Beer Garden, 121 Pickle Road
With lush greenery, food trucks to choose from and coffee all day, Cosmic is undoubtedly fun for humans, but its massive dog-friendly garden is what attracts so many doggos. The open space is shady and cooled by fans, so there's no need to worry about your hound's health, and lots of exciting sights for two- and four-legged friends to see, like the chicken coop, pond and nature preserve on the property.
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Popular
(Pexels)
Some of your favorite Instagram filters can’t be used in Texas anymore and Austinites are sounding off on social media.
Meta, Facebook and Instagram’s parent company, announced on Wednesday that certain filters would no longer be available in Texas.
The change is a result of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s lawsuit against Meta, alleging the company uses facial recognition technology that violates laws in Texas. A release from Meta says it stopped using facial recognition tech in November 2021 and denies Paxton’s allegations.
Some Austinites bemoaned the shift, saying some of their favorite filters were now unavailable.
This was my FAVORITE filter on @instagram and they done removed it cause I’m in Texas ! Like wowwwwww pic.twitter.com/uX60hdIC0Q
— Pinkyy Montana (@inkstar_pinkyy) May 11, 2022
i heard that instagram filters got banned in texas? what the actual fuck y’all better give me my favorite filter back
— lia 🤍 (@liatootrill) May 11, 2022
loved this stupid filter sm i hate texas pic.twitter.com/DXr9mmUc64
— birthday boy jeno 🎂 (@beabtox) May 12, 2022
But more often than not, locals joked about the ban.
Texas women seeing the filter ban on IG pic.twitter.com/yDMcP3Qtsr
— Christian (Anabolic) Flores (@christian_flo24) May 11, 2022
So, the state of Texas has banned filter use on IG? THE END IS NEAR. 😂
— THE FRANCHISE! Франшиза (@NYCFranchise718) May 12, 2022
And some in-between chose to show off some natural beauty.
I live in Texas, but no filter needed. 😉 pic.twitter.com/A6teRgYMKn
— bad and bruja (@starseedmami) May 11, 2022
filter, no filter..texas women still reign supreme.
— 🎍 (@_sixile) May 11, 2022
Finally, some are trying to cash in on the opportunity.
Texas IG users- if you want to filter your picture cashapp me $1.50 $ErvnYng
— Gemini (@ervn_y) May 11, 2022
Meta said it plans to create an opt-in system for both Texas and Illinois residents, who are facing the same issues.
(Austin Energy)
Power demand is forecast to push within 600 megawatts of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas' capacity Friday afternoon as a record month of heat continues.
Demand for the statewide power grid hit over 65,000 Mw at 5 p.m., just under the capacity the grid can handle. ERCOT announced approximately 2,900 Mw of power was lost on Friday due to six power generation facilities tripping offline. At 5 p.m. it said all reserve generation resources available are operating. Texans have been asked to conserve energy.
Inbox: ERCOT says "six power generation facilities tripped offline resulting in the loss of approximately 2,900 MW of electricity. At this time, all reserve generation resources available are operating." Asks Texans to conserve power... pic.twitter.com/g6LxJlHlop
— Forrest Wilder (@Forrest4Trees) May 13, 2022
As the power grid threatens to buckle under the weight of consumers, record-breaking heat continues to push up demand. Austin is currently in the hottest May on record, with temperatures averaging at 82 degrees—eight degrees higher than average—at Austin's Camp Mabry.
And Austin is expected to have another triple-digit onslaught next week, with temperatures peaking at highs of 100 degrees Friday and Saturday. As a result, demand could peak Monday, with forecast demand expected to reach a May record of 70,758 Mw. The previous record was 67,265 in 2018, while ERCOT's all-time high was 74,820 Mw in August 2019.
While ERCOT has not yet seen a heat surge reminiscent of 2021's Winter Storm Uri, power outage woes became all too real for around 3,600 southeast Austinites Saturday as Austin Energy put on a last-resort power pause from around 3:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The outage was a culmination of many factors—from near-100 degree heat to unfortunately-timed maintenance checks and growth in the Bluff Springs area. The result was an overheating circuit that needed relief fast.
"It was related to high usage overloading one circuit at a time when some of our infrastructure was still undergoing maintenance in preparation for the months to come," Austin Energy spokesperson Matt Mitchell told Austonia. "So it was a very unique set of circumstances that we do not see repeating itself."
Mitchell said that all seasonal maintenance is complete and that Austin Energy will open a new power substation in Bluff Springs this June. The organization also said the issue had nothing to do with ERCOT, which released a statement assuring consumers that power was not threatened during that time.
NEW: ERCOT projects there will be sufficient supply of power to meet demand for this week. pic.twitter.com/fPZWHbWyoc
— Lindsey Ragas (@LindseyRagas) May 10, 2022
ERCOT also told Austonia before 5 p.m. that it "projects there will be sufficient generation to meet demand for electricity" on Friday. It then informed the public about the energy loss due to a power trip.
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