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A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Austin. Written by Nicole Cobler and Asher Price.

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Turbulence surfaces between Austin broadcaster and UT

The relationship between KUT and UT began in the late 1950s.

News

The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="firing of KUT&#x27;s general manager" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2026/04/29/kut-festival-moved-austin-university-of-texas" data-vars-content-id="5b23180b-120b-4ae7-aede-2911fa6bfa84" data-vars-headline="Turbulence surfaces between Austin broadcaster and UT" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2026/04/29/kut-festival-moved-austin-university-of-texas" target="_self">firing of KUT&#x27;s general manager</a> this week has unleashed criticism against University of Texas administrators and raised questions about the future of the broadcaster. Why it matters: The decades-old relationship between UT and KUT hangs in the balance amid a turbulent time for public broadcasters — including attacks and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="funding cuts" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2025/05/02/austin-kut-kutx-cpb-trump" data-vars-content-id="5b23180b-120b-4ae7-aede-2911fa6bfa84" data-vars-headline="Turbulence surfaces between Austin broadcaster and UT" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2025/05/02/austin-kut-kutx-cpb-trump" target="_self">funding cuts</a> by the Trump administration.

Hoover's Cooking owner: "I ain't done yet"

The founder of Hoover's Cooking reflects on closing the East Austin institution and his plans for the future.

After nearly three decades serving Texas comfort food in East <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Austin" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/signup/austin" data-vars-content-id="457a9166-fa7c-46e7-bad8-f56aa54173bc" data-vars-headline="Hoover&#x27;s Cooking owner: &quot;I ain&#x27;t done yet&quot;" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/signup/austin" target="_self">Austin</a>, Hoover Alexander says the decision to close Hoover&#x27;s Cooking came down to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="business realities" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2025/12/10/restaurants-we-re-missing" data-vars-content-id="457a9166-fa7c-46e7-bad8-f56aa54173bc" data-vars-headline="Hoover&#x27;s Cooking owner: &quot;I ain&#x27;t done yet&quot;" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2025/12/10/restaurants-we-re-missing" target="_self">business realities</a>, changing priorities and a desire for more balance in his life.Driving the news: On Monday, customers <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="gathered for &quot;Hoova&#x27; Palooza,&quot;" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2026/06/11/hoovers-cooking-austin" data-vars-content-id="457a9166-fa7c-46e7-bad8-f56aa54173bc" data-vars-headline="Hoover&#x27;s Cooking owner: &quot;I ain&#x27;t done yet&quot;" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2026/06/11/hoovers-cooking-austin" target="_self">gathered for &quot;Hoova&#x27; Palooza,&quot;</a> a farewell celebration where Mayor Kirk Watson presented Alexander with a key to the city in recognition of the restaurant&#x27;s impact on Austin.

Austinites rally to celebrate Hoover's Cooking owner

After almost 50 years in the restaurant business, Hoover Alexander is closing the doors of his beloved soul food restaurant.

After nearly five decades in the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="restaurant" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/11/10/restaurant-survival-closures-map" data-vars-content-id="19693bcb-7eb2-45ef-aaba-90600c27b991" data-vars-headline="Austinites rally to celebrate Hoover&#x27;s Cooking owner" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/11/10/restaurant-survival-closures-map" target="_self">restaurant</a> business, Hoover Alexander is closing the doors of his beloved soul food restaurant, Hoover&#x27;s Cooking.Why it matters: The closure of Hoover&#x27;s marks the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="latest longtime Austin institution" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2025/12/10/restaurants-we-re-missing" data-vars-content-id="19693bcb-7eb2-45ef-aaba-90600c27b991" data-vars-headline="Austinites rally to celebrate Hoover&#x27;s Cooking owner" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2025/12/10/restaurants-we-re-missing" target="_self">latest longtime Austin institution</a> to shutter, underscoring how difficult it is for independent restaurants to survive for decades.

New York coffee shop to open in ATX Tower

Black Fox has positioned Austin as its Texas flagship.

New York City-based coffee roaster Black Fox Coffee will open its first Texas location Friday in Austin&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="ATX Tower" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2022/03/15/anatomy-austin-skyscraper-321-west?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=newsletter_axioslocal_austin&amp;stream=top" data-vars-content-id="ea2d1368-cbc1-4d22-9e29-dd9e6ac0de2c" data-vars-headline="New York coffee shop to open in ATX Tower" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2022/03/15/anatomy-austin-skyscraper-321-west?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=newsletter_axioslocal_austin&amp;stream=top" target="_self">ATX Tower</a>.Why it matters: The opening comes as the city&#x27;s coffee scene continues to gain national attention, with <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Food &amp; Wine" data-vars-click-url="https://www.foodandwine.com/top-united-states-cities-for-coffee-in-2026-11930933" data-vars-content-id="ea2d1368-cbc1-4d22-9e29-dd9e6ac0de2c" data-vars-headline="New York coffee shop to open in ATX Tower" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.foodandwine.com/top-united-states-cities-for-coffee-in-2026-11930933" target="_blank">Food &amp; Wine</a> recently naming Austin the top coffee city in the U.S.

Desert Island Dish with Austin pitmaster Evan LeRoy

We caught up with LeRoy ahead of the cookbook's release for our Desert Island Dish series.

Pitmaster Evan LeRoy wants to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="give you his secrets" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2024/11/12/michelin-guide-texas-austin-restaurant-winners" data-vars-content-id="51da4411-1778-4b62-9513-7339725475fd" data-vars-headline="Desert Island Dish with Austin pitmaster Evan LeRoy" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2024/11/12/michelin-guide-texas-austin-restaurant-winners" target="_self">give you his secrets</a>.Driving the news: LeRoy, the chef and co-owner of LeRoy and Lewis, and Paula Forbes are <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="releasing a new cookbook" data-vars-click-url="https://leroyandlewisbbq.com/newschoolbbqcookbook/" data-vars-content-id="51da4411-1778-4b62-9513-7339725475fd" data-vars-headline="Desert Island Dish with Austin pitmaster Evan LeRoy" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://leroyandlewisbbq.com/newschoolbbqcookbook/" target="_blank">releasing a new cookbook</a> — &quot;New School Barbecue: Recipes for Next-Level Smoking and Grilling&quot; — with nearly 100 techniques and recipes, encouraging home cooks to go beyond the &quot;classic&quot; <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="barbecue" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2023/08/18/austin-beer-barbecue-brewery-tour-guide" data-vars-content-id="51da4411-1778-4b62-9513-7339725475fd" data-vars-headline="Desert Island Dish with Austin pitmaster Evan LeRoy" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2023/08/18/austin-beer-barbecue-brewery-tour-guide" target="_self">barbecue</a> dishes everyone serves.

Shakey Graves' very best Austin day

The inventive Austin musician has a new album coming out.

Music

Folk-blues musician Shakey Graves is a very busy man.Why it matters: Nearly 40 years old, he leads a new generation of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Austin musicians" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/music" data-vars-content-id="84c9c2de-84cd-4cc0-838d-3474916da2ce" data-vars-headline="Shakey Graves&#x27; very best Austin day" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/music" target="_self">Austin musicians</a> even as he is a father to a young child.

Restaurants compete with creative lamb dishes

Six restaurants are competing in Lamb Jam, a national showdown that doubles as a real-time menu experiment.

Things to Do

Editor&#x27;s note: This story was written by University of Texas student Trinity Orosco for Axios Austin.Six Austin restaurants have spent the month of April transforming lamb into crispy arancini, laab and tostadas for <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Lamb Jam&#x27;s" data-vars-click-url="https://americanlamb.com/lamb-jam-2026-austin/" data-vars-content-id="d66bfd10-b5f3-42f5-acc7-e535d5bb4dfc" data-vars-headline="Restaurants compete with creative lamb dishes" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://americanlamb.com/lamb-jam-2026-austin/" target="_blank">Lamb Jam&#x27;s</a> restaurant competition.

Roxie’s serves up homestyle comfort food

Chicken, all-you-can-eat sides, dessert and more.

I have a recommendation for your next free afternoon.What&#x27;s happening: I recently took a trip to Buda to try out <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Roxie&#x27;s" data-vars-click-url="https://www.roxiesbuda.com/" data-vars-content-id="fd6b3884-bc0c-4267-bffe-eef51479e8fa" data-vars-headline="Roxie’s serves up homestyle comfort food" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.roxiesbuda.com/" target="_blank">Roxie&#x27;s</a>, the new restaurant from Salt Lick BBQ owner Scott Roberts, and to check out the town, where a growing number of friends and acquaintances have moved.

Austin's top April events you won't want to miss

Austin's kite fest, comedy, music and more.

Food and Drink

It&#x27;s springtime in Central Texas, and one of our favorite months of the year to get out and explore Austin.Here are some of the events we&#x27;re most looking forward to.

Desert Island Dish with Geraldine's Sergio Ledesma

The chef of Geraldine's shares the dishes that are most important to him.

As part of our <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="running feature" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2026/01/13/desert-island-dish-david-munoz" data-vars-content-id="54ffc092-f11b-496f-b70e-20030afbd26b" data-vars-headline="Desert Island Dish with Geraldine&#x27;s Sergio Ledesma" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2026/01/13/desert-island-dish-david-munoz" target="_self">running feature</a> about Austin chefs&#x27; favorite meals, we recently chatted with Sergio Ledesma, the executive chef at <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Geraldine&#x27;s" data-vars-click-url="https://www.hotelvanzandt.com/geraldines/" data-vars-content-id="54ffc092-f11b-496f-b70e-20030afbd26b" data-vars-headline="Desert Island Dish with Geraldine&#x27;s Sergio Ledesma" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.hotelvanzandt.com/geraldines/" target="_blank">Geraldine&#x27;s</a>, in the Hotel Van Zandt by Rainey Street.<ul><li>At the Southern-inflected Mexican restaurant, shrimp and grits ($38), composed with chintextle, a Oaxacan chili paste, shares menu space with a lamb barbacoa ($44) and sides like smoked carrots ($14), prepared with a guajillo adobo rub.</li></ul>

Austin pop-up fuels matcha craze

The pop-up has quickly become one of the city's buzziest stops.

Editor&#x27;s note: This story was written by University of Texas student Trinity Orosco for Axios Austin.An Austin matcha pop-up is drawing lines that stretch down the sidewalk, tapping into a fast-growing U.S. market for the Japanese green tea.

Food and Drink 🍽

Hoover's Cooking owner: "I ain't done yet"

Austinites rally to celebrate Hoover's Cooking owner

Things to do in Austin this weekend

1 summer lunch to go

Nomade's happy hour deal can't be beat