Whataburger shuts down its sole digital kitchen in Austin

Whataburger has closed its only digital kitchen in the Austin area, ending a three-year pilot program on Bee Caves Road. The closure marks the end of the chain's local experiment with digital dining, where customers placed orders via the website or app and retrieved food through a drive-thru or an exterior temperature-controlled locker.

The digital kitchen opened approximately three years before its recent closure. According to the Austin Business Journal, the Bee Caves Road site was the chain's only location operating under this specific model. The concept required customers to bypass traditional in-store seating and instead use digital interfaces to manage their entire meal process.

October also saw the arrival of several new dining venues and the return of established shops. Still Austin Whiskey Co. launched the Still Austin Quarter, a 15,000-square-foot entertainment and dining venue in the Yard development in South Austin. The space features four distinct areas, including an atrium, a vinyl lounge, a music room, and a private event space, with capacity for about 500 guests. Of those seats, 125 are located outdoors.

El Tigre Coffee Roasters opened its first permanent location next to Sammataro Pizza in East Austin. The shop roasts its own coffee and offers affogatos using Blue Bell ice cream. Its food menu includes pastries, tacos, and bagels during the week, while weekends feature rotating food pop-ups.

Casa Fina, a Spanish-inspired restaurant, opened on Josephine Street near the Carpenter Hotel. The menu focuses on tapas, offering hot and cold dishes such as patatas bravas, tomato salad, scallops, and octopus. Entrees include a chuleton and wild Alaska cod, accompanied by wine. Additionally, Gelato Paradiso reopened its South Congress location after a temporary closure caused by a fire at the neighboring Perla’s.

A CAVA location in Pflugerville began serving Mediterranean-inspired bowls, pitas, and dips. The restaurant operates daily from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Other local businesses also concluded their operations in October. Knuckle Sandwich ended its run at Ants Beer Cave. The owners posted on Instagram thanking customers but did not announce a new location, stating they were still considering their next steps. Keepers Coastal Kitchen closed on Oct. 24 after opening in 2021. Its space in South Austin will be replaced by Mi Vecino, a coastal Mexican restaurant from Roya Hospitality Group, expected to open in late 2026 or early 2027.