Beerburg’s Beers Made by Walking Festival, Joel Taylor’s Little Nishi, Fierce Whiskers’ Bourbon Battle, the Quesoff’s Cheesy Splendor, and More

Here’s some of what's happening in Austin's culinary scene – as wrangled from numerous PR releases, words on the digital street, and even the occasional (verified) IRL eavesdroppings.

Beerburg's first "Beers Made By Walking" Festival brings the suds this Saturday

Yes, citizen, it’s your “Food News Buffet” for the second week of November.

Turkeyday is coming soon, and we’re already gathering a fine mess of dining options for you: If you’d like to plan for your Thanksgiving vittles early, clicking right here will help you get started …

The Piehole Project’s virtual pie auction returns for its second year, working with acclaimed chefs in Austin to raise money for restaurant and hospitality-focused nonprofits. Bid yourself up a tasty pie by Philip Speer or Abby Love or Sarah Heard or Laila Bazahm or David Norman or – so many more! The auction, live now, continues through Nov. 16 …

And, oh, there are one-of-a-kind suds aplenty this weekend, beer lovers! The ever-welcoming Beerburg Brewing (13476 Fitzhugh) folks are bringing more than a dozen Texas breweries together for the first annual Beers Made by Walking Festival on Sat., Nov. 11. They’ll have exclusive quaffs from Black Star Co-Op, Brewtorium, Central Machine Works, Red Horn, and other such fermentation savants, along with brewing workshops and more. Tickets ($40-65) get you 12 pours of the nature-inspired beers created specifically for this event – and proceeds will benefit four local environmental nonprofits …

Joel Taylor, the knockout sushi chef who worked his way up through Komé and Uroko, has opened his own food trailer, Little Nishi (1311 S. First), with a menu that “puts a twist on traditional Japanese cuisine, infusing it with a Western modern flair.” For instance? The creamed corn is a nod to Southern creamed corn, but is flavored with togarashi and Japanese mayo. Or, how about a panko-fried, slow-roasted pork belly with yuzu créme and pickled onions? Holy shit, right? If only – he said, one eye on the newsmedia – all of humanity would work and play together as well as these diverse foods and flavors do, hey? Suggestion: Give your belly some peace and your mouth a treat with what chef Joel’s dishing out …

Let’s see – what else, what else? Your hardworkin’, ever-hongry staff at the Austin Chronicle tell about their favorite dishes for the best flavors in town. YMMV, but there are so many roads to drive … and influential Food editor Melanie Haupt has revealed her Ten Favorite Austin Restaurants … Fierce Whiskers Distillery presents its second annual Austin Bourbon Battle on Sat., Nov. 11 … the good folks of Green Gate Farms invite you to a Feast in the Field that same night … and, on Sun., Nov. 12, that melty cheese-a-palooza that locals call The Quesoff takes over Mohawk for a yummy good time …

WUXTRY! It’s more than a year away, but Hai Hospitality has announced the second Austin location of their Loro Asian Smokehouse – coming to the Domain NORTHSIDE at the end of 2024, at 11601 Domain Dr., with 4,994 square feet of well-designed interior that’ll hold a total of 130 seats, with even more seating at the bar and the outdoor patio …

Now eat as well as you can, tip like it’s going out of style, and steady on with your bad self, baby.