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This popular Italian eatery's got a Picnic Box for your Independence Day celebrating, featuring a prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, spinach, and tomato panini, with: sides of pickled pepper and mushrooms,: watermelon, and an arugula-and-feta cheese salad. You want to pay a little extra and get some wine pairings? They've got you covered, with Terre Gaia Prosecco, Li Veli Negroamaro Rose, and J. Hofstatter Pinot Nero Riserva. Call to place your orders now, and you can pick 'em up on Fri., July 3, 5-9pm.

Maybe a Friday meal out can be as good as it used to be, as Launderette’s one-night-only fête features a seafood boil with lobster, shrimp, crab, clams, mussels, and sausage, with corn and potatoes and other family-style sides. And, desserts? How about some devil’s food cake cones or a cookie platter with pretzel brownie, cherry white chocolate crunchie, coconut key lime cookie, and a strawberry lemonade macaron? Yeah, better make those reservation quick! Bonus: You can also get this package to-go.

This bastion of inspired cuisine is offering a flavor-forward fourth-of-July feast of smoked beef ribs, chicken wings, Chinese sausage corndogs, and a plethora of barbecue sides: lemon ginger pickles, duck egg potato salad, kimchi macaroni, cucumber salad, and Chinese elote(!). Yeah, no, this is soooooo good; and you can get the whole delicious deal for $75 or choose-your-own-price-point by ordering items a la carte until your budget squeaks.

Well, of course this place has a special Cupcake Box ($24) ready for the big patriotic huzzah this weekend: It includes three vanilla cupcakes with vanilla icing, and three chocolate/strawberry milkshake cupcakes with buttercream, sprinkles, and a cherry on top – and it comes with a sparkler. But, listen, you're a parent of a small child and you wanna blow your kiddo's mind? Get one of their Candy Charcuterie Boards ($35), featuring sparklers, a confetti pack, Cracker Jacks, Pop Rocks, sunflowers seeds, yogurt pretzels, saltwater taffy, various gummies, and more. Take that, King George! Let freedom ring!

The "picnic" part, that's where this department comes in – letting you know that Assembly Kitchen has curated an artisanal picnic kit with the Austin Food & Wine Alliance for you to feast on during this annual musical extravaganza. Enjoy a diverse array of delectable treats from Austin’s top restaurants, including country pork pâté with tender belly bacon, fermented morita, and crispy tostadas from Comedor; lacto tomato salsa from Nixta Taqueria; goodies from Pure Luck Farm & Dairy, Two Hives Honey, Urban American Farmer, Confituras, Barton Springs Mill, and Abby Jane Bakeshop. (Note: Each $59 kit feeds two people.) And you probably want some cocktails with that, yes? Try a pair of summer drink kits, each packed with all the ingredients to make 6-8 cocktails ($59). Acclaimed mixologists Jessica Sanders of drink.well and Paul Finn of Garage have created "Altar of the Sun," a refreshing bourbon-based beauty that flares with lime juice, raspberry gum syrup, vermouth, Topo Chico, and a few fiery dashes of bitters – and we reckon it'll get you almost as high as Willie. Note: Orders for Austin delivery must be placed by midnight, Friday, July 3.

Are the bars open again yet? Are all the restaurants reduced to 25% capacity unless it’s Tuesday and it’s raining – in which case, make that 50%, but only if each guest does the Macarena before sitting down?And if the Texas governor sees his shadow on Saturday, what does that portend for the rest of the week?: We mean, it’s been a couple days since this copy went to press – anything could’ve happened in that time. But what we know right now is:: The bars are definitely closed, as of the Governor's Executive Order of June 26.: The fusion-forward smokehouse called Loro, as transparent and responsible as its cooking team is brilliant, informed everyone that a back-of-house worker had tested Covid-positive and so they’re shutting down for a complete cleaning-and-disinfection and … yeah: So much for dine-in, better get some Loro pickup or delivery if you can, check their social media for what the current status is. Especially because, if it’s still available, that Picnic Package for Two of theirs is a dream come true.: And who's the co-owner of Loro, along with Uchi's Tyson Cole? Why, that's Aaron Franklin, of course – and his famously long-lined barbecue joint has been temporarily shuttered for the same reason. And, again, that's being accomplished professionally and with full public knowledge. Isn't it odd how the best and most successful culinary places in town are so often run by people who aren't assholes? You'd think everyone would want to emulate such decency, but, ah well: Humanity, right?: But, look: The mighty meatmongers of Slab BBQ have noted the current virus-spiking situation and decided to put their dine-in operations on hold – while continuing full speed ahead with their slow-cooked succulence for pick-up and delivery. “We cannot say at this time when we will reopen the dining rooms,” Slab’s Jason Hernandez tells us, “but know that we are monitoring the data to help guide our decisions. This is a difficult situation for everyone and we are committed to putting health and safety as a top priority.” Thank you.: Troublemaker Drinks & Records, Eastside purveyors of those two things and burritos, has shuttered for good. “Trying to decide what to do without SXSW, much less without normal operations as a new business, was just too big of a hill for us to climb,” notes their announcement on Instagram. “Please go support your favorite local independent bars, restaurants and stores – I’m sure you’ve heard it before, but you have no idea how much they need your help right now.”: And, what else? The Gravy foodtruck of Austin’s breakfast-obsessed Scott Sanders, the savory diner-on-wheels that was popular at Mueller for years, has relocated to Burnet, Texas, out there in the Hill Country … The Asador Mexican BBQ taco truck that reopened on June 9, had to close again on June 26 … North Loop's beloved watering hole drink.well now offers curbside food and drinks … Hillside Farmacy has patio seating available for parties of six or fewer … Iwayne's Caribbean Kitchen is open and glorious with Jamaican dishes like jerk chicken and pork ribs and ackee and salt fish with plantains and fried dumplings … Uroko has put their popular sushi class online for July, is offering DIY temaki sets, and has been auctioning off retail items (like a Hagama rice cooker) to "help [them] sustain the business" … and Seoulju Korean Kitchen posted requests for food orders: "If you're able to, please place an order with us. The past three months delayed rent are due at the beginning of July.": We’re hearing some things about cash, too, lately. Like, how some restaurants don’t want to accept cash (due to possible corona-cooties) and prefer credit cards or online payment, is that right? Or maybe it’s that you should always tip in cash, if you have plenty of it, because that works out better for the waitstaff? Or maybe there’s somebody named Cash who makes humans in general seem like a bad idea for a species? We’re looking into all of this, of course, and will be reporting in as the investigation continues.