A casual Austin Italian staple is almost ready to open its South Lamar location, and it's hard to stay casual about it. After nearly a year of anticipation and construction, Uncle Nicky's is opening at 2121 South Lamar Blvd., next to Loro Asian Smokehouse, on June 22.

Uncle Nicky's, a deli and brunch spot in Hyde Park, has gained a loyal following by committing to specialty foods that are everywhere in Italian cities (or cities with higher Italian populations than Austin's), but hard to find around here. Those include Italian subs, cannoli, and most exciting, a daily aperitivo — basically, a self-serve happy hour snack bar like you'd see just about anywhere in Italy.