Michelin Guide-recognized restaurant Poeta will kick off 2026 in a brand new home.

The details: The Italian restaurant, helmed by chefs Krystal Craig and Ian Thurwachter, will open inside East Austin Hotel in January. A celebratory New Year's Day brunch will kick off the opening Jan. 1, while the restaurant will fully reopen to the public Jan. 8, according to a news release.

Poeta's new location will bring back the à la carte menu format, alongside its more recently offered chef’s tasting menu. The space includes an upstairs patio, lounge and bar in addition to free, on-site parking.

The background: This move will mark the third reopening of Poeta. In February, the eatery left its spot at The Frances Modern Inn and moved to what was formerly Swoop House in East Austin in the spring, as previously reported by Community Impact.

What they offer: Poeta’s menu offers daily housemade pastas and locally sourced ingredients, according to a news release.

• 1108 E. Sixth St., Austin

From major construction milestones and airline expansion deals to staffing challenges and behind-the-scenes upgrades, these nine Austin-Bergstrom International Airport updates shaped how travelers moved through the ABIA in 2025.

1. Airport ground breaking on 'Texas-sized’ garage
Airport and city officials gathered just north of the economy parking lot to break ground on a new parking garage at ABIA on Feb. 28.

Marking another milestone in the parade of projects coming online for the airport's sweeping multimillion-dollar expansion, the new 2.5-million-square-foot parking garage will add an estimated 7,000 spaces.

2. Airport patio reopens to public
For travelers passing through the Austin airport, the little-known outdoor patio is once again open to the public.

The outdoor patio, located near Gate 2, offers front-row views of planes taking off and landing on the airport’s two runways.

3. Airport breaks ground on latest 12,000-square-foot expansion
City and airport officials celebrated the start of construction May 12 on the Atrium Infill Project that will result in an additional 12,000 square feet for the Arrivals and Departures Hall.

Flowhouse, a new multi-format dance and fitness studio, is slated to open in northeast Austin this spring. 

The setup: The studio will offer a variety of dance-inspired workout classes for children and adults of all skill levels, including barre, pilates and yoga instruction.

The family-friendly business will offer child care and workspaces for parents.

About the owner: Owner Monica Chin is a former NBA dancer for the San Antonio Spurs who has over 25 years or experience teaching dance, including directing choreography for the Austin Spurs.

In their own words: "As a former professional dancer, I have found that it's very beneficial to pair the yoga and pilates and barre classes with dance," Chin said. "I think that's where the cutting edge can come through. Instead of just a dance studio or just a fitness boutique studio, it has both."

• 4100 E. 51st St., Austin

City leaders have detailed how more than $5 million of Austin's social service contract funding will be reallocated to support the city's fiscal year 2025-26 budget. The service shifts and cuts follow the failure of Proposition Q's tax hike and passage of a trimmed city spending plan this fall.

The details: Finance staff reported during this fall's budget revisions that many city social service initiatives would face reductions. Nearly a month later, those changes were detailed in a memo from City Manager T.C. Broadnax shared with council members Dec. 17.

A total of $5.28 million of Austin's more than $74 million allocation for social services will be reduced or reallocated, mostly covering public health and homelessness response. Nearly $17 million across social service contracts is projected to be cut next year.

The city will continue to look into social service contracting this year, including possible program mergers and updated performance measures, as part of a wider citywide efficiency process launched this fall.