De Nada Cantina is planning to open a second location at the former El Mercado restaurant in South Austin in January.

The gist: The East Austin Tex-Mex staple is known for its tacos and margaritas served in pink cups, including happy hour specials and a late night menu. The restaurant opened off East Cesar Chavez Street in 2021, according to previous Community Impact reporting.

The backstory: El Mercado closed its South Austin location on Dec. 17 after operating in the area for 40 years. The Tex-Mex restaurant has another location off Burnet Road in North Austin.

Under the new ownership of 2 Dine 4 Hospitality Group, De Nada Taco will feature aesthetic upgrades with new tables and chairs, plants and Mexican decor, according to El Mercado's Facebook page.

1302 S 1st St., Austin

City Council members plan to set new guidelines for their offices' spending policies in early 2026.

The details: A proposal to enact a new set of financial accountability and transparency measures for council member spending was supported by all city officials this fall. Since then, Mayor Kirk Watson has led the effort to consolidate and clarify Austin's rules for officeholder expenses.

A draft framework released in December outlines allowable and prohibited expenses, and clarifies when spending like travel is permitted in the public interest. It also calls for internal oversight and regular public releases of council expense reports.

Council's financial committee will discuss the expanded policies in mid-January before adopting the new rules as soon as Jan. 22.

Mantle Thermal Haus, a new indoor-outdoor thermal wellness destination, opened in East Austin in late December.

The details: The wellness center features a hot sauna and natural-stone cold plunge pool alongside a fire-lit lounge, red-light recovery lounge and coffee and smoothie bar.

The membership-based business offers mindfulness and wellness programming, including meditation, yoga, workshops, IV therapies and community meetups.

• 2204 Curtis Ave., Austin

Here are the top Community Impact stories in the Austin area from Dec. 29-Jan. 1:
1. Kohl’s will not open new store in Bastrop
2. Bastrop Sprouts seeks 82 new hires ahead of spring opening
3. Austin ISD names principals for schools affected by closures and turnaround plans
4. AI guardrails, tax rates after disasters: New Texas laws take effect Jan. 1
5. Bastrop concludes $3.5 million Agnes Street extension project
6. Austin Energy planning for 'tremendous strain,' possible billing impacts from new data centers