Hot Headlines

2 Austin universities named best schools for 2027 and more top stories

UT Austin and Southwestern University are at the top of the class.

news.utexas.edu

Editor's note: It's time to look back at the top Austin news of the week, from local universities earning national acclaim to the unveiling of this year's Creek Show works. Read on for our most popular stories, then visit this guide to plan your weekend.

1. 2 Austin universities named top colleges for 2027 by Princeton Review. Back-to-school season has returned in full force, and that means it's time for college rankings. Two local universities in particular are being hailed as the top of the class for 2027.

2. Pflugerville development wraps up with indoor playground, 3 restaurants. Pflugerville's popular Stone Hill Town Center expansion is nearing completion, with a few new tenants joining the fray.

3. Half Price Books opens temporary store to serve South Austin shoppers. As Half Price Books works on permanently replacing its South Lamar location, a new location will temporarily keep book buyers busy.

4. Austin's Creek Show unveils 10 works for 2026 in shining new location. Organizers have revealed the 10 dazzling works that will make up the 2026 Creek Show, which runs November 13-21 and will take place in a new location this fall.

Not In My Runoff! is one of the 2026 installations. Rendering courtesy of the Creek Show

5. Austin brewery introduces signings and storytime for 2026 book fair. South Austin's Meanwhile Brewing Co. is setting the scene for a special fifth anniversary of its adult book fair, with new local author signings, flash tattoos, and more.

Hot Headlines

8 Austin billionaires make Forbes 400 list and more popular stories

Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for Semafor World Economy

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Editor's note: The top Austin news of the week includes a look at Austin's richest residents, plus previews of exciting new restaurants. Read on for our most popular stories, then plan your weekend via this guide.

1. 8 Austin billionaires land on Forbes' 2026 list of richest Americans. The richest billionaires in America have a collective worth of $8 trillion in 2026, a staggering $1.4 trillion increase since last year, says Forbes. And a Polish-American billionaire residing in Austin with ties to Elon Musk and SpaceX has become one of the richest people in the nation.

2. Kyle and Noah Hawley expand Austin store with bookshop and coffee bar. An artsy Austin power couple is moving the charming stationery store Letterpress Play and expanding it into an independent bookstore this October.

3. Austin chef fires up Indian-Texan smokehouse for 3rd local restaurant. Chef Laila Bazahm is firing up an Indian smokehouse for her third Austin restaurant in four years, following Spanish restaurant El Raval in 2023 and Southeast Asian restaurant Siti in 2025.

4. Austin taqueria makes 2026 New York Times list of favorite restaurants. Austin and El Paso are representing the Lone Star State on a prestigious new dining list. The New York Times has published "The Restaurant List 2026," which enumerates the staff's favorite restaurants of the year. Taco spot Paprika made the list in Austin, and Elemi Taqueria made it in El Paso.

Panciuto baked ziti Panciuto is now open in Hyde Park. Photo by Chad Wadsworth

5. Austin restaurateur replaces Umarell with more Italian-American concept. The founder of a popular Austin burger joint has debuted a new Italian restaurant in Hyde Park — right in the same place as Umarell, where he was formerly a partner.