Editor's note: The top Austin news of the week begins with a big anniversary for an iconic venue and a positive outlook for the local housing market. Plus, we round up the sweetest options for Valentine's Day dining in Austin. Below are our five most popular stories of the week. For the city's best weekend events, go here.

1. Iconic UT Austin cafe tunes up star-studded 45th anniversary celebration. University of Texas icon the Cactus Café will celebrate its 45th birthday in February with a slate of special shows.

2. Austin housing market shows promising stability in 2025, report says. Austin's real estate market has shown progress in its stability, thanks to an increase in listings and slight reduction in prices.

3. These 10 Valentine's Day dining specials in Austin extend the holiday. Restaurants, hotels, and businesses have made Valentine's Day into more of a "Valentine's Season." We've rounded up 10 of our favorite romantic and delicious dining specials for this Valentine's Day — or rather, season — in Austin.

4. 6 Austin restaurants score James Beard Award semifinalist nominations. The 2025 James Beard Awards are here, and Austin is invited to the party — even if it got fewer nominees than other major Texas cities this year.

Tavel Bristol-Joseph of Canje is a 2025 James Beard Award nominee. Photo courtesy of Tavel Bristol-Joseph

5. Alamo Drafthouse starts layoffs for corporate and theater employees. Popular Austin-based movie theater chain Alamo Drafthouse recently started a series of layoffs impacting employees across the company, with 15 people laid off at the corporate level.