Editor's note: The top Houston news of the week includes the sudden shutter of a Heights staple and the return of Reba McEntire to RodeoHouston. Plus, we look at what it takes to be considered "middle class" in Houston, and we go inside a hidden gem for timeless antiques. Read the five most popular Houston stories of the week below, and then consult this guide for your weekend plans.

1. Houston diner known for breakfast all day closes in the Heights. One of the Heights' most enduring restaurants has suddenly closed. After 18 years, Lola Neighborhood Diner has served its last meal.

2. This is what it takes to be a middle class earner in Houston in 2025. Maintaining a middle class status in Houston only gets harder as the years go on, and the income ceiling to even be labeled as such has just risen even higher. So says SmartAsset's annual "What It Takes to Be Middle Class in America" report for 2025.

3. Hidden gem Houston store offers timeless antiques at affordable prices. Not far off the beaten path, in Houston’s Spring Valley neighborhood, exists an unassuming industrial building with a door marked only by the giant, seemingly anachronistic, olive oil jar that houses an olive tree. Behind this door lies Living Century Home, a store that sells imported decorative goods from Greece, Turkey, Indonesia, and India — all 100-years-old or more.

Hand-selected imports fill this Spring Valley showroom. Photo by Emily Cotton

4. 3 high-flying Houston eateries make Texas Monthly's best new restaurants list. Texas Monthly has published its list of the state’s best new restaurants for 2025. Houston once again leads the way with more spots on the list than any other Texas city, although the city failed to take the top spot for the third year in a row.

5. Reba McEntire kicks off RodeoHouston with Dua Lipa cover and sing-along classics. Reba McEntire made her long-awaited return to RodeoHouston on March 4. The country legend kicked off Houston’s crown jewel cultural event in grand fashion in front of 69,934 fans with a cadre of hits and heart after 11 years away.