Though it looks like San Antonio’s restaurant scene is finally recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s the nature of the foodservice business that we see businesses close annually as new ones open.

We went back to the beginning of the year and tallied at least 22 Alamo City eateries that have shut down or plan to in coming weeks. While some of those departures are related to the pandemic, lease adjustments and other factors played roles as well. 

Alamo BBQ Co. 511 E. Grayson St. Local star chef Jason Dady this spring shut down his beloved barbecue spot on Grayson Street after four years of service. Dady said the decision to close the doors was not a pandemic-related closure, rather, the result of his inability to reach a new lease deal with the owners of the Pearl-area property. Photo via Instagram / alamobbqcompany
Bandit BBQ 1913 S Flores St Formerly housed at the Feight studios in Southtown, Bandit seemed a promising fit despite opening at the beginning of the pandemic. The barbecue spot stayed open for two years before business partners Mark Garcia and Brandon Peterson decided to pivot their focus to a new concept, Big Animal, near the Pearl. Photo via Instagram / banditbbqsatx
Santikos Bijou Cinema Bistro The Bijou Cinema Bistro, a concept ahead of its time in offering dining options to moviegoers, shut its doors in April 2022. Santikos operated the theater since 2003, devoting some of its screens to foreign and art films while bolstering sales with food and alcohol. In 2023, the Woodlawn Theatre plans to move into the venue at Wonderland of the Americas, and will take a new name to accompany the change in location. Photo via Google Maps Credit: Photo via Google Maps
Broken Stone Pizza Co. 1022 N. Main St., Boerne After 12 years of rolling dough, Hill Country pizza parlor Broken Stone has decided they will shut their doors at the end of the month. Known for New York-style pizzas and a cozy atmosphere, Broken Stone’s Boerne location opened in 2011. Though the Boerne location will shutter, the company’s Kerrville location will remain open. Photo via Google Maps
Cerroni’s Purple Garlic – Austin Highway 1017 Austin Highway Staffing issues plagued this local favorite, which served central San Antonio via two locations. The pizzeria was well known for its affordable pizza, house-baked bread, lasagna and family friendly atmosphere. Photo via Google Maps
Cervecería Chapultepec Multiple Locations Cervecería Chapultepec suddenly shuttered both SA locations in June 2022. The one-price Mexican chain made its SA debut in 2020, offering tacos and tortas along with cocktails, wine and beer. Photo via Instagram / cerveceriachapultepecsat
Fletcher’s Hamburgers 312 Pearl Parkway Fletchers, one of the Pearl Bottling Department’s original tenants, 86’d their tenure in March after four years of serving up its namesake burgers, hot dogs and shakes. Photo via Instagram / fletchers.hamburgers
Glass and Plate 4212 McCullough Ave. Staffing issues forced this Olmos Park establishment to halt service in January of 2022, just shy of its first anniversary. Photo via Instagram / glassandplatesa
Jacala Mexican Restaurant West side institution Jacala burned down in March 2022, marking the end of a chapter for one of the oldest restaurants in the city. The five-alarm fire burned almost everything in the restaurant and was declared a total loss by fire officials as they arrived at the scene. Photo via Google Maps
Max’s Wine Dive 340 E. Basse Rd., Ste. 101 Popular Quarry destination Max’s Wine Dive shut their doors in February 2022. The chain abruptly closed their Austin and San Antonio locations, opting to keep the lights on in their two Houston stores. Photo via Instagram / mwdsanantonio
Mr. and Mrs. G’s Home Cooking William Garner and his wife Addie opened this spot in 1991, focusing on family recipes and old-fashioned hospitality. It quickly became a staple of the city’s East Side and remained open for more than three decades before closing in July of 2022. Photo via Google Maps
Nestle Toll House Café – Culebra Commons 6626 W. Loop 1604 N., Suite 215 What seemed like a promising new location on the cusp of Helotes only stayed in business for four years — two of those heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Owner Sherryl Ramirez announced that the closure was due to the pandemic and rising supply costs. Photo via Facebook / Nestle Toll House Cafe by Chip – Culebra Commons
Playland Pizza 400 E. Houston St. This trendy downtown pizzeria offered an electric atmosphere and an array of craft cocktails, and wine as well as cheeky approaches to brunch and dinner. Chef-owner Stefan Bowers has teased a new restaurant nearby, but says his new concept will not offer pizza. Photo via Google Maps
Rocoto’s Grill 10555 Culebra Rd. This Alamo Ranch Peruvian joint announced their closure in December of 2021, and stopped serving on January 9, 2022. Rocoto’s Grill operated for a decade before its closure. Photo via Instagram / rocotosgrill
5 Points Food and Drink 1017 N. Flores St. Chef Michael Sohocki’s latest venture, European concept 5 Points Food and Drink, shut its doors due to staffing shortages. The space offered dishes from Sohocki’s past restaurant, Restaurant Gwendolyn, which closed in December 2021. Photo by Ron Bechtol
Rosella Coffee 200 W. Jones Ave. One of the original local coffee chains in San Antonio, Rosella’s flagship brick and mortar near downtown San Antonio was a haven for those who appreciated good coffee and affable service. The coffee shop offered a casual atmosphere alongside food and wine until its closure in March of 2022. Photo via Google Maps
Rough Diamond Brewery 101 Kendalia Circle, Spring Branch According to an emailed confirmation from the company, Spring Branch’s Rough Diamond Brewery would serve its last growler of cold beer on July 31. Set near the picturesque pair of hills locals refer to as the “Twin Sisters,” Rough Diamond opened in August 2018. It specialized in handcrafted beers with rich aromas and unique palate notes. Photo via Instagram / roughdiamondbrewery
Smack’s Chicken Shack 447 W. Hildebrand Ave. San Antonio chef Keenen Hendricks’ passion project Smack’s Chicken Shack proved not sustainable for a brick and mortar as they were forced to close in February of 2022. Smack’s still serves out of their truck though, doing pop-ups around the city. Photo via Instagram / smackschickenshack
Study Space 7280 UTSA Boulevard The Study Spot’s short-lived tenure as coffeehouse, bar, and restaurant catering to UTSA students came to a close in March. William Camarillo and Tony Coss, owners and operators of La Roca, Green Lantern and Box Car acquired the space and have since turned it into a nightclub. Photo via Google Maps
Thyme for Lunch 9390 Huebner Rd., Suite 104 In January, Medical Center bistro Thyme for Lunch, playfully named for their star ingredient, shut its doors. The closure was originally announced as a hiatus of just a few months so the owners could focus on their wellbeing, but the space has since been taken over by a new sushi spot. Photo via Google Maps
Twin Sisters Cantina 1701 S. Hackberry St. The city of San Antonio had had enough with Twin Sisters Cantina, after fielding an alleged 300 disturbance calls in the past sparked an investigation of the property. When the city’s Dangerous Assessment Response Team found poor conditions inside and out, the city ordered the building to be demolished. Photo via Google Maps
Two Sawers BBQ 656 10th St., Floresville The Floresville joint shut their doors in January citing concerns about the future of the pandemic on the restaurant industry. Two Sawers opened its BBQ trailer in 2015 and its brick and mortar in 2017. Photo via Google Maps