The Peking duck with two noodles and the chrysanthemum negroni from RedFarm, Nov. 3, 2023.
Sara Diggins/American-Statesman
January is often a transitional month for restaurants, and the start of 2026 has been no exception in Austin. Rising costs, changing dining habits and intensified competition downtown have contributed to closures, even as new operators move in, betting on Austin’s growth and appetite for variety. Below is a look at the restaurants that closed or opened this month.
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Related: The new Austin restaurants everyone will be talking about in 2026
Closings
The Peking duck with hoisin, cranberry and peanut coconut satay sauce, also served with homemade pancakes and duck consommé from RedFarm, Nov. 3, 2023.
Sara Diggins/American-Statesman
The modern Chinese restaurant RedFarm closed its Austin location at 201 W. Third St. in early January after roughly 14 months in business. RedFarm arrived in fall 2024 with significant expectations, following more than a decade of success in New York City. Founded in 2011 by restaurateurs Jeffrey and Zach Chodorow alongside chef Joe Ng and the late Ed Schoenfeld, the brand became known for its upscale takes on Chinese dishes, including Peking duck and playful items like Pac-Man dumplings.
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The Austin outpost, developed in partnership with local restaurateur Jesse Herman, featured an expansive, custom-built kitchen designed for high-volume, labor-intensive cooking. Despite the investment, the restaurant struggled to gain traction in a rapidly evolving downtown dining district that has recently welcomed several new concepts within the same blocks.
The closed Sprinkles Manhattan Beach location is seen on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag
Sprinkles Cupcakes abruptly shut down all of its bakery locations nationwide on Dec. 31, including its Austin store at the Domain Northside. Founded in 2005 by pastry chef Candace Nelson, Sprinkles helped ignite the national cupcake boom and became known for introducing the first “Cupcake ATM,” which dispensed fresh cupcakes around the clock. At the time of its closure, the company operated 21 bakeries and 25 Cupcake ATMs across multiple states.
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Employees said on social media that they were notified of the closures with little warning. Much of the company’s website has since been deactivated.
Vince Young Steakhouse opened on San Jacinto Boulevard in 2010.
Austin American-Statesman
Vince Young Steakhouse closed Sunday after 15 years in downtown Austin, ending the run of a restaurant that became a fixture for business dinners, celebrations and convention traffic. The steakhouse blended a polished but accessible atmosphere with references to former University of Texas quarterback Vince Young’s football career. While the restaurant bore his name, it was owned and operated by chef Phil Brown and his wife, Laura Brown, and Young had not been involved in day-to-day operations for several years.
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In a statement, Phil Brown cited rising labor, food and operating costs, along with broader challenges facing independent restaurants downtown. Young also reflected on the restaurant’s place in the city, calling Austin home and expressing pride in the steakhouse’s long tenure.
Openings
Black Sheep Coffee
A matcha waffle and a classic Norwegian waffle are served during the opening of Black Sheep Coffee at Sixth and Guadalupe Streets in downtown Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Black Sheep Coffee opened its first Central Texas location downtown this month, marking the international coffee brand’s expansion beyond North Texas. Founded in the U.K., Black Sheep has built its identity around Robusta coffee and a menu that includes matcha drinks, waffles and pastries. The Austin location is designed with custom artwork nodding to the city’s street art culture. Additional Texas locations are planned in the coming years.
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600 Guadalupe St. blacksheepcoffee.us
Hokkai San Omakase
HokkaiSan, a Japanese-style deli and grocery, is now open at 609 Congress Ave.
Ana Gutierrez / Austin American-Statesman
Hokkai San has launched a limited-seat omakase experience upstairs from its main store. The offering features a 10-course progression centered on nigiri, a handroll and dessert, served in a 25-seat dining room on select Friday nights. The concept emphasizes a more intimate format than the restaurant’s regular service.
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609 Congress Ave. 512-906-0966, hokkaisan.com
Sweet Sensi Lounge
Sweet Sensi, an Austin-based CBD brand, opened its lounge space at 607 Congress Ave. earlier this month. The business began as a farmers market vendor and has steadily expanded into a brick-and-mortar operation combining retail CBD products with a cocktail lounge. While the shop has been operating for months, January marks the completion of its bar, stage and event space.
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607 Congress Ave. 512-813-5015, sweetsensilounge.com.