For more than 40 years, Texas French Bread has been a mainstay in the Texas capital’s bakery and bistro scene, serving up artisan loaves, pastries, desserts and lunch time sandwiches alongside coffee and tea. Four years ago, an accidental mechanical failure led to a devastating fire that destroyed the bakery’s historic building at 29th and Rio Grande streets, amounting to an estimated $1.6 million in damages.
Now, the business is re-emerging from the ashes and poised to reopen its brick-and-mortar later this year. Texas French Bread confirmed on social media it will celebrate the grand reopening of its brick and mortar bakery in spring 2026, a resurgence that has been anxiously awaited by Central Texans. Over the past four years, the business has operated outdoor dining services and order fulfillments via an Airstream parked in the business’ garden area.
Texas French Bread, located at the intersection of 29th and Rio Grande streets in Austin, is set to reopen this spring, more than four years after a devastating fire. (Kelsey Thompson/MySA)
Texas French Bread, located at the intersection of 29th and Rio Grande streets in Austin, is set to reopen this spring, more than four years after a devastating fire. Pictures are Texas French Bread’s iced Mexican mocha, a strawberry pastry pocket and a mocha walnut cookie. (Kelsey Thompson/MySA)
Construction formally began on the rebuild site back in March 2025, the business shared on its Substack page, amid painstaking efforts to “resurrect Texas French Bread’s home and workspace.” In a separate Substack post from November 2025, owner Murph Willcott reflected on the community efforts and camaraderie to support the bakery following the fire, and his anticipation for that first day back within the bakery.
“Texas French Bread has been my life’s work. But it was Texas French Bread, the restaurant that transformed me, allowing me to feel like the valuable person I had always aspired to be but perhaps never quite felt I was,” Willcott wrote. “It gave me a pride of accomplishment that I had not experienced previously. And it was, all in all, a pretty good little restaurant. It was honest and soulful, and even when it wasn’t perfect it had a big heart. I look forward to the day when I can invite all of you back inside to raise a glass with us and celebrate our grand reopening.”
Find it: 2900 Rio Grande St., Austin, TX 78705
This article originally published at Austin’s Texas French Bread unveils bakery reopening 4 years after fire.