Texas’ capital city has lost more than a dozen beloved businesses this year that can never truly be replaced. From a longstanding H-E-B store and P. Terry’s flagship location, to a 141-year-old candy shop and a celebrity-backed steakhouse closing, Austinites have said some tough goodbyes so far in 2026.
Although these businesses all have various reasons for shutting their doors, it’s clear their absence has left a mark on the Austin community. Here’s a list of 15 closures that have hit the state’s capital the first half of 2026:
(L-R) Phillips Brown, Vince Young and Laura McIngvale Brown attend the opening of the Vince Young Steakhouse on November 5, 2010 in Austin, Texas. (Sarah Kerver/WireImage)
Vince Young Steakhouse
In early January, Vince Young Steakhouse announced that it would be closing its doors at the end of the month after 15 years in business. Co-owners Phil and Laura McIngvale-Brown said they decided to close after experiencing rising costs and a changing downtown restaurant environment.
Redfarm
New York City-based Chinese restaurant Redfarm quietly shuttered its only Austin location in early January. The Austin American-Statesman first reported that the restaurant closed after about 14 months in operation.
Little Mexico on South First Street in Austin will close its doors on February 28, 2026. (Google Maps)
Little Mexico
In February, family-owned Mexican restaurant, Little Mexico, announced it would be closing after 34 years of operating. Little Mexico’s owner Rosa Martinez decided to retire after nearly four decades of growing her business in the city. The restaurant’s last day of business was February 28.
Vespaio Ristorante, a beloved Italian restaurant on South Congress Avenue in South Austin, announced it would close its doors on February 28. (Google Images)
Vespaio Ristorante & Chapulin Cantina
February also marked the end of an era also for two longtime restaurants nestled along South Congress Avenue in Austin. Vespaio Ristorante, an Italian eatery announced in early January it would be closing for good at the end of February. Within the same message, owners confirmed their other restaurant, Chapulin Cantina – Vespaio’s next door neighbor – would also cease operations.
Kung Fu Saloon at the Domain Northside in North Austin officially closed its doors on Monday, February 2. (travis perkins/@travperk_photo_/Courtesy of Kung Fu Saloon)
Kung Fu Saloon
Austin-based bar and arcade chain Kung Fu Saloon shuttered its North Austin location after 10 years on February 2. Although Kung Fu Saloon at the Domain closed, the bar confirmed that its other locations in downtown Austin, San Antonio and Fort Worth will remain open.
Hideout Coffee House
After South by Southwest, Hideout Coffee House, an iconic downtown Austin coffee shop near the Paramount Theatre, stunned Austinites by announcing its closure in mid-March. The Congress Avenue staple had been in business for 26 years.
Hoover’s Cooking dining room on Manor Road in East Austin. (Hoover’s Cooking)
Hoover’s Cooking
East Austin soul kitchen, Hoover’s Cooking, also announced its closure in March. Hoover’s Cooking head chef and owner, Hoover Alexander said he planned to retire after nearly three decades of business and serve guests for full-service operations until May 31. The city honored Alexander with a retirement party in June to pay tribute to his work in building Austin’s restaurant scene.
CoCo’s Cafe, known as Austin’s first bubble tea shop, located at 1910 Guadalupe Street in Austin, Texas. (Google Maps)
CoCo’s Cafe
In April, Austin’s first bubble tea shop, CoCo’s Cafe, on the Drag near the University of Texas at Austin announced it would be closing in early May after 25 years. CoCo’s Cafe owner Joyce Yang told MySA that the business struggled to adapt to changes exascerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic coupled with a lack of parking and delivery access on the Drag, ultimately led to her decision to close.
A spread from Uncle Nicky’s (Uncle Nicky’s )
Uncle Nicky’s
Popular Italian restaurant Uncle Nicky’s announced on social media in mid-April that it planned to shutter its original Hyde Park location after eight years. The restaurant’s final day of service at 4222 Duval St. was April 26, but Uncle Nicky’s second location on South Lamar still remains open.
Lammes Candies flagship location at 5330 Airport Blvd in Austin, Texas. (Google Maps)
Lammes Candies
After more than 140 years in business, Austin-born candy chain, Lammes Candies, closed its Round Rock location on April 24. Its original shop on Airport Boulevard is also listed as permanently closed on Google. A letter from the owners posted on the door said they decided to close due to changing market conditions and long-term sustainability.
Inside view of Chi’Lantro’s closed location at 5222 Burnet Road in Austin, Texas. (Taylor Kamnetz/MySA)
Chilantro
Tex-Mex and Korean fusion chain Chilantro closed the doors to one of its Austin locations on Burnet Road at the end of April. Chi’Lantro founder Jae Kim confirmed to MySA via email that he decided to close the location after the restaurant could not come to a new lease agreement with its landlord.
Yard Bar at 6700 Burnet Road in North Austin, Texas. (Google Maps)
Yard Bar
Yard Bar, a dog-friendly neighborhood hang out spot in north Austin, closed in late May after 11 years in business. Yard Bar Owner Kristen Heaney Clark told KVUE she decided to close the bar because they “found it impossible to sustain operations” amid rising property taxes and the cost of labor, goods and insurance.
H-E-B’s Spicewood Springs store at 12860 Research Blvd. will close at the end of July. (Google Maps)
H-E-B Research Boulevard
San Antonio-based grocery giant H-E-B confirmed in May it would be closing its Spicewood Springs store located at 12860 Research Boulevard in northwest Austin. Its last day of operations will be Friday, July 31. An H-E-B employee confirmed to MySA that the location is approaching the end of its lease, and the company made the decision not to renew it and instead close the store.
The remnants of Bar Peached in Austin after a fire broke out in the building on Sunday, May 31, 2026. (Courtesy Of Bar Peached/Eric Silverstein)
Bar Peached
In late May, a catastrophic fire broke out at beloved Austin bar and eatery, Bar Peached. The 7-year-old restaurant was forced to close its doors as its owner, Eric Silverstein, aims to rebuild the building that sustained more than $600,000 in damages.
A P. Terry’s employee holds up a burger cake at the chain’s farewell celebration for its Capital Plaza off of Interstate 35 in Austin on Friday, June 26. (Devon Messinger/Courtesy of P. Terry’s)
P. Terry’s Capital Plaza location
In mid-June, the Austin-born burger chain announced it would be forced to close its decade-old P. Terry’s Burger Stand due to TxDOT’s ongoing I-35 Capital Express Central Project. P. Terry’s Capital Plaza location’s last day of business was Sunday, June 28.
This article originally published at P. Terry’s, H-E-B and more business closures that shook this Texas city.