Reporting on San Antonio hospitality in 2024 was a frustrating exercise. Week after week, homegrown restaurants and bars collapsed, reminding locals that one of the most unique cities in the United States was rapidly becoming less local and more homogenized. The third space was crumbling at an alarming rate.

Apologies in advance for the punishingly long list. In the interest of (some) brevity, we left out large chains, even if we miss the two fallen Jim's locations as much as anyone. We also skipped over restaurants like Augies, Caparelli's, Krazy Katsu, Fratello's, Godai Sushi, Cypress Cafe, and Greenhouse that either have other locations or have or will re-emerge. Even with those omissions, the tombstones are stacked a mile long.

Take it as more of a warning than a sad remembrance. The present quickly becomes the past if we don't protect what we hold dear.

Acadiana Cafe
This nondescript cafe served affordable Cajun fare to generations of San Antonians. In July, owner Dave Saylor sold the property and the recipes to the Hacienda Vallarta Restaurant Group.

Ace of Steaks
Turns out $1,000 gold-plated tomahawk steaks and gilded burgers aren't a winning hand in Alamo City. This Vegas-style steakhouse folded in January.

Allora and Arrosta
These sibling Italian restaurants marked chef Robbie Nowlin's triumphant return to San Antonio's culinary scene. After he left the restaurant in February, its days were numbered. Allora shuttered in July, followed by Allora in August.

Ay Caramba Taco Cantina
Woe to any restaurant that opens at 1915 Broadway. The cursed address claimed this modern Mexican spot as its latest victim in March.

Ay Caramba Taco CantinaAy Caramba Taco Cantina/Facebook

Bier Garten
January set the tone for a year of depressing restaurant news. This decade-old River Walk beer garden was one of the earliest bummers.

Billie Jean Bar & Grill
Who will dance on the floor in the round? Not this Stone Oak retro bar that shuttered after a series of noise complaints.

Binge Kitchen
Despite a last-minute Hail Mary, this vegan eatery could never recover from unpaid bills. The doors have been closed since October.

Blue Box
July 29 was a doozy for the Pearl development. Hours after Botika gave its notice (see below), this acclaimed cocktail bar followed suit.

Botika
Eight years ago, This Peruvian-Asian eatery helped define Pearl's culinary scene. Chef-owner Geronimo Lopez retired the concept on August 4, landing at the Hotel Emma shortly after.

BotikaBotika/Facebook

Brown Coffee Co.
Alton Brown loved this Southtown coffee shop, which percolated for a decade. In February, it went the way of the Food Network's cooking shows.

Chilaking
Chef Alex Parades' follow-up to the revered Carnitas Lonja came and went quietly, opening in January and closing in August.

Chocolazzo
Mary and Frank Collazo gave their their acclaimed chocolate shop a bittersweet ending. In February, the couple ended operations to help daughter Mikala Petrone start a plant shop.

Diez Flores
This promising gastropub paid homage to 10 diverse Latin cuisines. After a scant six months, it withered in June.

Diez Flores Diez Flores/ Facebook

Don Benito’s Cocina y Cantina
Restaurateurs Lisa and Benny Costello have found great success with Hometown Burger, Mr. C's Fried Chicken & Waffles, and Tia's Taco Hut. Their Tex-Mex concept only lasted three years, shuttering in May.

Dulce Suenos
Sweet dreams to this Deco District coffee shop, which quietly drifted off in July.

El Ojo
In January, the St. Mary's strip's evil eye glared at this occult-themed bar. Dance club Wav Room will soon take its place.

Europa Kitchen & Bar
This Medical Center bistro debuted just before the pandemic but still gave it a four-year college try. It said auf wiedersehen, au revoir, goodbye in October.

Go Fish
Carpenter Carpenter Hospitality's seafood market-cum-oyster bar went kerplunk in late December.

Go Fish Go Fish/Facebook

Hands Down
One of San Antonio's most forward-thinking concepts, this Southtown bar grew out of a pop-up series. In June, owner Amada Claire Miller ended the brick-and-mortar but promised the name would eventually live on.

Jefferson Bodega
With its vast selection of hard-to-find Asian snacks and warm staff, this convenience store was a far cry from the average Valero. After five years in business, it checked out in March.

Kohinoor Tawa & Grill
For two decades, this mom-and-pop spot was a standard-bearer for Pakistani cuisine. March 31 was, sadly, its last day in business.

Lala's Gorditas
This tiny Southside stand has had a turbulent five years. It finally called it quits in December.

Lala's Gorditas Photo courtesy of Lala's Gorditas

Man Overboard Brewing Co.
Few lifejackets were available this year to San Antonio's struggling craft brewing scene. This brewery tapped out in December, two days after celebrating its third anniversary.

Never Late Diner
This all-day diner promised 24/7 eats when it opened in August 2023. Its time ran out in January.

Noodle Tree
A cancer diagnosis forced owner Mike Nguyen to reconsider his priorities. Noodle Tree closed on March 17 to make way for two new concepts in April.

Rio Rio Cantina
One of the year's first closures, this River Walk Tex-Mex staple closed in January after its owners decided not to renew their lease.

The Rustic
This country music venue chose chaos when it unplugged in May, allegedly giving employees no prior notice.

The Rustic The Rustic San Antonio/ Facebook

San Taco
Although this lauded taqueria flatlined in December, it's not all bad news. Sibling concepts Panfila Cantina and Tutto Pepe will remain open as owners Gaby Hinojosa and Charlie Gonzalez welcome a new child.

Saucy Birds
This casual chicken strip joint, a reinvention of chef Ceasar Zepeda's Sangria on the Burg, flew the coop in May after a scant five months.

Second Pitch Beer Co.
Though it seemed like owners Jim and Samantha Hansen had a home run with their Northeast San Antonio brewery, they admitted it was losing money. Fans said goodbye in March.

Second Pitch Beer Co. Second Pitch Beer Co./Instagram

Snake Hill
An oasis for marginalized art forms like underground metal, punk, hip-hop, and drag, this venue slithered out of Government Hill in August.

Up Scale
The regrettably named Southtown restaurant closed in March to make way for a larger location of Little Em's Oyster Bar.

Vice Versa
The charming community space left St. Paul's Square in March. Owner Vinny Guerreroshared that the coffee house/listening room/bar could not recover from the expense of air conditioning repairs in the summer of 2023.

A Way to the Heart
This ambitious boxcar restaurant closed in late December, citing "ongoing financial challenges and personal circumstances."

A Way to the Heart A Way to the Heart/ Facebook

Weathered Souls Brewing Co.
This North Side brewery gained national acclaim by creating the Black is Beautiful beer project promoting social justice after the George Floyd murder. It had its last call in late September.

White Rabbit
The replacement for Ace of Steaks was far quirkier, choosing an Alice in Wonderland theme. But, it proved to be just as ephemeral, shutting down almost immediately.

Wurst Behavior
From a Nashville expansion to national acclaim, the team behind Curry Boys BBQ and Pinch Boil House have had plenty of reasons to be thankful this year. The February closing of their beer garden was not one of them.

Wurst Behavior Wurst Behavior/ Instagram