It’s a frequent joke that San Antonio’s restaurant and bar scene is at least five years behind Austin’s, but this week, it proves to be gallows humor. With COVID-19 lurking in the shadows, the Capital City faced a reckoning that claimed beloved breweries, longtime classics, and upstarts with equal indifference. After a post-pandemic boom, Alamo City’s hospitality industry is experiencing a similar reset. It’s up to the dining public to determine what to make of it next.

Openings and closings

Fans of San Antonio’s independent brewery scene might want to eat an extra helping of black-eyed peas. Last year’s disheartening business climate, which claimed standouts like Man Overboard, Second Pitch, and Weathered Souls, continues into the new year. Vista Brewing will shutter its San Antonio taproom and restaurant on January 5. The Driftwood-based operation first expanded to the West Side in 2021 before taking over the former home of Scorpion in Dignowity Hill in 2023. Via a release, co-owner Karen Killough said, “It is just not the right time for Vista.”

The post-holiday malaise also struck Dignowity Meats. The decade-old barbecue star, once featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, was extinguished on December 30, 2024. The restaurant did not comment on the reasons for the unexpected move in a social media farewell.

A homegrown version of Utah’s dirty soda shop craze has gone flat. In a video statement, Sodamigo owner Roman Huerta said ”inadequate sales” forced the demise of the two San Antonio locations. He hopes new ownership can breathe new life into the business. The stores appear to have ceased operations in early December 2024.

Planned renovations at Quarry Hoffbrau & Beer Garden have apparently petered out. In June 2024, the 14-year-old German restaurant closed for “renovations and repairs” but (perhaps tellingly) did not give a timeline. Although the eatery’s social media accounts are still active at press time, the website has been taken down, and the property is now listed for lease. Both Google and Facebook list the sudsy spot as permanently closed.

Beer may be out in Alamo City, but entrepreneurs still hope locals enjoy pickling their livers. A new wine bar has sprouted in the revitalized Beacon Hill neighborhood. Copper Rose Wine debuted with a soft opening on December 27, 2024, and will celebrate its grand opening on January 3.

Meanwhile, an Austin bar dedicated to South African wines is pouring into downtown’s Oxbow Building. Paperwork filed at the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation indicates construction has begun on Cape Bottle Room at 1803 Broadway #511. The buildout is expected to finish in March.