Editor's note: At the end of 2024, we're looking back at the stories that shaped San Antonio this year. As always, restaurants were at the top of mind for readers, mostly because the revolving door of openings and closings was in constant swing. Here are CultureMap San Antonio's top 10 restaurant and bar stories of 2024.

1. Popular San Antonio burger joint flips its last patty after a decade. Long-running San Antonio burger joint Teddy B's closed its doors, explaining that declining foot traffic made it difficult for the owners to retain costs. But San Antonians didn't have to live without it for long.

2. The 10 best restaurants in San Antonio prove the city has arrived. This year's roll call of nominees for CultureMap's Tastemaker Award for Restaurant of the Year had no repeats from 2023. Leche de Tigre was the winner, but the other nominees offered strong competition.

Leche de Tigre came out on top for Restaurant of the Year.Photo courtesy of Leche de Tigre

3. Classic San Antonio Italian joint loses its sauce after 21 years. In what has become a far-too-common occurrence in Alamo City, another legacy closed its doors. The Thousand Oaks location of Capparelli’s shuttered indefinitely in July.

4. Guy Fieri spotlights San Antonio taqueria on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. A week after the mayor of Flavortown featured RoHo Pork & Bread on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, he got a second helping of local flavor at Con Huevos Tacos.

5. 3 bar openings and heartbreaking closure top off San Antonio dining news. Thanksgiving week brought some food news that was hard to be thankful for: A Way to the Heart announced its closure, but La Honky Tonk, Tin Man Filling Station, and Lupita Cantina provided silver linings.

6. Another rash of closures darken San Antonio restaurant news. January 2024 revealed a pattern that would last all year, with a long string of closures. They included Bier Garten, Pig Liquors, Meemo’s Bakery, and El Ojo.

7. 19 San Antonio restaurants honor service members on Veterans Day 2024. Veterans Day has a particular resonance in San Antonio, and many local restaurants or chain locations offered special deals on November 11.

8. San Antonio vegan chicken chain Project Pollo gets acquired by new owner. According to founder/owner Lucas Bradbury, the chain was approached by a national group who would acquire their infrastructure, team, leadership, and locations.

9. Californians invade and a beloved bodega checks out in San Antonio dining news. San Antonio’s most eclectic convenience store, Jefferson Bodega, threw in the towel after five years in business. Meanwhile, Novo Brazil and Bourbon Street Seafood Kitchen worked on moving in from out of town.

Jefferson Bodega closed after five years. Jefferson Bodega/ Facebook

10. San Antonio restaurant advances to final in national chicken sandwich contest. The Hayden advanced to the final round in an eight-city matchup for the best chicken sandwich run by Sara Lee's Artesano brand.