The Saddest Austin Restaurant Closures of 2024

As is the tradition when the end of 2024 is coming up, Eater asked a trusted group of friends, industry types, and local bloggers for their takes on the past culinary year in Austin. All answers will be revealed before the year ends — cut, pasted, (mostly) unedited, and in no particular order. Question number four:

What 2024 restaurant closure was the biggest bummer for you?

Erin Russell, former associate editor of Eater Austin, Eater contributing writer, and freelance writer

Salt & Time closing was tragic — so many excellent meals and fun food discoveries there. Aviary and Patika closing were both sad. I was not a regular at either since they were on the opposite side of the river from me, but I loved Patika’s pastries and it was a chill place to have coffee. Aviary spawned some truly talented people and I hope everyone lands on their feet.

Darcie Duttweiler, freelance writer and Eater contributing writer

I genuinely miss 1417 French Bistro and its casual French fare. It was ideal not only for date nights but also for brunch with moms.

Nicolai McCrary, Austin staff writer at The Infatuation

Salt & Time was a sad one for me. I’ve been buying my steaks there since they opened in 2013. Now, I have no idea where I’ll go to get my annual, very essential, 90-day dry-aged birthday steak.

Ali Khan, content creator of @alikhaneats

Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ and Salt & Time

Jane Ko, blogger of A Taste of Koko

Salt & Time — this was the favorite date night spot for my husband and me and our favorite steak with beef-fat fries.

Taylor Tobin, restaurant critic at Austin Chronicle and Eater contributing writer

The recent news that Zoe Tong is closing its doors after New Years made me really sad. I loved their flavors, their clever cocktails (RIP to the Si Baby Verdad, my fave new margarita of the year), and the really tasty Si Baby-Q truck parked outside.

Madeline Hollern, editor-in-chief of Austin Monthly

I was sad to see Diner Bar shutter. Elementary also came and went too soon.

Cat Cardenas, freelance writer and photographer, contributing Eater Austin photographer, and writer-at-large of The Barbed Wire

I was so bummed to see Patika close on South Lamar. It was such a good coffee and pastry spot in an area I’ve always loved, but unfortunately, it seems like it’s gotten increasingly difficult to run a business in that part of town.

​​Nadia Chaudhury, outgoing editor of Eater Austin and forthcoming editor at Eater Northeast

Salt & Time has to be one of the biggest Austin restaurant closings of the past two decades. The butcher shop-slash-New Texan restaurant was such a groundbreaking business for and by Austinites and Texans, so I’m real sad about its shutter.

On a more personal level, I’m sad about Patika’s shutter on South Lamar, because it was a comfort place for me and it made the best vanilla latte in Austin.

Also I’m sad for the staff of Aviary because the way that shutter went down seemed really bad.