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Owning a restaurant is a hard business, with thin profit margins, difficult landlords, and a host of staffing issues \u2014 and that\u2019s before they even let the customers in. DFW lost some great restaurants in 2024. Local chefs, owners, and food writers weigh in on the closings that hurt the hardest.<\/p>\n
Chef Jeff Bekavac of <\/strong><\/em>Goodwins<\/strong><\/em><\/a>: <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI was sad to see Desert Racer close and Whistle Britches. I know Omar is going to come back with something really cool in that space though!\u201d<\/p>\n Dallas Morning News<\/strong><\/em><\/a> food editor Anna Butler:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cDoes a zombie restaurant count? I found myself driving to shuttered Foxtrots for weeks \u2014 for a breakfast taco and to work \u2014 after its sudden demise.\u201d<\/p>\n Gabe Sanchez of <\/strong><\/em>Saint Valentine<\/strong><\/em><\/a> and Black Swan Saloon:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe saddest closure was Sandwich Hag taking a hiatus. I miss drinking coffee and talking shop with Chef while waiting for my banh mi.\u201d<\/p>\n Dining critic Brian Reinhart of <\/strong><\/em>D magazine<\/strong><\/em><\/a>:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cBisous Bisous Patisserie. I hope Andrea is okay and that she\u2019s getting the rest and care she needs with her cancer diagnosis. Honorable mention: my cat Elsie is inconsolable after the closure of Trompo, her favorite restaurant to try to <\/strong>steal my takeout<\/a> from. I am afraid 2025 will be much, much worse for restaurant closures.\u201d<\/p>\n Chef Toby Archibald of <\/strong><\/em>Quarter Acre<\/strong><\/em><\/a>:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThere may be a more trendy pick here but for me it was Carte Blanche. What the La Rues were trying to achieve there was possibly a little before it\u2019s time. An intricate tasting menu only restaurant at a higher price point, it seems like the style of place that a select few Texas places got celebrated for in November in Houston. Not without their nay-sayers, but still a restaurant that had a goal that I think the city needed to help \u2018rise the tide.\u2019 What about those pastries!!!!? I miss them so much. They were right across the street from Quarter Acre and I took many a visiting friend or family member in there to eat what I thought were some of the best, yet least celebrated, pastries in the city. I know they have reopened the pastry shop in the form of \u2018La Rue donut\u2019 but they are no longer across the street and that makes me sad.\u201d<\/p>\n Editor for Eater Texas Courtney E. Smith:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI was sad to see Casa Rosa go. I\u2019m pretty picky about Tex-Mex and in my opinion it was some of the best in the Metroplex. Not having it around is a huge loss.\u201d<\/p>\n Chef Anastacia Qui\u00f1ones-Pittman of <\/strong><\/em>Jose<\/strong><\/em><\/a>: <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cSal\u2019s Pizzeria\u2019s closing hit hard. My family and I used to go when we were younger after our soccer games. The pizzas were massive and could feed our whole family.\u201d<\/p>\n Chef Taylor Kearney of <\/strong><\/em>Harwood Hospitality<\/strong><\/em><\/a>: <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cCarte Blanche. This was a team of passionate, hardworking individuals who poured their hearts into creating something extraordinary. Their talent and vision deserved recognition at the highest level, and I hoped to see them earn a Michelin star. It\u2019s a significant loss for the community and a reminder of how challenging the industry can be, even for those who operate at such a high caliber.\u201d<\/p>\n Dallas Morning News<\/strong><\/em><\/a> food writer Claire Ballor:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cSome of the best tacos I\u2019ve ever had came from Trompo, Luis Olvera\u2019s spot in Oak Cliff. After a rocky few years, it permanently closed in August and I\u2019m still coming to terms with that. I\u2019ll forever remember the moment I stood at a metal counter inside the taqueria\u2019s first brick-and-mortar space on Singleton Boulevard and bit into an al pastor taco loaded with lime and salsa verde. It was a euphoric experience.\u201d<\/p>\n