Austin bakery Texas French Bread making a comeback after fire destroys historic building

AUSTIN, Texas - Texas French Bread (TFB), a restaurant and bakery that some Austinites consider a staple of the city, is making a comeback following a fire that caused over $1 million in damage to the bakery's former location.

Austin's Texas French Bread bakery and bistro destroyed by fire

The fire caused roughly $1.1 million in structural damage and $500,000 to equipment and other content.

TFB was located near The University of Texas at the corner of 29th and Rio Grande Street, in a historic building dating back to the early 1950s. Texas French Bread had occupied the building since 1987.

The fire started on Jan. 24, 2022, just days after TFB celebrated its 40th Anniversary.

After support from loyal customers and other Austin businesses, Texas French Bread released a statement on social media on May 31 thanking the community and outlining the next steps.

"We are so grateful to be part of this Austin community. Throughout this process we have felt lifted up and reassured knowing that we are not going through this alone. Your generosity allowed us precious time to process and grieve. And the donations financed severance pay and extended health insurance coverage for TFB staff in the weeks after the fire. We truly cannot thank you enough for your generosity and support," Texas French Bread wrote on Instagram.

Austin community comes together to raise dough for Texas French Bread

On Sunday, Easy Tiger and Les Dames d’Escoffier hosted a bake sale with 100% of the proceeds going back to Texas French Bread.

The bakery also announced it has leased a commissary space in northeast Austin and more details on that will be released in the coming days.

TFB products will be available at local farmers markets in the coming weeks, and home delivery options through Farmhouse Delivery will also become available, the bakery said.