TEXAS — National data shows more restaurants are closing in Texas than anywhere else in the country, with Houston topping the list of cities. But local businesses and organizations are finding creative ways to navigate a tough economy and boost the industry.
Shawn Virene opened a’Bouzy nine years ago in Houston’s River Oaks area, naming it after a village tucked away in the Champagne region of France.
“a’Bouzy actually grows the Grand Cru Pinot Noir grape. It’s the best champagne, and that whole region I just fell in love with whenever we went,” said Virene.
Outside the restaurant, fresh herbs line the patio and are used to prepare the French cuisine they’re best known for.
“The beef bourguignon is probably the number one favorite here,” Virene said.
The popular item was also on the menu for this year’s Houston Restaurant Weeks, held from Aug. 1 through Sept. 7. a’Bouzy joined the nearly 400 participating restaurants that served up special deals while benefitting the Houston Food Bank.
The celebration came as a growing number of restaurants are closing, according to restaurantdata.com. The website’s data shows more than 8,000 restaurants closed during the first six months of 2026 in the U.S. and Canada. Texas ranks as the highest state so far, with more than 1,000 estimated closures. Houston tops all other cities with 119 closures.
“They’ve been under extraordinary inflationary costs for years coming out of the pandemic,” said Emily Williams Knight, president and CEO of the Texas Restaurant Association. “Food costs are up 35%. Labor costs are up more than 30%.”
She said credit card fees, insurance costs and liquor liability are also driving up closures.
“Texas is an incredibly dynamic market, and so while we’ve had obviously a number of closures, we’ve had a tremendous amount of openings,” Williams Knight said.
Data shows Texas recorded nearly 360 restaurant openings, representing 30% of the national filings through June.
“What you’re going to see is the restaurants that really lean in, take care of their employees and offer a great experience to the customer, they’re going to win,” she said.
And what’s keeping a’Bouzy afloat?
“Wine pricing is our number one strategy,” said Virene. “You can actually have two or three bottles for the price of another one just down the street.”
The Houston Restaurant Weeks campaign is helping drive the effort of keeping restaurants open and helping them thrive.
“Listen to your customers. Your restaurant is going to be transformed by what they want, and if you listen to them, you’re going to actually go in the right direction,” Virene said.
For a’Bouzy, it’s a toast to hope, success and more bubbly for years to come.
Dining and Cooking