From Ashes to Avocado Toast: The Resilience of Texas French Bread and the Austin Community
By Ethan Martinez
With flames and smoke that engulfed Austin’s longstanding Texas French Bread, the once-pristine white-brick bakery slowly turned into burnt black rubble. After three hours of burning and an estimated $1.6 million in damages, Austinites could only watch from a distance the outcome this fire inflicted.
A “mechanical error” from one of the ovens led to the fire that wreaked havoc on the bakery. On January 22, 2022, after 41 years of serving the West Campus and UT-Austin area, Texas French Bread was forced to seize all operations and the future of the bakery became bleak and unknown.
“We are devastated at the loss of our bakery and the restaurant, but forever grateful that our employees walked out unharmed,” Texas French Bread shared on social media.
Two years later, the remnants of the bakery still stand, surrounded by construction fences and black burn marks. Yet, just 20 feet behind the ruins, a small garden with tables centered around a vintage camper has its gates open, serving fresh bakery goods. To the surprise of many, the hidden garden has been a temporary home for the bakery. With a food truck-style service, Texas French Bread has been able to re-open and serve the same, traditional menu.
After receiving around $200,000 in donations, Texas French Bread plans to rebuild its bakery and open in 2025.
The over-2,000 donations played a huge part in the reconstruction efforts of the bakery. Twenty-year-old Erik Sandoval was one of the many who felt obligated to lend a hand following the disaster.
“This was a place I frequently visited in the mornings during my freshman year,” Sandoval said. “I’m usually not the type to donate to causes but I felt the need to help out on this one.”
The change of scenery also comes with a change in daily operations. Instead of baking in the bakery, Texas French Bread now delivers freshly baked goods from a satellite location in northeast Austin. Yet, this doesn’t limit the bakery from having a vast menu while still making and assembling dishes on-site.
Texas French Bread’s meal of the week is “Avocado Tartine” and a limited edition “Wedding Cake Latte.” Given it was a Sunday afternoon on a cool spring day, I placed my order and was ready for an afternoon snack.
The small but spread-out garden was covered in foliage while being shaded by dense trees. Away from busy Guadalupe Street, the outdoor seating provides a break from the immersive day-to-day life Austin radiates.
The avocado tartine arrived on a paper plate alongside a latte in a to-go cup. The tartine was topped with pickled onions and vinaigrette. The salty and tangy taste blended well to add to a classic avocado toast dish. A petit dish was washed down by a sweet, desert-like latte, that had a thick but cooling foam to add for a smooth drinking experience.
The bakery had fresh food with an enjoyable dining experience but didn’t offer anything exciting. Yet, when the fire threatened the existence of Texas French Bread, the Austin community came together to ensure this wouldn’t happen. In her second year of working at the bakery, 23-year-old Alex Aguilar has seen first-hand what this bakery means to the community.
“We have always been consistent,” Aguilar said. “We always offer the same baked goods from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. In a city that has been changing so much over the years, I think people appreciate that we stayed the same.”
As Texas French Bread sits just behind its ruins, the future remains bright for a grand reopening. For the family and staff, the remnants of the building sit as a reminder of where the bakery hopes to soon be.
“We’ll be back on 29th Street soon enough. Until then, everyone knows where to find us,” Aguilar said.
Avocado Tartine Recipe:
- 1 slice of Sourdough Toast in lightly drizzled olive oil
- 1 Avocado
- Rosemary salt
- Light black pepper
- Pickled onions
- Cilantro
- A teaspoon of Light Red Wine Vinaigrette
