AUSTIN (Austin Business Journal) — Longtime restaurants on South Congress, Vespaio Ristorante and Chapulin Cantina, will close at the end of February.
The approximately 25-year-old restaurants announced they will close their doors on Feb. 28. The properties, at 1610 and 1612 S. Congress Ave., were purchased at the end of 2025 by Austin-based Fortum Ventures, said Brandon Allen, co-founder and managing partner at Fortum Ventures. The property housing the restaurants was appraised for tax purposes at about $2.5 million in 2025, according to Travis Central Appraisal District.
“As South Congress continues to evolve, we felt like this was the right moment to close this chapter on our own terms,” restaurateurs Daniel Brooks and Ryan Samson said in a statement on social media. “We want to celebrate everything Vespaio has meant to this city, and to us, surrounded by the guests and staff who’ve made it all possible. We fully trust the next phase of this building will not only be successful but will continue to create a place where our beloved Austinites and visitors will come to.”…