New San Antonio barbecue joint Double A BBQ opens up on South Side

The former catering outfit will christen its new permanent location June 25 with a celebration of food and music.

https://www.sacurrent.com/food-drink...-side-29193874

Double A BBQ has begun slinging sandwiches, homemade sides and smoked meat by the pound, becoming the newest entrant in San Antonio's increasingly crowded barbecue game.

Previously a catering outfit, the South Side restaurant, 1107 Roosevelt Ave., began serving five days ago, according to an online announcement. It will hold a grand opening this Saturday, christening the new permanent location with a celebration of food and music.

Double A uses a mix of pecan, mesquite and post oak wood chips to cook a variety of meats, including sausage, brisket, turkey, pork and massive dino ribs, according to its online menu. In addition to selling the star attraction by itself or in sliders, the restaurant also offers it in tacos and on top of nachos.

The new spot is open Saturday through Monday 11 a.m.-4 p.m., or until the goods sell out.

Owners of San Antonio's El Remedio food trucks opening first brick-and-mortar restaurant


The upcoming spot will be less than a mile from USAA headquarters and is expected to open this summer

https://www.sacurrent.com/food-drink...urant-29193856

Five years after San Antonio-based food truck fleet El Remedio began slinging birria, the business will open its first brick-and-mortar restaurant: El Remedio Mexican Kitchen and Bar.

The new eatery, located at 5018 Research Drive, will be less than a mile from USAA headquarters and is slated to open this summer, MySA reports. Co-owner Joshua Palacios told the expansion will give he and his wife and business partner Martha more room to create an “experience” for their following.

Palacios also told MySA El Remedio fans can expect the same birria, mariscos and sushi that made the food trucks popular, along with a selection of new Mexican dishes?

“El Remedio Mexican Kitchen and Bar is not going to be just a regular restaurant,” Palacios added. “Every time someone goes, I want it to be an experience — have a good time, not just sit down and eat. I want people to be able to go laugh, have some drinks and enjoy the time that they're there.”

The new location will go into the building that previously housed a Gibby's Ice House location, which has since relocated to the South Side's Brooks development.

El Remedio Mexican Kitchen and Bar’s opening date is contingent on receiving the establishment getting its Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission license, which Palacios told MySA is likely to take about two months.

Hops & Hounds gives details on plans for San Antonio River Walk location

https://www.mysanantonio.com/food/ar...o-17256004.php

Popular pet-friendly beer garden Hops & Hounds revealed its plan to open a new location along the Museum Reach segment of San Antonio's River Walk, next to Elsewhere Garden Bar & Kitchen. Lee Beekly, the co-owner, told MySA that these efforts have been in the works since January 2021.

"We wanted to grow even from the beginning concept," Beekly said about Hops & Hounds, which opened its first location in May 2020 on the Northeast Side near McAllister Park at 13838 Jones Maltsberger Road.

Beekly added that they hopped on the opportunity once local developer Hixon Properties told them about the available spot on 1123 Avenue B. The new establishment sits on a 1.5-acre property.

At the new site, Beekly said there will be familiar features that are incorporated at the Jones Maltsberger location. He noted, however, that the dog park and agility course will be larger. He added there will also be corporate spaces for companies to reserve for larger groups or gatherings.

The biggest difference will be that the new location will a coffee shop, Beekly teased. He said they have been wanting to add the coffee element for a while and felt the River Walk location would be a great spot to test it out.

Aside from the coffee part, Beekly said you can count on the famous margaritas being on the menu, as well as similar food options offered at the existing location. Beekly said they are hoping to open the new location before Christmas.

Atlanta-based Chicken Salad Chick to open first San Antonio location in Stone Oak this year

https://www.sacurrent.com/food-drink...n-antonio-loca

Chicken Salad Chick — a chain that serves up mayo-based picnic fare, including its namesake chicken salad, along with egg salad and pimento cheese — will open its first San Antonio location in Stone Oak later this year.

The Atlanta-based company announced plans to expand in Texas’ Bexar, Kendall, Comal and Hays counties last October. However, it didn't reveal specific store locations at the time.

Now, a news release confirms San Antonio’s first outpost will open at 22831 North U.S. Highway 281, Suite 116, by year’s end.

Chicken Salad Chick currently operates 21 locations across Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston. According to the release, the brand wants to open 50 new stores around the country — five of those in Texas — by the end this year.

7 San Antonio shops selling great raspas

https://www.expressnews.com/food/res...r-17258239.php

When you reach for a — and you know you will, because it’s hotter than the devil in a sweater out there — you have one man to thank for the countless stores across San Antonio selling those frosty treats.

And galling as it may be for connoisseurs of the puro San Antonio he’s from Dallas.

Big blocks of ice first became available in the 1850s, which paved the way for vendors selling shaved ice desserts. But making those treats was a grueling job, as the name, derived from the Spanish word “raspar” meaning “to scrape,” implies.

San Antonio entrepreneur David Padilla plans to grow juice bar, café-and-hemp store Jugo in Texas

https://www.mysanantonio.com/sa-inc/...r-17256663.php

David Padilla has deep roots as an entrepreneur. His grandfather was one of the first businessmen to operate a movie theater in Honduras.

“I grew up in that environment of entrepreneurship, business hustle,” he said.

Padilla, who was reared in San Antonio, put that hustle to use while still a student at St. Mary’s University when he founded a company that rented venues to stage concerts and throw parties. He went on to devote 15 years of his career to the nightlife industry — opening Zen Bar Ultralounge across from the Majestic Theater — before deciding that “this is not what I want to continue doing.”

Today, he runs two locally based retail businesses with a focus on health and wellness: Jugo, a chain of juice shops selling smoothies, acai bowls and cleanses; and Archie’s Coffee Lounge, a café on the Northwest Side that also offers wine, cocktails and hemp products such as CBD. Many of the hemp products are made by another of his companies, Structure Health & Wellness.

The businesses operate under his private equity fund, D Cap, which includes many of his family members as investors, he said.

San Antonio chef behind Pharm Table picked for esteemed James Beard Foundation dinner series

Pharm Table chef-owner Elizabeth Johnson has racked up yet another national recognition for her innovative cuisine.

https://www.sacurrent.com/food-drink...eries-29232724

The James Beard Foundation has selected Pharm Table chef-owner Elizabeth Johnson to participate in this year's Taste America series, heaping another serving of national acclaim onto the plate of her Southtown restaurant.

As a featured chef, Johnson will host a curated dinner at her acclaimed veg-forward eatery on March 22, 2023. She'll also travel to Houston and Colorado for tasting events.

What's more, Johnson will participate in the Tasting Texas Wine + Food Festival, festival taking part this fall and organized by the Beard Foundation, Visit San Antonio and local food and wine organization Culinaria. In that event, Johnson will collaborate with esteemed chef Alex Raij from New York City.

“I am absolutely thrilled to be participating in such an exciting series of events and with such a special organization,” Johnson said in a release. “Our philosophy at Pharm Table is centered around the concept that food can be both healing and delicious; and we can simultaneously take care of our planet through sourcing locally and creating little waste.”

Johnson focuses on an Ayurvedic, plant-forward approach to anti-inflammatory cooking, emphasizing eating for one's particular body type. She's the sole San Antonio chef to be tapped for the 2022 iteration of the Taste America program.

Tickets for the March 2023 dinner at Pharm Table, 812 S. Alamo St., will go on sale this fall.

P-Terry's grills up plans for new San Antonio location on Broadway

The new location will fill the spot of an old Chinese restaurant.

https://www.mysanantonio.com/food/ar...s-17268144.php

P-Terry's Burger Stand, the Austin burger chain steadily working its way into San Antonio, is already planning its next location on Broadway near downtown. Documents submitted to the Historic and Design Review Commission show that P-Terry's is seeking design approval for its next burger shop at 3304 Broadway next to the Doseum and across from Brackenridge Park, according to agenda documents.

The 2,697-square-foot construction will take place off of the now closed King's Palace Chinese Restaurant, which will be demolished, an order that was approved in September 2021. Along with P-Terry's signature red, white, and teal color scheme, the restaurant will also have outdoor patio seating and a drive thru.

The documents do not have an expected construction start date. MySA reached out to P-Terry's for comment.

P-Terry's opened its first San Antonio location in Medical Center at 8443 Wurzbach Road in July 2021. It now has a location in Stone Oak, as well as a location at Loop 1604 and Potranco Road on the Far Westside. P-Terry's also has a location in New Braunfels.

This will mark the fourth location in San Antonio for the burger chain that sells everything from single to double cheeseburgers with its special sauce and chicken sandwiches. It's combos come with a side of fries. The burger joint also sells chocolate, strawberry and caramel shakes. You can even grab a slice of banana bread.

Mexican chain Cerveceria Chapultepec suddenly shutters both San Antonio restaurants

https://www.mysanantonio.com/food/ar...P-CP-Spotlight

The local contingent of Mexican restaurant chain Cerveceria Chapultepec took to Facebook Monday morning, June 27, with a sudden announcement. Both of their San Antonio locations are "officially closed" according to the statement. The dispatch, sparse in further details, was capped off with a "Thank you San Antonio!" message that included nothing more than American flag and waving emojis.

The two locations, located in Tobin Hill at 906 E Elmira Street and at 8403 Hwy 151, Suite 101, first arrived on the local scene in 2020. The restaurants offered an eclectic menu, with tacos, subs, and tortas along with cocktails, wine, and, naturally, beer. It is perhaps best known for its one-price food and drink menu where everything is listed at $2.90.

Cerveceria Chapultepec is popular internationally, with more than 100 locations in Mexico and in several Central and South American countries. In May 2021, the restaurant off Elmira was named in a $20 million lawsuit after the tragic death of a local cyclist.

A month prior, 43-year-old Beatrice Gonzalez was struck while riding with her cycling club by a black sedan in front of nearby Central Catholic High School by an alleged drunk driver, Samantha Castillo, who had been reportedly drinking at Cervecería Chapultepec, the Express News reported. The 22-year-old was later charged with intoxication manslaughter.

MySA's attempts to reach Cervecería Chapultepec were unsuccessful. Notably, the business has been historically hard to get in contact with. The Texas Secretary of State’s Office does not have a listing for the business under several corporate names associated with it, according to earlier Express News reporting.

Google lists the eateries as "permanently closed."

Alamo-themed bar, restaurant opens steps away from historic site in downtown San Antonio

https://www.mysanantonio.com/food/ar...n-17263669.php

Steps away from the Alamo's perimeter wall is Crockett Tavern, a just-opened eating and drinking spot created as an "inversive" experience reflecting the 1836 fall of the mission. The new bar and restaurant opened inside the Crockett Hotel on Monday, June 20.

The Mad Dogs Restaurant Group-owned business offers a "country-style" food and drink menu with the interior design to match. Crockett Tavern describes itself as a "living reflection" of Texas' fight for independence.

Cowboy-themed decor is displayed throughout. A corner of the space is dedicated to replicas of weapons used in the Battle of the Alamo. There are also large-scale oil paintings depicting the violence and a recreation of the Alamo Cenotaph on one of the rock walls.

Customers will eventually get a clear view of the Alamo via large pane windows. But for now, the restoration project of the landmark is rattling outside.

Crockett Tavern's menu includes starters like shrimp scampi and calf fries for the adventurous eater. Fuller vittles like sandwiches, bison burgers, ribs, brisket, and redfish, are also available. The robust drink menu lists themed cocktails like the "Defenders Margarita" and "Crockett Smash" as well as beer, liquor, and wine.

The restaurant and bar also has plans to host live country music. It's located on the first floor of the 113-year-old hotel, near the coffee shop which also recently opened.

You can find Crockett Tavern at 320 Bonham Street. The new spot is open daily from 11 a.m. to midnight.

Helotes sets plans for $1M food hall just northwest of San Antonio

https://www.mysanantonio.com/food/ar...P-CP-Spotlight

The community of Helotes, just northwest of San Antonio, is getting a giant $1 million food hall next year, according to the San Antonio Business Journal.

The 10,000-square-foot property, called Roots Food Hall, will include multiple restaurant tenants, a landscaped courtyard area, and a full-service bar. The space is a similar concept to Bottling Department Food Hall, a fixture in downtown San Antonio's Pearl complex, that houses everything from pizza to Caribbean food.

The Helotes food hall will be rooted in an upcoming complex called Legacy, an expansive 24,500-square-foot mixed use space, with restaurants, retail shops, and more. Due to a mixed-drink liquor license, patrons will be able to utilize the bar space and wander the grounds.

Rudy Montez, a broker working with Core Commercial Real Estate to fill spaces at The Legacy, told MySA that the company can't yet share if any restaurants have signed on to rent the space yet. However they are currently in negotiations with multiple potential tenants.

According to documents filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, the interior space at Roots Food Hall is scheduled to be completed sometime in April 2023. An opening date for the complex has not yet been announced.

Legacy and the incoming Roots Food Hall is located at 14108 Bandera Road, about five miles from UTSA and 20 miles northwest of downtown San Antonio.

Alamo Themed Bar Con queso
 

:notacrook:
The menu doesn’t mention it, but this place sounds like it will be heavy on the cheese :haha::haha::haha:

:rolleyes::haha:;)

Nailed it.

New drive-thru Salad and Go restaurant plans first San Antonio location on Far Northside

https://www.mysanantonio.com/food/ar...-Editors-Picks

Fresh and fast pick-ups could be coming to San Antonio's Far Northside. Salad and Go, an Arizona-based company is working on a project in the Stone Oak area, according to state filings.

Salad and Go operates on a drive-thru only model, selling nine types of salads with house-made salad dressings. Filings submitted to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation show the privately owned company is working on a new build at 22143 Bulverde Road. Details filed through TDLR are subject to change, but the current plan is for a $300,00 project with a construction timeline of November to March.

...

Salad and Go's plans come on the heels of another national salad business coming to Stone Oak. Chicken Salad Chick, a southern-style restaurant, is opening the Alamo City's first installment in the Stone Oak area by the end of 2022.

Oregon-based coffee chain The Human Bean brews up first San Antonio shops

https://www.mysanantonio.com/food/ar...o-17274359.php

San Antonio has a number of coffee shops sprouting throughout the city, from brick and mortar buildings to coffee trucks. Now another coffee chain is adding San Antonio to its portfolio of shops. The Human Bean announced its newest location in San Antonio will be opening up this summer, according to a news release. An official opening date has yet to be announced.

The Human Bean will be at 25510 Bulverde Road in San Antonio. The location is owned and operated by Fischer's Market Management President Rodney Fischer and real estate development director Kirk Brumley. Brumley is eager to bring The Human Bean franchise to the San Antonio area, according to the release. The Human Bean is now accepting job applications for the summer opening.

"I am excited about the addition of this coffee drive-thru franchise to our company," Fischer said in the release. "I look forward to working with another family-owned business that shares similar core values, and community-oriented business model."

According to The Human Bean website, there will also two more locations in San Antonio, one at 7224 FM 78 and one at 9642 Marbach Road. The drive-thru location will open at the same time the new Fischer's Neighborhood Market is planning to open. They share the same parking lot.

The Human Bean started in 1998 in southern Oregon. There are over 300 locations open, under construction, or in the planning stages in over 25 states.

New Japanese sushi restaurant Nineteen Hyaku to open near Pearl next year by Little Em’s, Up Scale team

https://www.expressnews.com/food/res...o-17274400.php

A new sushi bar and Japanese restaurant called Nineteen Hyaku is coming to the Jefferson Bank tower on Broadway near the Pearl next year, another project from the prolific restaurant group behind Little Em’s Oyster Bar in King William and Up Scale in Southtown.

Nineteen Hyaku will occupy 5,000 square feet on the ground floor of the new tower at 1900 Broadway. The name is a nod to both the building’s address and the restaurant’s mission. “Hyaku” means “hundred” in Japanese, and Nineteen Hyaku owners Emily and Houston Carpenter of Carpenter Carpenter Hospitality said they intend to blend Western hospitality with Japanese sushi culture, serving lunch and dinner seven days a week.

With an opening date planned for July 2023, Nineteen Hyaku will focus on nigiri, sashimi and the multicourse, chef-curated sushi tasting experience called omakase, Houston Carpenter said. The menu also will include sushi rolls and hot dishes from a robatayaki grill showcasing high-end proteins grilled over Japanese charcoal, he said.

They’ve yet to hire an executive chef, Carpenter said, but the search is being facilitated by Up Scale sushi chef Ruben Pantaleón.

The restaurant’s beverage program will feature cocktails, beer and wine with the Japanese touch of a roster of specialty sakes curated like a wine list, Carpenter said.

A rendering by Crystal Sinclair Design shows a minimalist, elegant setting with 25-foot ceilings, floor-to-ceiling sheer white draperies that still allow in natural light from the massive windows, a grand central chandelier, warm woods, navy upholstery and marble counters. The Carpenters’ company is handling the buildout that will have an interior mezzanine for private dining and patio seating that will bump the restaurant’s seating capacity past 100.

For the Carpenters, the inspiration to open a sushi bar in their hometown followed a familiar path. Just as their oyster bar travels here and abroad gave rise to Little Em’s, what they call “sushi bar hopping” galvanized their idea to open Nineteen Hyaku.

“Why isn’t there an Uchi here, or Nobu?” Houston Carpenter asked, referring to sushi spots in Austin and New York, respectively. “We’re at a time of revolving, all-you-can-eat sushi,” he said. “We’re excited to introduce a refined sushi concept.”

The announcement comes as a breath of fresh air for a sushi scene that desperately needs it. A few local favorites like Sushihana and Sushishima offer a mid-level sushi experience here. Sushi at a level on par with national hotspots like San Francisco and San Diego was only introduced last year when Shiro Japanese Bistro opened, immediately climbing to the top and earning a four-star review from the Express-News with West Coast-style sushi, rolls and sashimi from San Diego chef Grey Hwang.

In addition to Little Em’s, Up Scale and Nineteen Hyaku, the Carpenters have two more San Antonio restaurant projects in the works. Their Southern-inspired Restaurant Claudine in the Government Hill neighborhood is scheduled to open in October, and the casual cafe and retail seafood counter Go Fish Market is coming in December to the Tobin Hill neighborhood.

Are Age-Exclusive Bars the Way of the Future?

Two bars in San Antonio are blazing a new, mellower trail, one where being 21 and legally able to drink won’t get you very far.

https://www.texasmonthly.com/food/ar...rs-the-future/

On the night of my twenty-first birthday, I stumbled into a college bar with a friend who was dressed in a large polyester carrot costume. I downed several potent cocktails called trash cans, yelled a lot, and then briefly made out with the captain of the school’s croquet team. Throughout the evening, I proudly brandished the government-issued ID that confirmed I was legally allowed to be there, took mystery shots, and lurched around the sticky dance floor to the dulcet tones of Flo Rida. I was an adult woman in a space reserved for adults.

I thought of that night, and the many like it that followed, when I read about Bentley’s on Broadway, a bar in San Antonio that recently announced it was raising its age limit.

“Bentley’s on Broadway is officially 25+ & up now,” the venue announced on Instagram in May.

In the comments section, reactions to the news were mixed. “Yesssss finally . . . PERFECT MOVE,” effused one user. “What about 24 turning 25 this year,” asked another, who expressed despair with a crying emoji.

My own research yielded overwhelmingly positive responses. Though I threw in the trash can–soaked towel of my own drinking years ago, in a survey of my immediate friends and neighbors (a decidedly thirty-plus crowd), respondents said the concept sounded like “paradise”—a utopia where the still-young-but-increasingly-creaky could gather to revel together in their own muted way without having to watch a 21-year-old puke up a neon-blue beverage and then leave a loud, tearful voicemail for their ex.

I reached out to Bentley’s, eager to learn what had prompted it to make the bar of my friends’ dreams. But when reached by phone, a representative declined to comment. “It is what it is. We’re twenty-five-plus,” a gentleman said, before abruptly ending the call. Much like the 24-but-almost-25-year-old who posted the crying emoji, my entrance to Bentley’s, albeit merely conversational, had been denied.

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson’s food and tequila truck rolls into San Antonio this weekend

The Mana Mobile will make several appearances around town between Friday and the Fourth of July.

https://www.sacurrent.com/food-drink...ekend-29263598

This weekend, San Antonio fans of actor Dwayne Johnson will get a chance to smell what "The Rock" is cookin’. The action-movie icon's Mana Mobile food and tequila truck will post up at a variety of Alamo City locations through the long weekend.

San Antonio is just one stop on the Mana Mobile’s tour across the U.S., intended to show show off Johnson’s Teremana Tequila — where possible, of course — along with dishes inspired by the former wrestler's favorite cheat meals, according to a press release.

Folks looking to get a taste of the truck’s “People’s Margaritas,” made with Johnson's celebrity-brand tequila can do so at the following events:

Hemisfair Park
Friday, July 1, noon-2 p.m.
The Mana Mobile will be serve complimentary French toast sticks, tacos and the People’s Margaritas at 434 S Alamo St.

Mission Marquee Plaza Farmers Market
Saturday, July 2, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
The Mana Mobile will dole out complimentary tacos, French toast sticks and the People’s Margaritas at 3100 Roosevelt Ave.

Texas Vista Medical Center
Sunday, July 3 , 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Hospital employees and staff are invited to stop by the Mana Mobile for complimentary French toast sticks at 7400 Barlite Blvd.

Woodlawn Park
Monday, July 4, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.
The Mana Mobile will serve up complimentary French toast sticks and tacos. 1103 Cincinnati Ave.
Representatives for the food truck didn't confirm whether Johnson will be present at any of the San Antonio events.

East San Antonio burger joint Mark’s Outing reviving competitive eating series

The competitors from each round will vie for a chance to win a grand prize of $1,000.

https://www.sacurrent.com/food-drink...eries-29264580

East Side restaurant Mark’s Outing — formerly Fatty’s Burgers — is reviving its Food Fight Friday competitive eating series, which will include a $1,000 grand prize.

As part of the relaunched contest, the burger haven will hold a total of eight qualifying rounds on select Fridays of each month, each featuring up to 12 contestants. Competitors in each round are challenged to finish five of its original cheeseburgers in as many minutes.

As part of its contest, winners from each round will compete in the finals at Mark's All-American Burger Fest on Saturday, October 15 for a chance to win a grand prize of $1,000.

Mark's, located at 1624 E. Commerce St., launched Food Fight Fridays last year, getting in on the post-pandemic food event action in a big way. However, it put the throw downs on hiatus until relaunching this month.

The first round took place Friday, June 3, making local Anthony Rosales the first person to qualify for the finale. Future Food Fight Fridays will take place July 1 and 22, August 5 and 19 and September 2 and 23. All will get underway at 6 p.m.

The fine print? Interested competitors must pre-register at least 24 hours before each round and must be 18 years of age or older. There's also a $15 entry fee online or in person, and competitor tickets are sold on a first come first serve basis.

And for those who worry about such things, Mark's also requires contestants to fill out liability waiver. Turns out there can be too much of a good thing.

San Antonio favorite Cerroni's Purple Garlic permanently closing Austin Highway location

https://www.sacurrent.com/food-drink...ation-29313212

Neighborhood Italian spot Cerroni's Purple Garlic plans to permanently shutter its Austin Highway location, citing a lack of staff, MySA reports.

Known for affordably priced pizzas, house-baked breads and lasagna, Purple Garlic’s 1017 Austin Highway outpost has served central San Antonio since 2010. While the longtime eatery will close July 27, fans still will be able to snag Cerroni's eats at its 15909 San Pedro Ave. location, according to the news site.

Cerroni's Purple Garlic originally opened on Nacogdoches Road in the 1990s and moved several times since before settling on the Austin Highway spot, which includes an outdoor patio and kid-friendly sandbox. Its San Pedro location opened in January of 2020, MySA reports.

Those looking to get their hands on one last bowl of homemade Italian wedding soup at the Austin Highway Cerroni's Purple Garlic can do so Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Eater names San Antonio's Jerk Shack one of America's best restaurants for fried chicken

https://www.sacurrent.com/food-drink...icken-29317236

San Antonio's Jerk Shack has racked up yet another accolade, this time landing on food site Eater’s roundup of the Best Fried Chicken in America.

The article calls chef-owner Nicola Blaque’s entrepreneurial journey a “fried chicken success story,” specifically noting the Jamaican transplant's jerk-spiced wings — a dish that also helped land the dining spot on Eater’s Best New Restaurants list back in 2019.

The Jerk Shack — located at 10234 State Highway 151, Suite 103 — is the only Texas restaurant to make Eater's fried chicken list, which also highlights Eugene’s Hot Chicken in Birmingham, Alabama and The Chicken Hut in Durham, North Carolina, among others.

Such critical high fives aren't new to the Jerk Shack, however. GQ Magazine also included the Caribbean eatery on its list of Best New Restaurants in 2020, and it also landed on Yelp’s 2022 list of women-owned restaurants to watch.

Blaque helms both The Jerk Shack and Mi Roti, a Carribean flatbread joint at the Pearl, with the help of husband Cornelius Massey.

Boerne building new shopping center with $4.5M restaurant spaces

https://www.mysanantonio.com/busines...s-17290127.php

Four buildings, all with drive-thru services, for the Boerne Town Center will cost an estimated $4.5 million to construct, according to separate filings with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The four buildings range from 5,053 square-feet to 5,865 square-feet with each building costing around $1.1 million. Construction on the site will take a little under a year with an expected start date of October 24 and an expected completion date of August 25, 2023, according to the filing.

The site will be off the recently completed I-10 W exit/entrance ramp and Christus Parkway in Boerne. A Panda Express, MOD Pizza, McAlister's Deli, Chicken Salad Chick are some of the businesses that are going to be in the buildings as of now, according to the Boerne Town Center site plan. The site plan also shows a Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers on the pad next to the buildings.

The population growth of Kendall County from 2020 to 2025 is expected to jump by 14%. The population in the area was 99,571 as of 2020, according to the Boerne Town Center brochure.

The project is under development by San Antonio's Abiso Real Estate. Andrew Bagnall with Abiso Real Estate declined to comment. MySA also reach out to the City of Boerne for comment.

Exclusive: Award-winning Mexican restaurateurs open Santa Diabla in Cerveceria Chapultepec spot

https://www.mysanantonio.com/food/ar...P-CP-Spotlight

Within a few months, a new concept from Mexico will move in to the Tobin Hill area near Pearl with a dash of purity, some mischief, and a heap of hospitality experience. Santa Diabla, inspired by Mexican cantinas, will move into the former spot of Cerveceria Chapultepec in the fall.

The concept is the first U.S. crossover for award-winning restaurateurs Grupo Orraca. Rodrigo Orraca tells MySA that his father Manolo Orraca started in the food industry, developing concepts in Mexico City throughout the 1980s and 1990s, before launching Grupo Orraca in Toluca in 2008. The restaurant group includes NorteSur, Hacienda San Martin, Las Verdes Matas, and Fonda Yecapixtla throughout Mexico. Santa Diabla, the newest addition, is intended to be a cornerstone for an expansion throughout Texas spearheaded by Rodrigo.

All-day wine cafe Postino opening first San Antonio location

https://www.mysanantonio.com/food/ar...P-CP-Spotlight

The Rim is getting a brand of cafes where “drinking wine at lunch is not a crime.” Postino WineCafe, a Phoenix-based brand, is opening its first San Antonio location next spring.

“Feeling a connection and alignment with a community is what drives us to open our doors and a new location,” Postino Co-Founder and CEO Lauren Bailey tells MySA.com in a statement. “Honestly, it comes down to a feeling in my gut that this is our next home. I was born in San Antonio, so it’s a part of my personal roots. There is so much to love about the city.”

The all-day restaurant and wine cafe brand has a cult-like following with locations throughout Texas, California, Georgia, Colorado, and Arizona. San Antonio’s 4,500-square-foot installment will be next door to Torchy’s. Postino’s will be able to accommodate 226 people inside and another 93 on its spacious patio.

San Antonio's Cruising Kitchens strikes $100 million deal to help customers finance food trucks

Ghost and mobile kitchens experienced an uptick during the pandemic due to their lower capital investment compared to brick-and-mortar restaurants.

https://www.sacurrent.com/food-drink...rucks-29318495

San Antonio-based mobile kitchen fabricator Cruising Kitchens has partnered with an Austin-based banking platform to create $100 million in financing and customized insurance for its customers.

Led by San Antonio-based entrepreneur Cameron Davies, Cruising Kitchens is a leading fabricator of mobile kitchens. Its clients include high-profile companies such as Whataburger, Karbach Brewing and Rockstar Energy. Last year, the firm purchased an entire city block at 314 Nolan St., which includes a 100,000-square-foot warehouse and parking lot.

According to a press release from the company's new partner, Austin-based Ghost Financial, their relationship will allow major national quick-service restaurants to expand into new markets and boost off-premise sales via financing options that hadn’t necessarily been available to them.

Mobile kitchens and so-called "ghost kitchens," which prepare food but offer no dining room, experienced an uptick during the pandemic, thanks to their lower capital investment compared to brick-and-mortar restaurant.

“Consistency, accuracy and speed are the critical components that make us the leaders in ghost kitchen/mobile fabrication,” Cruising Kitchens' Davies said in a statement. “Partnering with Ghost Financial … will accelerate our operations and transform Cruising Kitchens into a titan in this space. This next wave of innovation is coming to the food/beverage industry and thanks to this new relationship, Cruising Kitchens will continue to lead the charge.”

For its part, Ghost Financial pledged to continue expanding the loan component of the deal, according to company officials.

"Today, two industry-leading business models in the multi-trillion-dollar food service space finally get married with the 9-figure and multi-year Cruising Kitchens and Ghost Financial partnership,” Ghost Financial CEO John Meyer said in a statement. “We couldn’t be more excited for the size, scale and impact of what’s to come."

Food sensation Dave's Hot Chicken is officially moving into San Antonio

https://www.mysanantonio.com/food/ar...-Editors-Picks

Dave's Hot Chicken had already promised to bring the buzzy brand to San Antonio earlier this year, but details were vague. Months later, we now know where the first San Antonio installment of the chicken chain will roost.

The spicy bird company is setting up its first San Antonio shop at Highway 151 and Hunt Lane. It will be part of Wender Plaza, a shopping center which has Sprout's as a confirmed tenant. Neither the landlord nor representatives for Dave's Hot Chicken were immediately available to comment.

'Smells greatly of urine': San Antonio's worst restaurant inspections halfway through 2022

https://www.expressnews.com/news/loc...2-17291150.php

In a routine restaurant inspection on January 31, a city inspector caught a restaurant employee wipe their mouth with the back of their hand, then proceed to prepare and handle food without gloves.

The restaurant's manager instructed the employee to put gloves on, but soon after, the manager themself was caught wiping their eye and subsequently touching refrigeration doors and cooked rice.

The Metropolitan Health District conducted 7,707 of these restaurant inspections in San Antonio during the first half of 2022. Nearly all (99.2 percent) restaurants received an inspection score of 80 or higher, on par with past results.

Curious how your favorite coffee, taco or pizza shop performed? We created a searchable database with every inspection and a link to its report card.

If you're curious to see the worst of the bunch, we distilled the list down below. It includes details from dead rodents and raw meat stored in grocery bags to knifes stored in mop sinks. Scroll on to see what city inspectors caught.

Build-your-own cinnamon roll spot Cinnaholic plans store in far Northwest San Antonio

https://www.sacurrent.com/food-drink...tonio-29309745

Sweet-toothed folks on San Antonio's northwest side will soon be able to build their own gourmet cinnamon rolls at a new Cinnaholic location set for Alamo Ranch.

A July 5 filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation shows that the new store will fill a 1,231-square-foot space at 5519 W. Loop 1604, Suite 104. Cinnaholic will join other eateries Kumori Sushi and Teppanyaki, Yum Thai and Freebirds World Burrito in the Alamo Ranch Shopping Mall.

Cinnaholic offers sweet rolls topped with a variety of frostings, fruit, nuts and candies such as sprinkles and chocolate chips. The build-your-own-roll model also allows creative sugar fiends to create their own rolls.

According to the Cinnaholic website, the company operates more than 60 locations across the U.S. and Canada. San Antonio is already home to a location at 812 S. Alamo St. in Southtown.

Iconic San Antonio eatery Bun ’N’ Barrel has temporarily closed

https://www.sacurrent.com/food-drink...losed-29309421

Longtime San Antonio barbecue spot Bun ’N’ Barrel has closed its doors, though it’s unclear for how long, MySA reports.

The Austin Highway restaurant’s front door bore a “closed temporarily” sign on Wednesday, July 6. However, that's contrary to the business’ Google page, which lists the spot, also known for its burgers, as “permanently closed.”

The Current attempted to contact the eatery via phone and email. The phone number is listed as no longer in service and the email bounced back as undeliverable.

Bun ’N’ Barrel opened 72 years ago, doling out barbecue, burgers, milkshakes and beer via its retro-inspired digs with neon signage, MySA reports.

The spot was featured on Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives in 2011. Host Guy Fieri called the spot's spicy burger with Thai chili sauce “pretty addicting.” The restaurant also was featured in the 1997 biopic Selena.

Bun ’N’ Barrel is located at 1150 Austin Highway.

5 new San Antonio food trucks we can't stop thinking about

https://www.mysanantonio.com/food/ar...P-CP-Spotlight

Hotter temperatures are rolling in, but that's not stopping us from heading out to San Antonio's fleet of roaming restaurants. Whether it's fresh seafood, Mediterranean, or a classic smash-style burger, our staff curated a list of must-try food trucks that have free rent in our minds.

Luther's Cafe celebrates 73 years at heart of San Antonio's 'gay strip'

https://www.mysanantonio.com/food/ar...p-17289924.php

Luther's Cafe, now on Main, has been around since 1949. To put things in perspective, that's about two decades before the Tower of the America's emerged in our skyline, even before the commercial development of the River Walk as we know it. It's the year Oscar-winner Meryl Streep and Billy Joel were born.

Much like the two stars, at 73 years old, Luther's Cafe is still kicking.

It's been a long journey for the San Antonio College-area eatery. While people of all walks of life eat and drink at Luther's — it is certainly not explicitly a gay restaurant and it never has been — its history is inextricable from the revitalization of what is known today as San Antonio's "gay strip." A major operator in the redevelopment is Luther's current owner, Randy Cunniff, who also owns Heat Nightclub and bars Sparkey's and Knockout.

Before Cunniff started opening businesses on Main Street and it became a colorful nightlife destination, the area looked a lot different.

Early Luther's and the 'Gay Strip'

Luther's first began cookin' on the corner of Locust Street and Main Ave in 1949, and ran operations there until about 1976. From there, it relocated to Main and Evergreen to colonize an old 1,150 square-foot Texaco station that had recently closed down. In the early days, Luther's was the sort of roadside joint where folks get something called a "red top." They would bring in their old coffee cans and have them fill it half with chili and half with beef stew, then would bring it back home to feed their families.

You can still order a red top at Luther's today, but you should probably leave your Folgers can at home. From what I'm told, the Luther's of yesterday had more of a rustic, truck stop diner feel. An aesthetic through-line that can be seen in Luther's interior to this day as it's covered in relics of Americana, from rusty road signs to license plates.

Previous to acquiring Luther's in 2007, Cunniff had lived across from the burger joint for about eight years, and had been frequenting the area and the restaurant for the last 20.

Before he opened Heat in 2001, the neighborhood was still known to harbor some gay bars, and a portion of Luther's patrons were subsequently gay. But at that time, everything was more spread out and discrete, says Cunniff. Being gay was something that, more often than not, happened behind closed doors. There were no blatant LGBTQ signifiers, there was no rainbow crosswalk on Main Street, no rainbow flags.

In 2007, a few years after Heat found success and people began frequenting the area in higher numbers, Cunniff acquired Luther's at the old Texaco. The old eatery had fallen into disrepair, so he gave it a makeover and built it out, doubling it in size. A few years later, after San Antonio College saw what was happening to that stretch of Main Street, seeing it transform into a more "happening" area, they made an offer on Luther's and converted the land into a mixed-use building, with student apartments and space for a new Luther's. During construction, Cunniff temporarily operated Luther's across the street, where Knockout is today. In 2012, Luther's opened at its current location.

Luther's today/ Post-Covid world

Something Cunniff is steadfast about is the staying open late on weekends to accommodate bar traffic. Until 3 a.m., burgers, homemade fries, and bar snacks like crispy Southwestern egg rolls are available at the Luther's bar. Given its walking-distance proximity to other gay strip offerings, Cunniff engineered it to be a natural destination for a post-Sparkey's late night bite.

Like any restaurant, COVID-19 was hard on Luther's and Cunniff, the unofficial architect of the inclusive night-life corridor.

"Believe me, it was not easy, and I was scared. But, you know, I couldn't let the gay strip go during COVID," shares Cunniff, who has been happy to see people steadily venturing back out.

A few months back, Cunniff hired new manager Duane Adams to get the restaurant back on track. The regulars were quick to introduce themselves, says Adams, and those who had been previously burned by the restaurant under different management were quick to wish him "good luck."

Adams, who moved here from Ohio for the job, was quick to observe how diverse the restaurant's patronage is.

"I've just noticed how Luther's is sort of this place for everyone. Even in the gay community, so to speak. We have lesbians that come in, a lot of gays younger and older, we collect every demographic from within our community. And then outside of that, it mixes with the straight communities," Adams says. " Luther's is like, the heart of the strip."

Almost immediately after he assumed his position, Luther's successfully took part in the first Main Avenue Pride parade after a two year COVID-19-related hiatus, and serviced more people than Pride 2019. Under Adams, the restaurant has also instated a new bar program, and added events to the calendar every night of the week to bring people in. The entertainment roster includes movie screenings on Mondays, video game nights on Tuesdays, karaoke on Wednesday, and drag dinners and brunch on the weekends. The drag shows are led by a local queen who goes by the name "Elizabitch," who was unavailable for comment.

The drag shows are a big draw across the spectrum of humanity, and really demonstrate just how inclusive a space Luther's is.

Patrons run the gambit, from elderly couples who have been lunching there for years to gay guys pre-gaming Heat, even straight guys ("not closet cases or down low guys,"says Adams) and family's enjoying eggs benedict and chicken and waffles during drag brunch.

"I get phone calls every week where people tell me that they need to come to the show. And then they bring their grandma or they bring their auntie and their children," Adams says. " The whole family comes for the show."

Luther's is open seven days a week. Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 a.m. Find it at 1503 N Main Avenue.

San Antonio's Rumble nightclub to expand footprint, add bathrooms

https://www.sacurrent.com/food-drink...rooms-29338613

San Antonio nightlife fixture Rumble will expand its St. Mary’s Street footprint this fall with the addition of bathrooms, according to a regulatory filing.

The nightspot will drop $350,000 to add 180 square feet to accommodate new restroom facilities, according to a July 6 filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Construction will begin in August and wrap up Oct. 31, the filing states.

The Current reached out to the club to confirm details and ask whether it would close during any part of the construction. The paper received no reply by press time.

Rumble opened in spring of 2016 to significant fanfare. The nightspot was established by Empty Stomach Restaurant Group (Barbaro and Hot Joy) and Boulevardier Group (Three Star Bar and the now-defunct Brooklynite and Stay Golden Social House).

Rumble shares outdoor space with music venue Paper Tiger on the corner of Ashby and North St. Mary’s streets, where it serves up cocktails along with pre- and post-show vibes.

San Antonio chef Michael Sohocki closes newest eatery, 5 Points Food & Drink

https://www.sacurrent.com/food-drink...drink-29347080

San Antonio's Michael Sohocki is the latest restaurant owner to feel the post-pandemic squeeze. The nationally lauded chef is closing 5 Points Food & Drink, his newest venture, due to lack of staff, MySA reports.

The European-dining concept at 1017 North Flores St. opened in January, sharing space with Sohocki’s ramen shop Kimura and new loft bar Dash. 5 Points was touted as a casual bistro reincarnation of the chef's electricity-free Restaurant Gwendolyn, which closed last December.

Sohocki didn't tell MySA whether he plans a return for Five Points or whether that's even a consideration.

“The restaurant industry is going through a violent change,” Sohocki told the news site. “I closed the 5 Points side because we just couldn't handle it mechanically. Many of my staff are doing the work of 1.5 to two people more days than not.”

Sohocki will reconfigure the dining room — the seating of which was split between 5 Points and Kimura — to create an expanded space for the ramen spot, MySA reports. The chef says he'll also grow the menu to include tempura and sashimi.

Eastside San Antonio soul food staple Mr. & Mrs G's officially closing at end of July

https://www.mysanantonio.com/food/ar...P-CP-Spotlight

Mr. & Mrs. G's, the beloved mom-and-pop soul food and pastry spot on San Antonio's Eastside, announced their upcoming closure over the weekend after 32 years of service.

"The decision to close down wasn’t easy, but due to the impact of COVID-19 and other factors, the losses suffered are too much," wrote the restaurant owners in a social media message.

In March 2021, the community mourned the loss of William Garner, one half of the husband and wife duo that opened the restaurant in July 1990. Known to loyal customers as "Mr. G," he survived his wife Addie by four years. "Mrs. G" died in 2017 after a lengthy battle with illness.

"Mr. & Mrs. G were proud to serve the community through these glorious years and they were so thankful to San Antonians for all of the support," the announcement continues.

With no money in their pockets for advertising or a kitchen staff, the Garner's first opened their restaurant to little fanfare. Thank's to word of mouth and their Southern-style meals, customers began lining up.

"It was a dream for William & Addie to open a restaurant," the post reads. "They wanted to give back and help the community."

San Antonio will still have a chance to get their home-cooked soul food before Mr. & Mrs. G's closes doors for good. The fried chicken destination — also known for its smothered steaks, okra gumbo, and banana pudding — will continue operating through the end of July with an adjusted menu to deplete inventory.

"We’ll never forget the amount of support received. More than anything, we appreciate the positive feedback, accolades and community service awards that we’ve received over the past 32 years. San Antonio, we thank YOU for your support and the great memories and for allowing us to serve YOU for 32 years," the announcement closes.

The restaurant will remain open Wednesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m until the end of the month. Find it at 2222 South WW White Road.

San Antonio staple Thai Dee reopens dining room after two-year pandemic hiatus

The restaurant also offers free BYOB service, meaning it doesn't charge a corkage fee for popping bottles customers bring in.

https://www.sacurrent.com/food-drink...iatus-29354611

To the delight of local Southeast Asian food lovers, San Antonio staple Thai Dee reopened its dining room this week after a two-year pandemic hiatus.

The North Central eatery shared the news Monday on social media, saying it's now open for dine-in, takeout and delivery from noon-8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and noon-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Its lunch specials — including pad Thai, curry fried rice and ginger chicken — are available noon-2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

"We are so grateful to all our customers who stuck with us during the past two years," the post read. "We look forward to welcoming everyone and providing our great food and service."

The restaurant, located at 5307 Blanco Road, also offers free BYOB service, meaning it doesn't charge a corkage fee for popping bottles customers bring in.

San Antonio's first Sugar Factory restaurant is now open at The Shops at Rivercenter

The new restaurant also features a retail space boasting more than 50 types of candy, shown off on the chain’s signature floor-to-ceiling display wall.

https://www.sacurrent.com/food-drink...enter-29368998

Though Sugar Factory’s claim to fame is its Instagram-worthy sweet treats, the 7,900-square-foot River Walk restaurant also offers a full food menu for brunch, lunch and dinner.

Sugar Factory identifies as an “American Brasserie,” according to the chain's website. However, the menu's array of cuisines includes not just French soups and crêpes but Asian-inspired stir fries and a pasta section.

An option that could be considered more “American” includes the 24K Gold Burger meal, which is “dripping” in 24k gold leaves and served with gold dusted french fries.

Nothing says “America” quite like excess, after all.

San Antonio rooftop lounge The Moon's Daughters' holding lunar phase-inspired events

The next Cosmic Night will honor the Full Sturgeon Moon on Thursday, August 11.

https://www.sacurrent.com/food-drink...vents-29362787

New-ish rooftop lounge The Moon’s Daughters is taking further inspiration from the Greek goddess of the moon for its latest event series: Cosmic Night.

The series will take place at The Moon's Daughters monthly, honoring that cycle's full moon. Sounds a little on-the-nose, right?

The series kicked off Thursday, July 13 as this month's full Buck Moon — the biggest and brightest supermoon of the year — cast its glow over the Alamo City.

The next Cosmic Night will take place Thursday, August 11, featuring a specialty cocktail in honor of the Full Sturgeon Moon. Astrologer, Feng shui expert and tarot card reader Kate Wind (now, there's a resume) will curate live music and "tarot insight" for the evening.

...

The Moon's Daughters is situated on the 20th floor of the Thompson San Antonio luxury hotel, 115 Lexington Ave. The restaurant and bar offers terrace seating with 360-degree skyline views. Guests and locals alike can attend the Cosmic Night events.

Postino's all-day wine cafe pours up a second San Antonio spot near Pearl

https://www.mysanantonio.com/food/ar...-Editors-Picks

Postino is giving San Antonio something extra to wine about. The Phoenix-based brand of wine cafes is adding San Antonio to its list of locations nationwide, not only at The Rim but also near Pearl.

Last week, Postino confirmed a Rim location, a 5,000-square-foot cafe, slated to open next spring, but it appears a second Postino is planned on Broadway. Representatives for Postino were not available for comment. However, plans submitted to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation show Postino is working on a 4,000-square-foot installment at 2600 Broadway, which is less than a mile away from Pearl.

Oasis Tavern brings cold poolside drinks at San Antonio's former Jefferson Swim Club space

https://www.mysanantonio.com/lifesty...o-17308123.php

If you've been looking for a way to cool down this summer, you may find a solution in Oasis Tavern, the new private poolside bar and grill concept that's taken over the old Jefferson Swim Club/Laguna Del Rio.

If you haven't heard, Oasis has been open and operating since the beginning of June under the same green awning, gated building off Donaldson on the Westside. The space's rebirth has been in the works since November, when four longtime friends and Marshall High School veterans — Eric Miester, Joe Stegman, James Hernandez, and Jason Rip — took over the lease.

When you first walk in it'll feel just like an unaffected old school icehouse. You'll clock the mounted TV playing VH1-era music videos on the wall, and soon notice the whirring metal fans perched like gargoyles working to offset what is inevitable in South-Central Texas in July (sweat).

...

"We're hoping we can be a good family-friendly pool during the day, but maybe become more of an adult bar-like atmosphere at night that's actually busy enough to stay open through the winter," says Rip.

Oasis is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. On Wednesday nights, a DJ takes over the space around 5 p.m. The guys are also looking into establishing trivia nights and a poker tournament.

You can find it at 1409 Donaldson Ave., San Antonio, TX 78228. Don't forget the $10 cover at the door.

Kingbythe... - appreciate all the updates you've been posting in the SA threads. Living away from home, great to catch up with what's progressing in the city.

You, are welcome. :)

Random restaurant fight.

Watch: Brawl breaks out at River Walk restaurant over dinner bill

https://www.expressnews.com/news/art...t-17311974.php

In a video posted to Twitter on Sunday, half a dozen individuals can be seen throwing punches, hitting one another with chairs and throwing glasses on the outside patio before San Antonio police officers run up and tackle several people to the ground. Terrified screams can be heard as patrons in a Go Rio River Walk boat stop and watch the events unfold.

When they don’t bring the shredded cheese fast enough…#Puro #Riverwalk #SanAntonio pic.twitter.com/yXP7K28lD3

— BootlegBentley (@UTSABootleg) July 18, 2022
A 30-year-old man was arrested on assault charges.

No major injury was reported.

https://twitter.com/UTSABootleg/stat...80241426415617

New brunch restaurant Full Goods Diner from Austin coming to San Antonio's Pearl this fall

https://www.expressnews.com/food/res...o-17316037.php

The operation will include a full bar with brunch cocktails, local tap beers and a small wine list. The garden-style setting will pull in natural light and incorporate wood accents, with a patio that extends into a planned new plaza space at the Pearl.

Full Goods Diner is a project from the team behind Austin’s Paperboy diner, in partnership with San Antonio’s Potluck Hospitality. The Pearl has another project with Austin ties in the works, the Mediterranean restaurant Ladino from Austin’s Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group, scheduled to open this summer.

An exact opening date and hours for Full Goods Diner will be announced as the opening comes closer.

While Full Goods Diner has a strong Austin connection, its San San Antonio roots run deep as well. Owner Ryan Harms is a San Antonio native who started Paperboy as a food truck in Austin in 2015 before moving into a brick-and-mortar space in East Austin in 2020.

“Having grown up in San Antonio, I am particularly excited to be back here, contributing to the city’s dining scene,” Harms said in a news release. “We are so proud of what we’ve created with Paperboy in Austin and can’t wait to bring this fresh, yet familiar style of food and hospitality to our guests.”

Full Goods Diner, 200 E. Grayson St. at the Pearl, fullgoodsdiner.com

Irish pub The Cottage opening in old Picante Grill space on San Antonio’s Broadway corridor

Co-owner Gina Bentley, a native of Ireland, told the Current that the pub will emulate the bars back home.

https://www.sacurrent.com/food-drink...ridor-29406627

Transplants Phil and Gina Bentley will bring Ireland to the Alamo City next month with the opening of The Cottage, a cozy Irish pub near the Witte Museum.

The Bentleys, who also operate Waxy O’Connors on the River Walk, have gutted the defunct space at 3810 Broadway — former home of enchilada haven Picante Grill — and injected it with Emerald Isle charm.

Gina Bentley told the Current that The Cottage will channel the vibe of drinking spots in her native Ireland, replete with a showpiece bar visible from any point in the building, cozy gathering spaces and a menu of hearty, rib-sticking eats.

“In an Irish pub, it's all about the bar, so we’ve got a huge wooden bar, floor to ceiling. It basically the spans the entire wall. So, that's kind of the focal point,” she said. “We did a lot of work to [the building]. But it just had those good bones, it had a lot of character. And I think what we were going for was this old-school Irish pub that had been around for decades — that kind of feel. And I think we wanted to embrace that it just felt lived in.”

The 3,500-square-foot space will offer multiple vignettes, including an area with high-backed booths, a “living room” with a fireplace and small stage, a bright and airy sun room and a walled-in courtyard patio. Months into opening, the couple will transform an onsite storage space into a games room with pool, darts and additional gathering space.

“We wanted to give it that cozy kind of feel, like you’re going into someone's house. That welcoming feel,” Gina Bentley said of the space. “For me, growing up in Ireland, that was very important. The pubs were where everyone would gather as a community and get together, and it was just that kind of safe, home-away-from-home kind of feel.”

The kitchen will serve Irish comfort food including bangers and mash, corned beef and cabbage, beef stew and boxtys, or potato pancakes. The bar will offer an extensive selection of Irish whiskey, imported beers and select craft cocktails.

Longtime bartenders from the couple’s booming River Walk drinkery Waxy’s will take up management positions at the new spot. Both Phil and Gina Bentley plan to be on hand for The Cottage’s day-to-day operations.

The couple's tentative plan is to open the first week of August, depending on the outcome of a few remaining kitchen inspections. Following a grand opening, The Cottage will open daily at 11 a.m., serving lunch and dinner. The owners haven't yet decided what time the pub will close.

San Antonio hospitality fixture Dan Ward stepping away from Piatti restaurants after 24 years

https://www.sacurrent.com/food-drink...years-29405956

Dan Ward, the operating partner at the helm of San Antonio’s two Piatti restaurants, is stepping down own after 24 years in that role.

Ward will leave Piatti this month to launch Holistic Hospitality, a new venture focused on supporting business owners, operators, restaurateurs and investors with his experience in the development and hospitality industries.

During his time in the Alamo City hospitality scene, Ward also helped develop and open Camp Outpost in Southtown, Polos at the Fairmount Hotel and eateries La Buca and Presidio.

“The last twenty-four years have been amazing. It was a hard decision to move on from my leadership role in operating both Piatti in San Antonio,” Ward said in a release. “I am most thankful for my two Piaitti teams and incredible guests. Together we served generations; I hope I helped make lasting memories for families and friends.”

Through Holistic Hospitality, Ward intends to draw on his experience and industry knowledge to mentor younger talent in concept building, systems development and cost controls.

Ward’s longtime outpost, Piatti at the Alamo Quarry Market, will host a farewell soiree on Wednesday, July 27 from 4-7 p.m. That restaurant is located at 255 E. Basse Road, Suite 500.

Southtown San Antonio's Francis Bogside Irish pub to relocate at the end of the month

Francis Bogside's last day of service at its current location will be Sunday, July 31.

https://www.sacurrent.com/food-drink...month-29415399

Southtown Irish pub Francis Bogside will relocate to new digs soon, though details surrounding the proposed move are scarce.

A meager Thursday press announcement noted that Francis Bogside's last day of service at its current 803 S. Saint Mary’s Street location will be Sunday, July 31.

“Patrons don't need to worry as the establishment is moving to a new location, which will be announced soon,” the statement read.

Okie dokie, then. We guess this is news enough for folks who may have wanted to visit on August 1, but we were hoping for a bit more information.

Ahead of the relocation, Francis Bogside will be open Sunday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to midnight and Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m.-1 a.m.

Top U.S. brunch spot Comfort Cafe is opening a second San Antonio location

https://www.mysanantonio.com/food/ar...-Editors-Picks

Comfort Cafe has earned a list of recognition since opening in San Antonio in 2019. Yelp calls the pay-what-you-can cafe the top brunch spot in the U.S. and come August, Comfort Cafe will call downtown San Antonio home.

The cafe is not moving out of its space in the wooded oasis at Los Patios, but is extending its lauded food and mission to a historic downtown building. Comfort Cafe's outpost will be a food truck with space to accommodate guests who want to eat at the location.

Comfort Cafe owners Rosie and Teri Lopez tell MySA that the new extension of the restaurant will park at the Heidgen House which is a few blocks from the Alamo. The building that now houses event space and offices was built in 1882 and was included in the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.

The owners say the landlord of the property was able to experience the Comfort Cafe hospitality and menu. Enamored by the menu and the charity-charged concept, she offered them space at 121 Star St. Since the building is historic, adding a kitchen was not feasible. A food truck seemed to be the solution.

"The stars aligned," Teri Lopez says. "This location has a courtyard and inside dining."

...

Find it at 121 Star St, San Antonio, TX 78205. Can't wait to try the food truck? Visit the full restaurant at 2015 N.E. Loop 410, San Antonio, TX 78217.

22 San Antonio-area restaurants we said goodbye to so far in 2022

https://www.sacurrent.com/sanantonio...15731/29416058

Though it looks like San Antonio's restaurant scene is finally recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, it's the nature of the foodservice business that we see businesses close annually as new ones open.

We went back to the beginning of the year and tallied at least 22 Alamo City eateries that have shut down or plan to in coming weeks. While some of those departures are related to the pandemic, lease adjustments and other factors played roles as well.

Started in S.A. 75 years ago, Luby’s keeps serving up memories

https://www.expressnews.com/lifestyl...d-17323658.php

Rick Melendrez’s first meal at Luby’s was something of a religious experience.

It was a Sunday evening in 1967, and the then-13-year-old altar boy had just secured the chalice and washed the cruets after Mass at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in downtown San Antonio. As he headed out to catch his bus, Father Isidore Garcia invited him to grab some dinner around the block, so the two made the short trek to a cavernous basement cafeteria at 517 N. Presa St., the site of the first Luby’s.

There Melendrez discovered a paradise of piping hot comfort food, all served by smiling waitresses in angel white uniforms. He’d never seen such a beautiful bounty, and he could ask for anything — just like a grownup. So he savored every morsel, from that first forkful of a square fried fish with a mound of tartar sauce to that last bite of strawberry cheesecake Fr. Garcia treated him with for dessert.

Chances are every Texas child has had a similar tray-sliding rite of passage in the land of the LuAnn platter that has led to regular visits as a adult, whether an extended lunch break with coworkers, a payday dinner with family or a special occasion that calls for a little together time with a lot of down-home cooking.

In the 75 years since Bob Luby opened that first cafeteria in San Antonio at the corner of College and North Presa streets, the brand has become so beloved, its very name and signature dish became an integral part of the hit animated TV series “King of the Hill,” with its cafeteria chain called Luly’s and a main character named Luanne Platter.

Of all the San Antonio Luby’s that have come and gone, none is more beloved than North Star Mall’s

https://www.expressnews.com/lifestyl...e-17323722.php

If San Antonians had to pick the most memorable Luby’s location that’s come and gone, it would have to be the one at North Star Mall. Talk about big boots to fill for all the other locations.

The former glass-enclosed restaurant by what’s now Macy’s was one of North Star’s original tenants when the mall opened in 1960. It also was Luby’s longest-running restaurant when it closed in 2011.

For decades, the North Star Luby’s served all manner of mall-goers and was something of a beacon for those tired, huddled masses yearning to be free. A waiting room for dutiful husbands eager for wives to wrap up their shopping sprees. A respite for worn-out parents who finally got their children’s picture with Santa. And home away from home for everyday folks who needed a little LuAnn love after scouring the packed parking lots for a spot.

The Luby’s at North Star Mall was most often the best of times, but sometimes it was the worst.

Sherry Brewer has happy memories. “My mother and I liked to go shopping at North Star Mall. We would always plan our shopping trips so we could have lunch there at Luby’s,” said said the retired school district bus driver.