https://sanantonio.culturemap.com/ The best articles on the web en-us Copyright 2026 by me RebelMouse JS Custom Feeds Fri, 10 Jul 2026 00:00:00 EDT San Antonio Texas Local News Breaking News Fri, 10 Jul 2026 18:00:01 EDT 15 https://sanantonio.culturemap.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8zMTczMjk4My9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTc5MTg2NjAwMn0.XSOu0dzguUpOcAg4R2FqPvmknNgrwi83nJv4HyuqEMc/image.png?width=210 https://sanantonio.culturemap.com/ San Antonio Texas Local News https://sanantonio.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/pure-green-opening-merc-utsa/ Pure Green will make its San Antonio debut at the buzzy Merc development at 5734 UTSA Blvd.]]> 2677204578 Fri, 10 Jul 2026 18:00:01 EDT Brandon Watson Restaurants + Bars San Antonio Texas Local News https://sanantonio.culturemap.com/news/travel/llama-ranch-favorite-camping-spots/ 50 favorite camping spots in 2026.]]> 2677204003 Fri, 10 Jul 2026 16:00:01 EDT Amber Heckler Travel popular San Antonio Texas Local News https://sanantonio.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/candlelight-pourhouse-closed-tobin-hill/
In January, the brunch spot announced it was taking a hiatus, but promised it would eventually return. Since then, it has deleted its social media pages and cleared out of its Victorian townhouse at 107 Kings Court.

Candlelight first opened in 1995 at 3011 N St Mary's St, the space that now houses nightclub Vibras. With its mismatched furniture, brightly painted walls, and amateurish abstract paintings, it was the kind of hangout that was once common before Starbucks commodified coffee culture.

It became an immediate hit with college students and artists, who appreciated its bohemian vibe and bottomless mimosa deals. It was especially embraced by the LGBTQIA+ community as one of San Antonio’s true safe places away from the Main Street gay bars.

In 2021, the business moved across the street, emphasizing the garden setting and rebranding as PourHouse. Owner Tammy Russell, however, was soon plagued with issues such as ongoing construction on the Strip and an inability to secure COVID recovery grants.

The loss of income led Candlelight to limit its hours in 2023. At the time, Russell told KSAT that she had tapped into her retirement funds, although she vowed to keep fighting for the business.

The spotty hours continued into its final days. Commenters in a 2026 Reddit thread said the place hardly ever opened and had few customers when it did — a fact made more noticeable by the brunch lines stretching out of its neighboring restaurant, Cullum’s Attaboy.

Candlelight’s graceful old building, however, won’t be vacant long. Popular Castle Hills Latin restaurant Bilia Eatery is moving into the space to open a new concept, Vecino, according to a recently filed Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission public notice. ]]> 2677203729 Fri, 10 Jul 2026 14:30:02 EDT Brandon Watson Restaurants + Bars popular San Antonio Texas Local News https://sanantonio.culturemap.com/news/entertainment/tormenta-six-flags-over-texas/ Tormenta Rampaging Run, on Thursday, July 9, and CultureMap and other media and VIPs were given early access to experience the ride's intense thrills before its public debut.]]> 2677203508 Fri, 10 Jul 2026 13:00:02 EDT Alex Bentley Entertainment popular Travel News San Antonio Texas Local News https://sanantonio.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/central-market-renovated-food-hall/ The Shining, there’s good news. The San Antonio flagship of H-E-B’s upscale grocer has reopened its food service area after a thorough renovation.

The remodeled section brings together the store's deli, bakery, sushi, chef-prepared cases, and cafe with bigger, brighter production areas. Shoppers can browse an artisan bread wall, charcuterie, an expanded assortment of cheeses, and a self-serve briny bar to add a little dazzle to their next charcuterie board.

The area will continue to serve as the central (yuk yuk) spot for harried customers who need a quick lunch or dinner. Among the offerings are a rice and noodle bowl station, salad and hot soup bars, grab-and-go cases, and a sandwich and burger counter. The latter has ditched the thick patties of old to introduce three new smash burgers.]]> 2677203000 Fri, 10 Jul 2026 11:30:02 EDT Brandon Watson Restaurants + Bars popular San Antonio Texas Local News https://sanantonio.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/con-amor-cocina-deco-district/ Con Amor Cocina is opening a second location this summer in the former home of Unko Mauie’s at 1815 Fredericksburg Rd.

Con Amor first debuted at 2314 Steves Ave. in 2023, serving Tex-Mex classics like chimichangas and puffy tacos alongside traditional Mexican fare like entomatadas. Affordable prices, daily specials, and accommodating service kept customers coming back.

Once open, Con Amor will bring life back to one of the Deco District’s most recognizable landmarks. The building was first built in 1938 as a Texaco service station, blending the neighborhood’s prevalent Art Deco style with Spanish Mission architecture.

In 2011, Deco Pizzeria proprietor Jacob Valenzuela enclosed the area that formerly housed the gas pumps. That restaurant closed in 2024 after weathering post-COVID business slowdowns, and was soon replaced by Unko Maui’s from the owner of Maui’s on Main. After less than a year, the burger joint was locked out over alleged unpaid rent.

Besides a dedicated fanbase, Con Amor will have one advantage Unko Maui’s did not: a full bar. The exact timing of the cantina portion of the business is still up in the air pending Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission licensing.

But in a direct message, a rep for the restaurant says that Con Amor aims to be serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner by mid-August pending “final preparations.” Fans can follow the restaurant’s social media for updates.]]> 2677202469 Fri, 10 Jul 2026 10:00:02 EDT Brandon Watson Restaurants + Bars popular San Antonio Texas Local News https://sanantonio.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/jon-taffer-tavern-expansion/ Bar Rescue will soon be able to enjoy Jon Taffer's personal bar experience. And no, it won’t be him blowing a fuse over a dirty draft line. The reality host says he will soon bring his signature franchise, Taffer's Tavern, to Alamo City.

Taffer has spent the last decade rescuing struggling bars, pubs, and taverns on his unscripted travel show, boasting a higher success rate than Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares (though don’t say that to the former owners of China Grove’s The Tipsy Bull). While plenty of naysayers call him a hack, he leveraged the role into a massive consulting business, Taffer Dynamics, that advises everyone from Anheuser-Busch to the NFL Network.

Taffer launched the mini chain in Alpharetta, Georgia, in November 2020. Despite the obvious handicaps of starting a bar in the middle of COVID, the pub was a success — probably owing as much to the TV star’s celebrity as his 40 years of hospitality experience. It now has four locations in the South, including an outpost in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Bar Rescue viewers probably won’t be surprised by the concept, which a release calls the “quintessential modern-day tavern.” The interiors have touches like tufted barstools and brick cladding, and his likeness can be seen in both digital and painterly forms.

The menu doesn’t deliver any shocks, either. The drinks are mostly crowdpleasers like spiked lemonade, mojitos, and an old fashioned build made with his proprietary Browned Butter Bourbon. As Taffer often lectures on his show, social media is important. The Lost at Sea — a blend of vodka, tropical orange, and ginger flavors — is topped with a floating mermaid.

Taffer’s Tavern also serves a full food menu of burgers, flatbreads, and other pub grub. Entreés range from chicken and waffles to a penne dish that can be customized with sauces. Taffer is a man of the people.

The Texas expansion is in partnership with Craveworthy Brands, whose only current San Antonio concept is Genghis Grill. The conglomerate also owns Dirty Dough, which pulled out of Alamo City in April.Taffer and Craveworthy say that Taffer’s Tavern locations will pop up in the state's four major metropolitan areas: Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, and San Antonio. For now, the team is still looking for operators, but Taffer is confident that will be an easy task.]]> 2677199937 Thu, 09 Jul 2026 18:00:02 EDT Jef Rouner Restaurants + Bars popular San Antonio Texas Local News https://sanantonio.culturemap.com/news/entertainment/evil-dead-burn-movie-review/ Horror franchises tend to endure because of several reasons. First and foremost, the title conjures up nostalgia for older viewers, as the many of the most popular ones started in the 1970s or ‘80s. Sequels can recycle key elements of past films as long as they tweak the formula enough to offer something original. And they’re also relatively cheap to make, as new films can bring in young or lesser-known actors to be terrorized. 2677199687 Thu, 09 Jul 2026 16:30:01 EDT Alex Bentley Entertainment San Antonio Texas Local News https://sanantonio.culturemap.com/news/entertainment/pearl-putt-opening-mini-golf/ $140 Trudon candle, maybe catch a country legend — but it hasn’t exactly been San Antonio’s go-to spot for a low-pressure first date. Grab a putter, player. The posh property is taking a swing at mini golf with Pearl Putt, an 18-hole course at 1100 Springs Plaza.

As any fan of the game knows, a mini golf course is only as good as its props. Pearl Putt’s builds come from Tiny Town Studios, the Milam County fabricator known for fantastical treehouses and Gruene Mini Golf. While much of the company’s work leans appropriately kitsch, this time they did a deep dive into San Antonio lore.]]> 2677199430 Thu, 09 Jul 2026 15:00:02 EDT Brandon Watson Entertainment San Antonio Texas Local News https://sanantonio.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/mcintyres-opening-new-braunfels-location/ McIntyre’s has chosen New Braunfels for a riverside location at 478 Porter St.]]> 2677198723 Thu, 09 Jul 2026 12:30:02 EDT Brandon Watson Restaurants + Bars popular San Antonio Texas Local News https://sanantonio.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/alamo-beer-dakota-icehouse-reopening/
Back on tap
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Alamo Beer Company has moved its reopening to July 11 after an issue with its cold storage system sabotaged its original July 4 relaunch.

The craft brewing pioneer has been on hiatus since February to renovate its East Side taproom at 202 Lamar St., a glow-up made possible by a new cash infusion. In December 2025, Australian private equity firm SKJ Capital acquired the brand for an undisclosed amount, allowing the almost three-decade-old brand a new path forward after filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

SKJ said its renovations will increase the brand’s presence in the community and improve manufacturing capabilities. But it assured Alamo Beer fans that it did not plan to fiddle with the product. The brewery will continue to brew its core beers, and buzzy one-offs like the viral King of the Hill collaboration.

Pouring support
It is increasingly looking like a Hail Mary will extend the life of The Dakota East Side Ice House. As of publication time, a GoFundMe meant to save the Historic Gardens hangout is less than $3,000 away from its goal.

On June 25, owner Kent Oliver announced he decided not to renew the lease on the property, ending an eight-year run. Two of his neighbors started the campaign shortly after to make sure he didn’t go down without a fight.

In a Facebook post shared on the GoFundMe page, Oliver said the original $13,000 goal would get the business out of the red. A Covid-era loan became more than the business could carry, and he thought he had run out of options.

While Oliver has not announced the ultimate fate of the business, he assured the community that every donation would help him “close Dakota responsibly, meet outstanding obligations, and move forward without leaving a bigger mess behind.”

“For the first time in a long time, I don't feel like I'm fighting this alone,” he wrote.]]> 2677178822 Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:48:02 EDT Edmond Ortiz Restaurants + Bars San Antonio Texas Local News https://sanantonio.culturemap.com/news/city-life/protect-texas-pets-screwworm-fly/ Two New World screwworm cases in dogs are among more than 30 confirmed instances in Texas and New Mexico, prompting warnings Wednesday, July 8 from veterinarians and humane societies that pet owners need to remain vigilant to protect their animals. 2677187409 Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:30:02 EDT Associated Press City Life San Antonio Texas Local News https://sanantonio.culturemap.com/news/entertainment/weekend-events-8-9-2026/ Wayne’s World at the Tobin Center, or listen to John Cusack spill High Fidelity tea. Check out the top seven things to do in San Antonio this weekend. For a complete list of events, click over to our calendar.]]> 2677173532 Thu, 09 Jul 2026 07:00:02 EDT Paige Turner Entertainment San Antonio Texas Local News https://sanantonio.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/tim-hortons-blanco-road-opening/ Tim Hortons is making a massive U.S. push, which will soon include a third San Antonio location at 18154 Blanco Rd.

To rub salt in the wound, the newest outpost will take over a former home of Starbucks — which closed hundreds of underperforming locations in 2025.]]> 2677179065 Wed, 08 Jul 2026 18:00:01 EDT Brandon Watson Restaurants + Bars popular San Antonio Texas Local News https://sanantonio.culturemap.com/news/real-estate/best-cities-for-renters-2026/ 2677178102 Wed, 08 Jul 2026 16:30:02 EDT Amber Heckler Real Estate San Antonio Texas Local News https://sanantonio.culturemap.com/news/travel/wimberley-blue-hole-nature-center/ Blue Hole Regional Park is building a state-of-the-art education center designed to be a hub of Hays County civic life.

According to a new Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) filing, the 2,375-square-foot facility will include a flexible classroom that can be divided into two spaces, restrooms, and covered porches. The grounds also incorporate a courtyard earmarked for outdoor learning.

The Wimberley Parks and Recreation Department says the center will act as an extension of its Nature Camp program. The day camp serves over 400 area youth each year with programming based on themes such as environmental stewardship, animal and insect life, arts, and geology.]]> 2677178271 Wed, 08 Jul 2026 15:00:01 EDT Brandon Watson Travel News popular San Antonio Texas Local News https://sanantonio.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/esquire-tavern-changes-owners/ The Esquire Tavern to its longtime beverage director, Stephan Mendez.

If Esquire wasn’t quite the genesis of San Antonio’s craft cocktail revival, it certainly nabbed the most attention. Before rescuing the bar in 2011 after a five-year closure, Hill drafted acclaimed Austin barman David Alan and one of the central figures in the city’s developing bar scene, Jeret Peña.

Peña was succeeded by an equally lauded mixologist, Houston Eaves, now the Beverage Director of Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group (Pullman Market, Ladino). In a few brief years, The Esquire became one of Alamo City’s can’t-miss destinations. To date, it is one of two San Antonio bars (Weathered Souls is the other) to be nominated for the James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar Program.

Hill didn’t just revive The Esquire by attracting top talent, however. Before his tenure, the smoke-stained bar was a dive, lined with wooden booths outfitted with personal jukeboxes. Hill reupholstered the seating, ripped out the tabletop selectors, and added a kitchen helmed by chef Brooke Smith. The neo-Victorian damask wallpaper, installed in the ‘60s, was lovingly restored.

Five years later, Hill tackled the basement, opening Downstairs at the Esquire with another legendary Texas barman — the late Hank Cathey. The purportedly haunted room, lined with taxidermy, remains one of San Antonio’s most distinctive spaces.

Mendez is no doubt aware of the bar’s heritage and does not plan to tinker with the menu or the historical 100-foot wooden bar. As a founding member of the local United States Bartenders’ Guild chapter, he’ll keep nourishing the next generation of San Antonio bar talent.And Hill feels his 155 E. Commerce St. passion project is in good hands.

“Every person who has ever pulled up a stool here has become a part of what makes this place special," he said in a release. "Stewarding that legacy has been one of the greatest honors of my life, and I'm proud to pass it on to someone who will carry the same passion for generations to come.”]]> 2677177583 Wed, 08 Jul 2026 13:00:02 EDT Brandon Watson Restaurants + Bars popular San Antonio Texas Local News https://sanantonio.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/toroko-sushi-opening-lincoln-heights/ Toro’ko Sushi has grown from a mom-and-pop sushiya to a mini empire. Now, the casual Japanese chain is heading to Lincoln Heights to open its fourth San Antonio location in the Village on the Green shopping center at 555 E. Basse Rd.

Taro’ko first opened in July 2021 at 158 E. Sonterra Blvd. Since then, the restaurant has been opening new outposts on a roughly two-year schedule — debuting in Shavano Park in 2023 and Fair Oaks Ranch in 2025.

It seems likely that the chain will keep the same pattern with its newest spot. According to a new Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filing, renovations will be completed in December, although state timelines rarely line up with actual opening dates.

Each of the previous locations has the same menu, including a staggering number of rolls. Choices range from the curiously named Fiber Roll with yellowtail, salmon, and tuna to the Mango Special with shrimp tempura and habanero. Of the 40 options, there’s not a California Roll in sight, but that’s perhaps a relic best left to ‘70s key parties.

Naturally, Toro’ko also serves nigiri and sashimi, the latter of which can be piled into a chirashi bowl with chef’s choice cuts. The chain isn’t always purist. The Spicy Razor layers serrano, sriracha, and crispy garlic into a sort of crudo. Ceviche appears, too, here on a tostada.

Although most of the dishes sneak in a little seafood, pickier eaters can order teppanyaki, curry, udon, and teriyaki, plus an assortment of appetizers such as beef Akaushi and cheese balls. Or they can chug a few beers (Kirin, Asahi) or a masu of sake and head straight to the banana tempura dessert.
]]> 2677175273 Wed, 08 Jul 2026 11:00:01 EDT Brandon Watson Restaurants + Bars San Antonio Texas Local News https://sanantonio.culturemap.com/news/travel/jw-marriott-worlds-best-awards/ Travel + Leisure's 2026 World's Best Awards.]]> 2677169535 Wed, 08 Jul 2026 09:30:01 EDT Amber Heckler Travel popular San Antonio Texas Local News https://sanantonio.culturemap.com/news/city-life/spurs-bexar-county-home-games/ approved a new agreement that lets the Silver and Black play an extra “home game” off the Frost Bank Center hardwood.

The 4-0 vote amends an existing non-relocation agreement between the county and the team. The change covers the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons.]]> 2677170408 Tue, 07 Jul 2026 17:30:01 EDT Brandon Watson City Life