Hoagie hero
San Antonio's first 'whole-animal' sandwich shop and deli pops into downtown

After two years of impressing San Antonians with special dinners and pop-ups at places like Dorçol Distillery and Lowcountry, charcuterie master Swine House is settling into a permanent spot.
Following a soft opening beginning May 17, Swine House Bodega officially opens May 30, and will share space with Pinch Boil House and Bia Bar at 124 N. Main Ave. According to a release, the concept will be Alamo City’s first whole-animal sandwich shop, with all meats sustainably sourced from area farms.
The local focus is no mere gimmick. With Swine House, owner Joe Saenz seeks to bring diners closer to the food they eat by highlighting the labor that produces it. He rejects commodity meat not only because of ethical and environmental concerns about the industry, but because pasture-raised meat produces a better flavor.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to contribute to the food scene in this city,” said Saenz via release. “When I was living in Brooklyn during my culinary school period, I couldn’t shake the feeling that San Antonio is where I belong. Now, three years later after returning back, I’ve fallen in love with the ingredients and meats available to this area, and I want to share the love and provide high-quality, fresh dishes to everyone.”
The eatery will be open weekdays for breakfast from 7:30-10 am and lunch from 11 am to 2 pm. The menu items will rotate but will always feature biscuit sandwiches made with White Lily flour, cultured butter, and house-rendered lard during the morning. On the official opening day May 30, Saenz will even welcome guests with sausage, egg, and cheese biscuits.
Following breakfast, Swine House will switch over to New York-style subs, like a classic meatball sandwich from the opening lineup. Natural sourdough focaccia will also be available to snack on.
Swine House Bodega isn’t the only sandwich shop to recently announce its rolling into San Antonio. On April 30, the owners of La Panadería revealed they were bringing their popular tortas to the Northwest Side in summer 2020.