Sweet Treats

Artisan ice cream shop finally sweetens Hemisfair with second San Antonio location

Lick Honest Ice Creams is scooping its second San Antonio location.

Something sweet is happening at Hemisfair. On June 1, Lick Honest Ice Creams, an artisanal ice cream shop, will finally open its second San Antonio location, about six months after it was originally scheduled to debut.

Lick is famous for its use of locally and sustainably sourced ingredients to craft unique, seasonally rotating flavors inspired by Texas ingredients. For its opening menu, Lick will offer seasonal spring flavors tres leches, yellow rose and elderberry, and strawberry cream pie, along with menu staples goat cheese and thyme and honey.

Each flavor is crafted using 100 percent grass-fed milk from Mill-King Market & Creamery, a dairy located in McGregor, Texas, near Waco. Lick also offers gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan options.

Lick will take over the Smith House, an iconic 720-square-foot structure no doubt familiar to Hemisfair visitors. In honor of the historic cottage, built in 1840s, the design "will emulate Lick Honest Ice Creams’ menu of fresh ice cream flavors and eco-friendly ethos while celebrating the architecture of the unique structure that’s been a part of San Antonio for over 160 years," notes a release.

“When we began searching for a second location in San Antonio two years ago we knew we wanted to be part of the energy and history of Hemisfair,” said Lick co-founder Anthony Sobotik in a release. “When I saw this house, I instantly knew we found Lick’s second home in San Antonio.”

Sobotik and co-owner Chad Palmatier founded the Austin-based Lick in 2011 before opening its first Alamo City location in the Pearl in 2014. The Hemisfair locale marks the company's fifth shop in Texas.

To begin, Lick's newest location will be open daily from noon to 9 pm. Customers may visit the shop to order by the scoop or pint or order online for curbside pickup. San Antonio residents can also enjoy free delivery once a week, depending on ZIP code. Go here for more information and to see if your neighborhood is eligible.

ice-cream openings

Luck be Ladino

Hugely popular San Antonio restaurant Ladino celebrates first anniversary with Mediterranean party

Ladino/Instagram

Ladino's Jewish-Mediterranean food has wowed San Antonians for a year.

Although Ladino has only been a Pearl gem for one year, the mediterranean hotspot already feels like a San Antonio staple.

Helmed by executive chef Berty Richter and Emmer Hospitality, Ladino is slated to celebrate its first anniversary this Sunday with a festive party celebrating the restaurant's success as well as its future. Guests will enjoy a welcome beverage (and more cocktails for purchase), plus unlimited grilled meats, pita sandwiches, and other bites. DJ Zain will keep the energy up, while guests play yard games and kids get their faces painted.

Chef Richter tells CultureMap, '"In the world of restaurants and hospitality, we always strive to progress, keep learning, and improving."

When Ladino opened last September, it represented a promising branching out from its Austin-branched hospitality group parent, which had prior (and has since) earned acclaim from national publications for its cultural vibrancy — and deliciousness, of course.

In Ladino's case, the cultural touchstone is the Judeo-Spanish language of the same name that Chef Richter spoke growing up, which also included elements of Castellano, French, Italian, Greek, Turkish, and Hebrew. Richter's Turkish mother inspired many parts of the restaurant's popular Mediterranean menu.

Despite a strong point of view, the restaurant does have something for everyone, and is very accommodating to patrons with dietary restrictions. Signature staples include the sourdough-based pita bread (which comes unlimited with the hummus dip), kibbeh nayeh with Wagyu tartare, shishbarak (lamb and pork dumplings), and saffron chicken. The Wagyu Denver steak is a consistent standout, with a perfect crispy edge surrounding the medium rare middle.

Chef Richter plans to keep the menu generally the same for now, with the ongoing tradition of rotating some dishes out based on seasonal availability.

"We are excited to continue exploring the cuisines and cultures that Ladino represents, while strengthening our relationships with local farmers, growers, producers, and the communities of San Antonio," says Richter.

Now open seven days a week, Ladino offers a happy hour on weekdays from 5-6:30 pm. Deals include six dollars off of the hummus dip and pita, $5 off of Ladino's signature cocktails and wines by the glass, and deals on other plates like babaganoush, a spicy Feta plate, and more. The happy hour specials are only available at the upstairs bar, which is easily accessible catty-corner to the main Ladino entrance at the Pearl.

Tickets ($40, $15 for kids) to the anniversary celebration on October 1, from 4-8 pm, are still available via Eventbrite. Regular reservations and to-go orders may be made at ladinosatx.com.