Dig into Dignowity Kolaches

Tiny San Antonio bakery builds big following with signature kolaches

Dignowity Kolaches serves pastries six days a week.

Dignowity Hill is a historic San Antonio neighborhood with many homes and families that have been there for generations. But there's room for culinary newcomers to become neighborhood favorites.

Such is the case with Dignowity Kolaches, a small operation on East Houston Street located next to Dignowity Meats. Originally opened as Koolaches, the family-owned business was sold to current owners and operators, sisters Silvia Alcaraz and Lupita Rivero, this spring. The duo is currently working on rebranding it to Dignowity Kolaches.

Regardless of the name, kolaches get plenty of love here. The kolache dough is made from scratch with unbleached flour. There's an array of fruit kolaches, such as cherry, apple, and strawberry, and they have a few kinds of klobasnek (sausage wrapped in kolache dough), including the traditional sausage and cheese as well as ones filled with barbacoa.

Diners can choose from two individual-sized breakfast pizzas — one with sausage, another with spinach — and quiches too.

The atmosphere is cozy and casual inside the very small shop, which has seating for a handful of people indoors, plus an outside picnic table. Hours of operation are 7 am to noon Tuesday through Friday and 9 am to noon Saturday. As is typical for any small bakery, many items can easily run out before closing time.

The sisters can prepare group-sized orders with advance notice, and an average price per item of $2 to $4 makes it a budget-friendly option.

Ultimately, Dignowity Kolaches is close enough to downtown to snag the attention of workers who want a quick breakfast and out-of-towners who want to try savory and sweet treats from a local, independent bakery. Yet it's entrenched enough in Dignowity Hill to build a big neighborhood following — and that is clearly happening already.

Dignowity Kolaches is hosting a grand opening celebration from January 17 through February 11. Check out the Facebook page for more details.

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In-slider knowledge

Well-known brunch eatery adds location at changing Riverwalk mall

Photo courtesy of Alamo Biscuit Co. & Panaderia

Alamo Biscuit Co. & Panaderia is joining a growing list of businesses flocking to the Shops at Rivercenter.

The well-known San Antonio brunch spot Alamo Biscuit Co. & Panaderia is continuing its takeover of the city with a third location. The new eatery is expected to open in March 2025 at 849 E. Commerce St., adjacent to the Shops at Rivercenter.

The new restaurant will span a 7,000-square-foot space, including a 1,200-square-foot patio, which will host a total of 250 guests. San Antonians may remember the space from its days as Enrique Tomás, an upscale Spanish restaurant. Things will be different at the very casual Alamo Biscuit Co., which operates more like a diner.

Biscuits are, of course, the anchoring menu item, and are served in sweet and savory flights when they're not providing support for other dishes like Nashville hot chicken, eggs Benedict with various proteins, or a classic sausage, egg, and cheese. Other specialties include pancakes (sometimes with extravagant toppings), French toast, and tacos.

The new location comes with new menu items that haven't been announced with, plus a full bar and espresso bar, according to a release.

Alamo Biscuit Co. is hiring 80-100 team members starting in January, according to the release. That will include "management, servers, cooks, and dishwashers."

The Shops at Rivercenter are in the middle of a larger renaissance. The mall opened in 1988, and has weathered the coming and going trends of retail. Since 2005, it's been owned by Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation, which also owns famous properties like Boston's Faneuil Hall Marketplace and New York City's Plaza Hotel.

Just in 2024, projects announced at the Shops at Rivercenter include an overhaul of dining by celebrity chef Jason Dady, as well as the San Antonio debut of the trendy Australian mini-golf chain Holey Moley.

“To be invited to open a location on the San Antonio River Walk is an incredible honor and a blessing,” said Alamo Biscuit Co. owner and UTSA graduate John Vale in the release. “In just five years, Alamo Biscuit Co. has become a part of San Antonio’s culinary fabric, and now, we’ve been given the opportunity to share our passion for great food and community in what I believe is the best location in Texas. This is a gift from God and a privilege we don’t take lightly.”

brunch riverwalk openings