Opening alert
Peppy all-day cafe and cocktail bar bellies up to North San Antonio
All-day restaurants, hip and boozy versions of traditional diners, have taken other Texas cities by storm, but the idea hasn’t made much of a dent in San Antonio ... yet. That may soon change when a pair of local hospitality vets open Full Belly Cafe & Bar in December in the Sonterra Village development.
Helmed by Blade Haddock and James Moore, both alums of Max’s Wine Dive and the Pearl’s Boiler House, Full Belly will be open for daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
A release notes that the American fare both chefs grew up with will be given an international twist inspired by their various travels. On the menu will be dishes like soufflé pancakes, gravlax focaccia, white balsamic-braised lamb shank, a patty melt, and a sandwich called Harriet’s Tomato Mayo Club. For dessert, guests can try a Basque-style Spanish burnt cheesecake or blondie sundaes.
For rushed San Antonio commuters, Full Belly will also serve a full grab-and-go menu during mornings. Pastry chef Deanna Lansing will prepare easily portable options like a variety of doughnuts, bread, and hand pies to pair with peppy creations like butter coffee and custard and burnt sugar creme brûlée coffee made with beans from local roasters Pulp Coffee.
Evening energy will be derived from cocktails, Texas spirits, local craft beers, and a curated selection of eclectic wines. Haddock and Moore paid as much attention to the mixed drink selection as the entrees, making shrubs (drinking vinegar) and syrups in-house.
Full Belly did not release any of the project’s interior details, but the Instagram page is filled with design-savvy memes using mounds of millennial pink— one of the hallmarks of the all-day restaurant trend nationwide. As with the cuisine, the branding bridges the accessibility of a traditional dining model with contemporary aesthetics.
“The San Antonio dining scene is vibrant but approachable, which inspired us to create a concept that feels one-of-a-kind yet welcoming at all hours of the day,” said Moore via the release. “We’re eager to share this labor of love — and a few cocktails — with our neighbors soon.”
Once Fully Belly opens at 427 N. Loop 1604 W #202, neighbors will have plentiful opportunities to check it out. Opening at 7 am daily, the eatery will have late-night hours on weekends, brunch service on Saturdays and Sundays, and a weekday happy hour until 7 pm.
