OPENING ALERT

Chef Andrew Weissman sets opening date for new San Antonio restaurant

Andrew Weissman's long awaited Max's Sister is now taking reservations.

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San Antonio’s dining scene is about to get très chic once again. Acclaimed chef Andrew Weissman is making his long-awaited return to French cooking with Max’s Sister, opening November 3 in the former home of The Hayden at 10003 NW Military Hwy. #2115.

Although he has been focusing on fast-casual burger joint Mr. Juicy in recent years, Weissman was one of the first chefs to put Alamo City on the culinary map. His downtown restaurant Le Rêve brought a chorus of hosannas from national publications like The New York Times and Gourmet, earning him three consecutive James Beard Award nominations — the second San Antonio chef to earn the honors.

Since then, his restaurants have defined San Antonio cuisine. Il Sogno Osteria and The Sandbar Fish House & Market set the standard for Pearl in its formative years while The Luxury innovated casual River Walk dining. Max’s Sister represents a return to the chef’s culinary roots; Weissman has not been behind a French-inspired concept since stepping away from Signature in 2022.

The unassuming chef rarely feeds into the hype machine and has only offered a few snippets of what to expect at Max’s Sister. Various social media posts show peeks of salmon tile, Yves Klein blue painted accents, abstract wall art, and a mammoth La Marzocco espresso machine.

More tellingly, the restaurant posted a fuzzy snapshot of the menu. Although rooted in French techniques, the offerings aren’t exactly French. Instead, diners will find country club classics like a steakhouse wedge salad and chicken fried steak with potatoes mousseline. Ever the culinary magpie, Weissman's chicken wings are served with a miso beurre blanc.

An Instagram post says Max’s Sister is accepting reservations starting November 3, contingent on its final inspections. Once open, the hours will be Monday through Thursday, 7 am-9 pm; Friday, 7 am-10 pm; Saturday, 10 am-10 pm, and Sunday, 10 am-4 pm. Reservations can be made by emailing aweissmanrestgroup@gmail.com with a textable phone number.

A request for more information on the concept as not returned by press time. CultureMap will update this article with any additional information.

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OPENING ALERT

San Antonio chef revives East Side landmark with new Italian deli

Tucker's Kozy Korner/Facebook

Tucker's now has new life as an Italian deli from Chef Michael Sohocki.

After almost two years of speculation, San Antonio finally has an answer to what Chef Michael Sohocki has been up to in the former home of Tucker's Kozy Korner. Tucker's Italian, a neighborhood deli and market, will open Saturday, November 15, at 1338 E. Houston St., on the East Side.

In December 2024, Sohocki bought the historic building from a partnership led by local developer Mitch Meyer. At the time, it was widely reported that Sohocki was planning to open a second location of Il Forno, his wildly popular Neopolitan pizza parlor in Southtown. The chef also owns ramen shop Kimura.

In June, Sohocki told CultureMap that that was no longer the case, but did not respond to a follow-up request for menu details and a timeline of the project.

"'Opening dates' are an open joke," he wrote in an email exchange. "You can burn up a whole day trying to find one stupid little part, a flange that covers the holes that used to contain the so-and-so, but you don't use so-and-sos."

Then, on Friday, November 14, Tucker's Italian made the surprise opening announcement via an Instagram reel. The post promised that the full menu would be announced soon, but the video showed meatball and porchetta sandwiches made on house ciabatta, pastas, and charcuterie.

The new restaurant is the latest chapter for the San Antonio institution, which first opened as a hot dog and burger stand in 1948 before becoming a hot spot for live soul and R&B music. In recent years, there has been a whirlwind of owners, including Chris Cullum of Attaboy, Jeret Pena of Boulevardier Group, and former Francis Bogside barman Steve Mahoney. The building has been vacant since the most recent iteration shuttered in summer 2023.

Tucker's Italian will be open Wednesday through Saturday, noon-8:30 pm. A request for more information was not immediately returned, but we will update this article with any new details.

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