NEWS YOU CAN EAT

A breakfast shakeup and 2 spooky bars thrill in San Antonio dining news

Bobbie's Cafe is on the move.

As San Antonians continue to debate the Paris Olympics, a more delicious competition is happening at home. Despite the rash of recent closures, four new brick-and-mortars are entering the hospitality race while a pair of pop-ups dig deep for gold.

Openings

Breakfast favorite Bobbie’s Cafe is awakening a new location. Via Instagram, the San Antonio classic revealed it was taking over the former Magnolia Pancake Haus location at 606 Embassy Oaks. The move will coincide with the closure of the restaurant’s longtime South Side home, but owners Ana and Greg Ferris haven’t given up on the area. The couple told the San Antonio Express-News that a second location is planned in the old Neptune’s Seafood House space at 1922 Goliad Rd.

A Dignowity Hill bar is trading in quiet chit-chat for roaring thunder. Small Talk at 910 Nolan Dr. has rebranded as Torche, “the heaviest bar in Texas.” The reboot includes a moodier atmosphere and a new cocktail menu replete with doom metal-inspired drinks like a Spitirus Mortis homage, I am the Name on Your Funeral Wreath. Like Small Talk, the new occupants will make use of the adjacent space as a micro-gallery. The grand opening on August 3 includes live music, vendors, and food.

On July 20, carnivorous Houston chain Avenida Brazil quietly fired up the grills at its first San Antonio location at 7660 Henderson Pass. The steakhouse, which shares a name with an uber-popular Brazilian telenovela, sticks to the tried-and-true format of offering all-you-can-eat steak, seafood, and salad.

The first San Antonio location of the Conshohocken, Pennsylvania-based Saladworks franchise will soon freshen up the Los Patios development. As the name tips off, the chain specializes in quick main-dish salads, wraps, and bowls. The concept will share space with similarly health-minded eatery Frutta Bowls when the latter debuts in fall 2024.

Other news and notes

Something wicked this way comes...or at least it comes to Three Star Bar. Pop-up conceptBlack Lagoon is slithering into the Government Hill hot spot for a three-week engagement. The multi-city tour, conceived by bar vets Erin Hayes and Kelsey Ramage, will bring hair-raising decor, themed drinks, and spooky limited-edition mugs to its run, October 11-31.

Smashburger pop-up Burger Foos has found a permanent home at West Side hangout Jaime’s Place. Helmed by Jerry Ortiz, the concept has become a favorite at venues like Guadalupe Center and Chiflada’s. Following a debut on August 1, Burger Foos will be open Wednesday through Sunday, 4 pm to 2 am.

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Better Days, Same Burgers

Shuttered San Antonio burger joint stages surprising comeback

Teddy B's/Facebook

Teddy B's has made a surprise comeback.

Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of Teddy B's life. In October, the popular burger joint shuttered its decade-old location on Babcock Road, grieving a loss of foot traffic and rising costs. On November 20, the spot revealed a plot twist. The owners are now slinging patties at 9903 Fredericksburg Rd.

"Dear Teddy B's customers, we have good news," the restaurant posted on social media. "We are back in business...We are waiting for our new sign, but we are up and running."

The unexpected comeback is the culmination of a tumultuous year for the business. As the restaurant marked its 10-year milestone this summer, the outlook was much darker. On August 4, the restaurant took to social media to warn that closure could be imminent. A traffic decline affected Teddy B's ability to maintain its affordable price point.

The messaging worked, at least in the short term. Days later, the restaurant reported an increase in business. The marketing language was hopeful until October 13, when the restaurant abruptly announced it was closing for good.

The news of Teddy B's rebirth came just as suddenly. After a month-long social media silence, the restaurant announced it had taken over the former home of Burger Haven. The latter restaurant was little known, appearing to operate mainly as a ghost kitchen.

Assumably, burgers will be back on the menu, but it is unclear whether other favorites will be eliminated to streamline the operation. The business has not posted any revisions, and its website is down at press time.

The burger joint's comeback manifests as other shuttered legacy restaurants like The Lion and Rose and Fratello's have staged their own returns. While Teddy B's has offered no reasoning for getting back into the game, it is a testament to the resiliency of San Antonio's culinary community.

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