DREAMS COME TRUE

'Little West Side gem" sparkles with summer grand opening

Some bar owners talk about community, but the all-woman trio behind new Prospect Hill spot Chiflada’s mean it. The team says the concept, celebrating its grand opening on June 2, wouldn’t have happened without it.

Family and friends turned out to support the bar months before it was ready for the build-out. They turned out again to help transform a vacant bungalow at 1804 West Martin St. into a comfortable and stylish lounge. When the ice machine went on the fritz during the May 27 soft opening, the bar’s supporters flexed their muscles to ensure the drinks remained cold.

Even the West Side neighborhood gave it a seal of approval. Natasha Riffle, who co-owns Chifladla’s with her mother, policewoman Veronica Riffle, and El Buho owner Melanie Martinez, says the team walked door to door to change the zoning, ensuring residential buy-in.

The result is a bar that is by and for the neighborhood. At the soft opening party, Marigolds swayed in the breeze under a pergola as congratulatory bouquets filled the bar’s shelves. Guests busily chattered as popular deejay Sunnyboy played oldies and conjunto hits.

“It feels like you’re at your abuelita’s backyard and hanging with your family,” Natasha Riffle says of the bar’s vibe.

The drinks honor that spirit, too, toeing the line between the neighborhood’s blue-collar roots and the team’s cocktail-making skills. Featured sippers include a punchy Mexican Martini, a melon Paloma, the Chif Peach, and the mezcal-based Smoke on the Water.
“It’s a place to get a nice cocktail, but also a place to get a beer and shot combo,” Natasha Riffle tells CultureMap about the high-low mix.

Ultimately, Chiflada’s feels like home — the type of place folks let loose after a long day at work, where multiple generations can get in on the party and where bartenders become close friends.

“We all lived [on the West Side] off and on,” says Riffle of the team, “and we’ve all worked with each other over the years. We are more of a family than we are co-workers — 100 percent.”

Photo by Joe Rodriquez

Natasha Riffle beams in front of her newly opened bar.

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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