COMING ATTRACTIONS

San Antonio Mexican favorite to open in iconic Deco District haunt

Con Amor Cocina is headed to the Deco District.

A Highland Park mom-and-pop is taking over one of the most iconic buildings in the Deco District. Mexican restaurant Con Amor Cocina is opening a second location this summer in the former home of Unko Mauie’s at 1815 Fredericksburg Rd.

Con Amor first debuted at 2314 Steves Ave. in 2023, serving Tex-Mex classics like chimichangas and puffy tacos alongside traditional Mexican fare like entomatadas. Affordable prices, daily specials, and accommodating service kept customers coming back.

Once open, Con Amor will bring life back to one of the Deco District’s most recognizable landmarks. The building was first built in 1938 as a Texaco service station, blending the neighborhood’s prevalent Art Deco style with Spanish Mission architecture.

In 2011, Deco Pizzeria proprietor Jacob Valenzuela enclosed the area that formerly housed the gas pumps. That restaurant closed in 2024 after weathering post-COVID business slowdowns, and was soon replaced by Unko Maui’s from the owner of Maui’s on Main. After less than a year, the burger joint was locked out over alleged unpaid rent.

Besides a dedicated fanbase, Con Amor will have one advantage Unko Maui’s did not: a full bar. The exact timing of the cantina portion of the business is still up in the air pending Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission licensing.

But in a direct message, a rep for the restaurant says that Con Amor aims to be serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner by mid-August pending “final preparations.” Fans can follow the restaurant’s social media for updates.

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SUPERMARKET SWEEP

Central Market's San Antonio flagship debuts renovated food hall

Photo courtesy of Central Market.

Central Market is making dinner decisions easier.

For customers who have felt like navigating Central Market was akin to a particularly chilling scene from The Shining, there’s good news. The San Antonio flagship of H-E-B’s upscale grocer has reopened its food service area after a thorough renovation.

The remodeled section brings together the store's deli, bakery, sushi, chef-prepared cases, and cafe with bigger, brighter production areas. Shoppers can browse an artisan bread wall, charcuterie, an expanded assortment of cheeses, and a self-serve briny bar to add a little dazzle to their next charcuterie board.

The area will continue to serve as the central (yuk yuk) spot for harried customers who need a quick lunch or dinner. Among the offerings are a rice and noodle bowl station, salad and hot soup bars, grab-and-go cases, and a sandwich and burger counter. The latter has ditched the thick patties of old to introduce three new smash burgers.

Central Market smash burger. The burger patties have gone from thick to thin.Photo courtesy of Central Market

In other words, the section isn’t a radical departure for the store, but that hasn’t kept some longtime fans from grumbling. Some complained about a lack of shade trees in the parking lot, some kvetched about the cheeses, and still others had a beef with the design.

“Ruined it,” wrote one Instagram user. "The charm was how intimate and cozy it was; now it’s a miniature version of every other cold-new H-E-B.”

Still, most of the commentariat seemed to welcome the news — and the return of shopping convenience to a store that has been a little chaotic since beginning a complete overhaul in 2024. But there’s still a way to go before the entire shopping experience is finished. A new floral department and updated checkout lanes will debut this fall, and the full remodel will stretch until 2027.

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