A NEW LEGACY
San Antonio chef revives Italian deli as quick-serve food truck
Fratello's lives on as a new food truck.
From Tracy Chapman’s guest gig at this year’s Grammys to the continued Lohanaissance, 2024 has been chockablock with welcome comebacks. Now, San Antonio can log its own addition to that list. Beloved Italian eatery Fratello’s is once again serving in Alamo City.
Though the original brick-and-mortar is long gone, much of the menu lives on through a new food truck, Fratello’s To-Go. After the original owners retired in January, former head chef Filiberto Torres bought the business, securing rights to the former’s branding, recipes, and original sign. It's now located at at the Broadway News food truck park at 2200 Broadway.
The new operation quietly opened on September 7 on the flagship spot where Carnitas Don Raúl formerly parked. The move was announced via a newly created Facebook page.
“Hello, Fratello friends! We are back in business! We have a new food truck location,” a business rep wrote. “We would love to bring all our fellow Fratello friends back! Can’t wait to see you here!”
Although the new spot's to-go menu isn’t quite as comprehensive as the former’s, it features most deli heavy hitters. The menu board that once hung over the counter at Fratello’s is now affixed to the food truck, advertising a selection of hot and cold panini and a quartet of pizzas.
The pasta and salad selections have been slimmed down to daily offerings, but Torres keeps tradition intact by making all the bread in-house. The offerings are priced a few bucks less than the original restaurant, keeping with the new counter-service focus.
Currently, Fratello’s To-Go strictly caters to lunch crowds from 10 am to 2 pm. Although the trailer doesn’t have dedicated seating, communal picnic tables are available on-site.
