SUDDEN SHUTTERS

Acclaimed BBQ joint snuffs out San Antonio restaurant after one year

Garcia Barbecue has called it a day after a year in Medical Center.

The fire is out at Garcia Barbecue’s first brick-and-mortar restaurant. The San Antonio Medical Center joint, recently celebrated by Texas Monthly, closed December 12 after a year at 9390 Huebner Rd. — an address that has churned and burned several promising eateries.

“We here at Garcia Barbecue want to reach out and let everyone know we have closed up shop…,” wrote the business in a social media statement. “We want to thank each and every one of you for supporting us throughout the years on our journey. We want to thank our entire team for being with us until the last day, giving it your all always.”

“Brothers in brisket,” Alex Garcia and Jonathan Garcia turned a passion for barbecue into a business in 2019, first staging popular pop-ups before taking the concept on the road as a food truck. The unrelated duo took the leap to a physical location in July 2024.

Acclaim followed each of the incarnations. In May, Yelp cited the restaurant as one of the reasons why it named San Antonio the second-best barbecue city in the United States. In December, Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn praised Garcia’s brisket and burgers.

Still, the business was battling a Medical Center strip mall location that has seen a revolving door of new restaurants come and go since the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the casualties have been Krazy Katsu, Project Pollo, Mr. C’s Fried Chicken & Waffles, and Zeka’s Pasta House.

In the Facebook comments section, Alex Garcia said that there are no plans to revive the concept, citing the “hard times right now.” Still, San Antonians won’t be left without his barbecue. The pitmaster also owns Dinorito at 1009 Avenue B at El Camino, where he serves some of the same smoked meats.

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COMING ATTRACTIONS

Buzzy Italian wrap chain debuts in San Antonio with 2 new restaurants

Piada Italian Street Food/ Facebook

Piada is known for its signature wrapped sandwiches.

Buzzy fast-casual chain Piada Italian Street Food will soon make its San Antonio-area debut with two new restaurants. The growing brand, known for its unique wrap-type sandwiches, is opening outposts at 11745 I-10 W #501 in the Huebner Oaks Center and 18430 I-35 N in Scherz Station in early 2026.

Piada was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 2010 by Chris Doody. The entrepreneur took inspiration from the roadside family-run food carts and markets he encountered in Rimini, a seaside community in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.

The signature dish is the piada, a thin-crust, handmade dough baked on a stone grill, filled with ingredients, then rolled into a handheld often called an “Italian taco.” Guests can get the sandwich stuffed with avocado and pancetta, bruschetta tomatoes, carbonara penne, or a Caesar blend.

The restaurant also serves a variety of pastas.Piada Italian Street Food/ Facebook

Other entrées include seasonal chopped salads, traditional pastas topped with marinara and other sauces, and “fit bowls” keyed to keto and high-protein diets. Sides range from simple mac ‘n’ cheese bowls to a Hot Pocket-style pastry filled with meatballs, sausage, or creamy spinach and artichoke.

The interiors are typically clean and modern, with concrete floors, LED lighting, white oak furniture, Carrara marble, brushed aluminum, and painted brick. Subway tiles backdrop the ordering counter, where diners can customize their order a la Chipotle.

Although the two locations have been quietly announced by Piada, the company has yet to reveal the exact opening dates. Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filings say that the Huebner Oaks location is set to finish its buildout in March. The Scherz Station outlet was initially expected to be completed in December 2025.

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