Pull out the Old Navy. It’s Independence Day weekend, a holiday we are choosing to celebrate by ignoring the nation’s perilous political climate. Instead, bring on the burgers, hot dogs, potato salad, and a full plate of San Antonio food news.

Openings and closings

Australia's Funlab, a “creator of competitive socializing experiences,” seems to be making mates with Rivercenter Mall. The brand’s mini golf-centered Holey Moley concept has applied for a mixed beverage and late hours permit at 8849 E. Commerce St., according to a Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission filing. In May, the company announced that it was opening its first stateside locations, starting in Denver, San Francisco, and Austin. No official word has come out about a San Antonio store.

A new burger joint has flipped a former Subway outlet at 23503 Hardy Oak Blvd. #105. Thatta Boy Burgersquietly opened June 16 with a minimalist menu of turkey and beef burgers, handcrafted shakes, and fries. Though its offerings are familiar, the eatery does have one key difference from its fast-casual competitors. This spot declines to work with third-party delivery apps to ensure quality.

Deco District coffeehouse Dulce Sueños appears to have shuttered. Although the coffeehouse’s social media profiles are still active, its building has been stripped of its signs and its Google business profile lists the business as permanently closed. Santos and Janell Martinez launched Dulce Sueños as a truck in 2021 before moving to a brick-and-mortar location at Fredericksburg Road.

The sleepless nights waiting for San Antonio’s first Insomnia Cookies locations have finally come to a head. The chain opened its Medical Center (4316 Gardendale Rd.) and University of Texas at San Antonio (6010 UTSA Blvd. # 104) stores on July 29.

A new deli will soon take up residence in Medical Center. Construction on Ashford Oaks Deli at 8122 Datapoint Dr. will wrap up in February 2025, according to Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation records. With no social media presence, other details are still a mystery. Still, we wouldn’t be surprised if a few sandwiches were on the menu.

Other news and notes

The Thompson San Antonio Hotel is currently in its days of wine and roses. For a second year, Landrace’s wine program has been recognized by the oenophiles at Wine Spectator Magazine as one of the nation’s crème de la crème.

What do Tom Hanks, the Kansas City Chiefs, and local chef Jesse “Kirk” Kuykendall have in common? They all scored back-to-back wins. On July 2, the proprietor of Milpa celebrated besting the competitors on Super Market Stakeout, his second Food Network victory. The chef previously rose to the top of the ranks on Chopped.