HAPPY RETURNS

Former San Antonio chef returns for one-night 'Korean-Tex' dinner

James Canter has spent the last few years in Korea.

Photo courtesy of St. Paul Square Dinner Club

A much-missed San Antonio chef is back in the kitchen for a one-night-only feast at Cherrity Bar. James Canter, the former owner of Guerilla Gourmet, is the headliner of the October 1 edition of the St. Paul Square Dinner Club.

The event is a homecoming of sorts for Canter, who has spent the past few years in Korea. During his tenure in San Antonio, he was a fixture of the local culinary scene through his food truck and frequent pop-ups. He even repped Alamo City on an episode of Guy’s Grocery Games.

That wasn’t his first time in the spotlight. The chef received statewide attention during 2017’s devastating Hurricane Harvey. After braving the storm with his family, he opened Guerrilla (then located in Victoria) to survivors, offering hot meals for free to those who were hit the hardest.

Although the menu has not yet been announced, the multi-course San Antonio dinner will combine his signature cooking with techniques he learned overseas, including butchery and Korean-style fermentation.

"James is one of those chefs who is constantly learning, traveling, and evolving, and you can taste those experiences in his food," explained Kimberly Suta, founder of St. Paul Square Dinner Club, via a release. "Having him back in San Antonio after spending so much time in South Korea gives us a really unique opportunity to experience some of what he’s discovered there, but through James’ very distinctive culinary lens."

"Cultural food and its traditions are a doorway into beginning to understand a culture's people — all we have to do is walk through it with an open mind and an open heart," said Canter.

Limited tickets are available online for $100 (alcoholic and zero-proof beverages will be available for purchase). Cherrity Bar is located at 302 Montana St. on San Antonio’s East Side.

dinners culinary events pop-ups east side things to do san antonio korean cuisine chefs

NEWS YOU CAN EAT

Hot pot and dim sum dumplings stack up San Antonio restaurant news

Meet Dumpling & Noodle/ Facebook

These little piggies will soon be available in San Antonio.

After a sluggish summer, Alamo City’s restaurant scene is ramping up with four new openings serving everything from dim sum-style dumplings to caramel apple lattes. Meanwhile, spots across the region are in a celebratory mood, throwing shindigs for Mexican Independence Day, National Coffee Day, and Texas Wine Month. Nibble on more essential San Antonio dining news below.

Openings
It’s out with barbecue chicken pies and in with hot pot at the Huebner Oaks shopping center. Hot Spot 61 is now open in the former home of California Pizza Kitchen at 11745 I-10. Unlike similar concepts like New Jersey import KPOT, the new restaurant takes a more DIY approach with a massive toppings bar offering over 100 choices of noodles, vegetables, and meats. Hours are currently 11 am-10 pm Wednesday through Monday.

A new Chinese restaurant is picking up steam in Selma. Meet Dumpling & Noodles is a second location of a new concept that debuted in Friendswood in March. Most of the menu is in the name. The spot serves more than a dozen noodle and dumpling dishes ranging from lo mein and soups to xiao long bao and adorable pig-shared red bean buns. According to a new Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) filing, the 4,100-square-foot buildout is set to wrap up construction in July 2027.

Popular Alamo Ranch caffeine peddler Homegirls Coffee now has a permanent home in the renovated Basila Frocks building at 502 N Zarzamora St. Visitors checking out the space can also get a first taste of the new fall menu featuring drinks like pumpkin cookie butter and caramel apple lattes. Hours are Thursday and Friday, 7 am-1 pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 8 am-1 pm.

According to TDLR records, a new restaurant is saying buongiorno to the Plaza at Rogers Ranch shopping center at 2703 N Loop 1604 W. Cafe Italia will, presumably, dish out Italian cuisine — although we could not find an official webpage or social media accounts to verify. The name is fairly popular with red sauce joints, the closest in Corpus Christi. For all we know, it could eventually serve cheeseburgers.

The best part of waking up is St. Anthony's National Coffee Day celebration.Anacacho Coffee & Cantina/ facebook

Other news and notes
The St. Anthony Hotel is hosting a September 26 event for the most jittery of holidays, National Coffee Day. The Art of Coffee, held between noon-3 pm at Esencia, will feature a four-course brunch from chef Leo Davila, an interactive educational session from James Mireles of Pulp Coffee Roasters, and plenty of java. What you do with all that energy is up to you, but we suggest a cool-down cocktail at Anacacho. Tickets are $65.

San Antonio-based Humano Tequila is getting involved in some whiskey business, sort of. The brand has released a new Texas Edition of its reposado, a limited-edition expression aged in Still Austin barrels. Texas gets the first taste of the collab, which is now available online and at regional chains like Twin Liquors and Total Wine & More.

Texas Hill Country Wineries has released 2026 tickets for the Texas Wine Month Passport. From October 1–31, passport holders take a self-guided tour through more than 45 area wineries, enjoying complimentary tastings and exclusive discounts along the way. Prices range from $80 for a single pass to $120 for a couples pass, so it might be economically advantageous to get a head start on cuffing season. The promotion takes place October 1-31.

Chef Jason Dady is hosting a five-day Mexican Independence Day celebration at downtown’s Mexico Ceaty. From September 12-16, ¡VIVA! Will feature daily fun like live mariachi music, food and cocktail specials, a themed Mexican breakfast, and a grand finale on the actual holiday.

coffee mexican cuisine wine hill country dim sum chinese cuisine hot pot openings italian food spirits news-you-can-eat