COMBO MEAL

San Antonio star chef debuts new restaurant and food hall in Southtown

Johnny Hernandez, chef, La Fruteria, Mexican restaurant, February 2013

Johnny Hernandez has two new concepts opening soon.

Johnny Hernandez Facebook

It's not quite a combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, but San Antonio celebrity chef Johnny Hernandez is shaking up traditional restaurant models by teaming up with Southtown favorite Blue Moon Mexican Restaurant. In mid-May, Burgerteca, at 403 Blue Star St. #105, will combine forces with the Southtown favorite to serve both menus under one roof.

Alejandra and Silvano Garcia, the owners of Blue Moon, will serve Tex-Mex classics like enchiladas, carne guisada, and huevos rancheros alongside Burgerteca best-sellers like bacon-wrapped hot dogs, mac 'n' cheese, and caldo Xochitl. The full bar will serve familiar cocktails, including margaritas. According to a company rep, the shop will feature combined signage, allowing both brands to shine.

"I am so happy to welcome the Garcia family and Blue Moon into this partnership and to Southtown," says Hernandez via a press release. "The Garcias are my dear neighbors, and Blue Moon — just two blocks from my house — has long been my go-to spot for great food. Our collaboration is a celebration of community, flavor, and the friendly spirit of San Antonio."

The chef also announced that three concepts, Burgerteca, The Fruteria, and Southtown Coffee, will combine forces in the upcoming Southtown Food Hall, set to open in early 2026. The complex in a former warehouse space at 1725 S. Alamo St. will feature a full bar, indoor and outdoor seating, live music, and shopping opportunities.

In January, Hernandez shuttered the original location of The Fruteria. The Southtown space was quickly transformed into casual bar Botanero Lounge.

"The Southtown Food Hall will be a true reflection of our community's spirit," says Hernandez. "We're creating a space where everyone can come together to enjoy great food, drinks, and the laid-back yet artistic atmosphere that makes Southtown so special."

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FIRED UP

Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de Chão to open new San Antonio restaurant

Fogo de Chão/ Facebook

Fogo de Chão is firing up a new San Antonio location in late May.

Now may be a good time for San Antonians to stock up on stretchy pants. Fogo de Chão, a popular Brazilian steakhouse chain known for its all-you-can-eat grilled meats, is opening a North Side location, at 5546 N. 1604 W #160, on May 26, according to a company bulletin.

Following the lead of other Fogo outposts, the new restaurant will bring theatrical flair to the dining experience. Servers, dressed as guachos, will slide picanha (prime top sirloin), roasted chicken, and lamb chops directly onto the plate while guests enjoy the hectic action from the open live fire kitchen.

Many of the restaurant’s fans are just as enamored of the huge salad bar as the never-ending assortment of grilled meats. The Market Table (in Fogo-speak) features leafy greens, seasonal soups, cold-smoked salmon, black pepper candied bacon, feijoada (black bean stew), and pão de queijo, Brazil’s famous cassava-based baked cheese rolls.

$Fogo de Ch\u00e3o$ Fans love Fogo de Chão's Market Table as much as its meats.Fogo de Chão/ Facebook

The location will also have Bar Fogo, serving smaller a la carte small bites and cocktails. The menu mixes Brazilian classics like caipirinhas with mocktails, South American wines, imported beer, and tropical takes on standards like an old fashioned made with muddled caramelized pineapple.

First founded by brothers Arri and Jair Coser in 1979, Fogo de Chão has since grown to over 70 locations in Brazil, the United States, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia. The first San Antonio outpost in the Shops of Rivercenter, at 849 E Commerce St. #393, opened in 2009.

San Antonio has had a mini churrascaria boom in the 2020s. Locally owned chain Chama Guacha is building a new location on Houston Street, already home to Texas de Brazil. In 2021 Mexico-based chain Bovino’s Churrascaría chose San Antonio for its first U.S. location. It never reemerged after a supposedly temporary closure in 2023.

After its late May debut, the new Fogo de Chão will be open Monday through Thursday, 11:30 am-10 pm; Friday, 11:30 am-10:30 pm; Saturday, 11 am-10:30 pm; and Sunday, 11 am-9 pm.

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