COMING UP ROSES

Lush rooftop garden bar blooms in San Antonio's Creamery District

A whimsical pink tree anchors Lunatique's patio.

Things are looking up at The Creamery, the ambitious mixed-use development carved out of a former Borden Dairy plant. Lunatique, a rooftop lounge perched above swanky cocktail bar Amelia, opened May 10 at 875 E. Ashby Plc. #1215.

The project comes from the same group responsible for the district’s other concepts — Amelia, Crème Coffee Social, Hook Land & Sea, and the recently opened Easy Baby. Like its siblings, Lunatique leans into an Instagram-friendly aesthetic, starting with a Hollywood Regency bar draped overhead with billowing fabric.

A short catwalk leads guests to the main seating area anchored by twin church pews and a fantastically blooming tree. Colorful concrete tile, unfussy patio furniture, and beachy striped umbrellas telegraph a vibe somewhere between a French resort and the enchanted forest decor of this year’s Met Ball.

The cocktail menu echoes the sunniness with vacation classics like a Paloma, espresso martini, and a cucumber Collins spiked with a pink peppercorn syrup. The Ranch Water — served West Texas dive bar-style inside a Topo Chico bottle — is sure to be popular in the summer months, as is the daiquiri, tweaked with watermelon syrup and bittersweet Aperol.

The latter, along with an Aperol spritz, is available in a $100 “tree” for groups of four or more who want to add more main character energy to their evening. The wine and beer selections are kept to a few scant bottles, cans, and drafts, but the atmosphere hardly lends itself to chugging tall boys.

In its current iteration, Lunatique does not offer any food — but Amelia downstairs serves flatbreads, charcuterie, and oysters should guests get peckish. Ostensibly, the lounge is still under a soft opening, so more frills may be yet to come. Current operating hours are 6 pm-midnight Thursdays through Saturdays, and 6-10 pm Sundays and Wednesdays.

Lunatique completes the quintet of hospitality offerings promised by the Creamery’s initial announcement. A sixth concept has been teased, though the ownership group have not been unforthcoming with details.

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Better Days, Same Burgers

Shuttered San Antonio burger joint stages surprising comeback

Teddy B's/Facebook

Teddy B's has made a surprise comeback.

Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of Teddy B's life. In October, the popular burger joint shuttered its decade-old location on Babcock Road, grieving a loss of foot traffic and rising costs. On November 20, the spot revealed a plot twist. The owners are now slinging patties at 9903 Fredericksburg Rd.

"Dear Teddy B's customers, we have good news," the restaurant posted on social media. "We are back in business...We are waiting for our new sign, but we are up and running."

The unexpected comeback is the culmination of a tumultuous year for the business. As the restaurant marked its 10-year milestone this summer, the outlook was much darker. On August 4, the restaurant took to social media to warn that closure could be imminent. A traffic decline affected Teddy B's ability to maintain its affordable price point.

The messaging worked, at least in the short term. Days later, the restaurant reported an increase in business. The marketing language was hopeful until October 13, when the restaurant abruptly announced it was closing for good.

The news of Teddy B's rebirth came just as suddenly. After a month-long social media silence, the restaurant announced it had taken over the former home of Burger Haven. The latter restaurant was little known, appearing to operate mainly as a ghost kitchen.

Assumably, burgers will be back on the menu, but it is unclear whether other favorites will be eliminated to streamline the operation. The business has not posted any revisions, and its website is down at press time.

The burger joint's comeback manifests as other shuttered legacy restaurants like The Lion and Rose and Fratello's have staged their own returns. While Teddy B's has offered no reasoning for getting back into the game, it is a testament to the resiliency of San Antonio's culinary community.

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