SUDDEN SHUTTERS

San Antonio British tea shop and café to serve its final cuppa

Old English Tea Shoppe will soon pour its last cup.

Photo courtesy of Old English Tea Shoppe

As of October 5, San Antonio will have one less place to enjoy a proper cuppa. The Old English Tea Shoppe, a British-style cafe at 20122 Stone Oak Pkwy, is closing after almost three years.

The tea shop announced the closure in a statement relayed to the San Antonio Restaurants Facebook group. The post explained that co-owners Sandra and Peter Marley are returning to the United Kingdom "due to circumstances beyond their control."

"We want to thank every single customer who has supported us, shared a meal with us, celebrated special occasions with us, and made The Old English Tea Shoppe part of their lives," wrote the restaurant. "It has been an absolute pleasure serving our community, and we will forever be grateful for the friendships, memories, laughter, and wonderful moments we have shared."

The Marleys, along with business partners Janet and Dr. Robb Kelly, opened the café in the former Savor Bistro space in November 2023. The intention was to give British expats a home away from home while introducing Americans to English cuisine.

Mornings brought beans on toast or full English breakfasts piled with bacon, eggs, sausage, mushrooms, tomatoes, and black pudding. Lunch included bangers and mash with onion gravy, fish ’n’ chips, butter chicken curry, and sarnies (that’s sandwiches for Yanks).

The shop’s biggest draws, however, were its specialty services. Groups could book the restaurant for afternoon tea, complete with Coronation chicken sandwiches, scones, sausage rolls, frittatas, and sweets baked in-house by Sandra Marley.

Every week, the kitchen also turned out a Sunday roast with vegetables and Yorkshire pudding served with gravy. The peas were proudly mushy.

Although The Old English was the only dedicated British tea room in San Antonio, diners with a hankering for the nation’s cuisine can still find it at pubs like The Cottage and the Lion & Rose. As for that proper cuppa, fans might want to invest in a three-tiered tower and stock up on teas from R+R Collective. The Old English Tea Shoppe’s last day of business is October 4.

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Panda-monium

Asian food fest to make San Antonio debut with more than 70 vendors

Photo courtesy of Panda Fest

Panda Fest will be full of street food, artisan goods, and art showcases.

A nationally known Asian food and culture festival is coming to San Antonio for the first time: Called Panda Fest, it's a two-day family-friendly event that will take place from November 21-22 at Hemisfair's Civic Park, where it will feature food, crafts, performances, and lots of panda attractions.

Panda Fest is a spinoff of a similar New York event, the famed Dragon Fest, and is one of the fastest-growing cultural festivals in the U.S. The nationally acclaimed Asian food and culture festival sold out in cities like Atlanta, Boston, Seattle, and Philadelphia.

Features include:

70+ food vendors serving 150+ dishes from across Asia such as authentic street food, sweet treats, and creative fusion bites
a marketplace with artisan crafts, clothing, and heritage goods
live performances ranging from lion dances to modern music showcases
arts like calligraphy and sugar painting
panda attractions including themed games and Insta-worthy photo ops

All of the above showcases the rich diversity of Asian American and Pacific Islander cultures, but with pandas remaining at the heart of the event.

Pandas will be seen throughout Civic Park in November.Photo courtesy of Panda Fest

“San Antonio’s rich culinary landscape and strong sense of community made it the perfect destination for Panda Fest,” said Xuan “BiuBiu” Xu, founder of Panda Fest, in a release. “We’re proud to bring an unforgettable experience and an authentic celebration of Asian food, art and culture to the Alamo City, just before the holidays!”

Tickets for the festival go on sale at 10 am on September 28 at pandafests.com for an early bird price of $10. General admission tickets start at $14 and VIP passes are $35.

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