New Sweet Tooth Crawl unites 16 San Antonio bakeries

San Antonians who have a cheat day coming might want to schedule it for August 8. 16 local shops are carb-loading in preparation for the first Sweet Tooth Crawl, a sugary romp through some of Alamo City’s best bakeries and dessert pop-ups.

Monti Donahue, owner of brunch-focused pop-up Monti’s Munchies, created the event to promote and collaborate with other San Antonio small businesses. The baker had been outspoken about her own struggles with entrepreneurship, saying on Instagram she hasn’t always felt welcomed by other local indie shops.

"I created the Sweet Tooth Crawl because I wanted to celebrate the incredible local bakeries that make San Antonio so special," Donahue elaborated in an email. "I truly believe in community over competition, and this event is all about encouraging people to discover new favorite bakeries while giving small businesses the opportunity to support one another."

The Sweet Tooth Crawl follows a familiar format. Sugar fiends pick up a passport card, then fill it up with cute stickers as they make their way through sample treats. Although the tour is self-guided, the first stop is at The Starlighter (1910 Fredericksburg Rd.) in The Deco District, an all-ages venue that has recently had its own call for community support.

The headquarters doubles as a community market spotlighting cottage bakeries like Bustos Bakes, Chunkies Cookies, Baked & Confused, and Mahou Cake that rely on word-of-mouth and social media over big marketing budgets.

Once crawlers have had their fill of treats at Starlighter, it’s time to head out on a city scavenger hunt. The brick-and-mortar participants, many offering gluten-free and vegan options. The lineup includes:

• Kotka y Chucho
• Oh Yeah Cakes
• Miss Chickpea Bakery (vegan)
• Sprinkles and Spoons (gluten-free)
• Nell-Lee's at The Vine (gluten-free)
• Bytes Cafe
• Cake Thieves (vegan)

"My hope is that people spend the day exploring San Antonio, discover businesses they may have never visited before, and that this event sparks lasting friendships and future collaborations between local bakery owners," she said. "At the end of the day, it's about building a stronger small business community together."

Tickets for the event are $13.54, including fees. While only passport holders are eligible for the Sweet Tooth Crawl giveaway, entrance to the market is free.