As always, more restaurants of many tastes are coming to San Antonio. A Mexican steakhouse is priming a new location while two much-missed concepts are staging comebacks.

Openings

Castle Hills eatery Tu Asador is ahead of schedule on the debut of its second location, originally scheduled for September. The Mexican steakhouse took to Instagram to trumpet the soft opening of its 1662 Encino Rio #100 restaurant, starting at 8 am on August 16. After making a reservation, be sure to stop by the liquor store. The concept will be BYOB until its mixed beverage license is secured.

South Side beer garden Brooster’s Backyard Icehouse is ready for a comeback. The watering hole closed in April after four years of business, citing a rocky economic climate. On August 7, reps popped back up on social media to announce a new revamped space. The opening date will be announced in the coming weeks.

New Jersey chainPlaya Bowls is heading closer to the city core, according to filings at the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). The franchise has submitted plans to renovate a space in the Oak Hills Shopping Center at 7959 Fredericksburg Rd. The new Medical Center location will be the fourth for the company, which has previously focused on the edges of San Antonio.

Although the frenzy of new coffee chains opening in Alamo City has slowed, the trend is not quite over yet. Chicago caffeine purveyor Gloria Jean’s Coffeesopened its first local outpost on August 12. The business had previously submitted TDLR paperwork for a location at 101 West Euclid Ave., but it’s unclear if that will come to fruition.

Mall stalwartAuntie Anne’s is teaming up with two nationally recognized brands to open standalone stores in San Antonio. According to TDLR records, a combination Jamba Juice and Auntie’s Anne’s is coming to 7003 Bandera Rd. Meanwhile, locals near 9715 Potranco Rd. should prepare themselves for cinnamon overload when the pretzel shop teams up with Cinnabon. Both stores were originally slated to be complete at the beginning of the year, but the website still lists them as “coming soon.”

Other news and notes

The beloved Boerne restaurant Little Gretel may have shuttered in April, but its legacy is living on. Chef Denise Mazal Resnerova has gathered some of the much-missed spot’s favorite recipes in a new cookbook, The Aroma of Czech Cuisine. Preorders are now open through TCU Press.