7 things to know about San Antonio food right now: Mexican street food joint wraps up after 25 years

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Beto's Alt-Mex/ Facebook

Editor's note: We get it. It can be difficult to keep up with the fast pace of San Antonio's restaurant and bar scene. We have you covered with our weekly roundup of essential food news.

Openings and closings

After serving locals for more than 25 years, a Broadway corridor mainstay has wrapped up business. In an Instagram statement, the owners of Beto's Alt-Mex announced that March 19 was the last day of service. Since 1997, the restaurant has offered an eclectic take on Pan-American street food, serving a variety of tacos and empanadas alongside sides like charro beans and Peruvian rice. In the post, the team struck a hopeful note by promising, "this is not a goodbye, but a see ya later."

A Northwest Side eatery only offered finality in its own closing note. Via Facebook, mom-and-pop joint Sarah's Barbacoa said its goodbyes on March 16. Though owner Sarah Hernandez explained the shutter was a tough decision, each member of the family management team decided to focus on emerging career opportunities.

In more playful news, schoolhouse-themed watering hole Home Roomwelcomed its first visitors on March 16. Owned by Marika Olmstead-Wright of Pacific Moon and Marc "Frenchy" Groleau of Charlie Brown's Neighborhood Bar, the watering hole has filled the former home of St. Peter Claver Academy with lawn games and primary colored furnishings. Still to come will be food trucks and a school bus patio bar.

A new project is brewing at 11015 Shaenfield Rd. A concept called Refuge Coffee and Beer has applied for a wine and malt beverage on-premise permit with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. According to corporate filings, the project is the work of Austinites. Although similarly named businesses exist in other states, this appears to be an original concept. An online presence seems to be still pending.

Other news and notes

Newish Pearl hot spot Ladino is putting a Mediterranean twist on the wine dinner. On March 27, the eatery will welcome Greek vintner Christos Zafeirakis of Domaine Zafeirakis Winery for a four-course feast paired with a whopping six wines. Tickets are $120 online and are limited to 24 guests.

River Walk restaurant Dorrego's is giving guests a little zazzle with made-to-order paella Monday through Friday, 11 am-2 pm. For $16.95, diners can customize a heaping helping of saffron rice with chicken, shrimp, scallops, sausage, mussels, and vegetables. Reservations can be booked online.

Speaking of paella, chef Johnny Hernandez's annual Paella Challenge will return to Mission County Park on March 26. As always, the shindig will feature more than 40 paellas prepared by some of San Antonio's culinary luminaries. Tickets start at $85 and benefit Hernandez's youth charity Kitchen Campus.

Rosario's/ Facebook

7 things to know in San Antonio food right now: Tex-Mex giant shutters North location

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Editor’s note: We get it. It can be difficult to keep up with the fast pace of San Antonio’s restaurant and bar scene. We have you covered with our weekly roundup of essential food news.

Openings and closings

Mere weeks after it opened a glittering Southtown flagship, a chapter is closing for Rosario’s. In a statement, the eatery announced closing its 9715 San Pedro Ave. location to consolidate management and staff. There’s no word yet on what will happen to the building owned by Rosario’s founder Lisa Wong. The north location employees, however, were all offered jobs in Southtown.

A popular plant-based taquero has quietly cropped up downtown. Plantaqueria celebrated its soft opening at 124 Broadway on March 4. Known for its housemade vegan tortillas, the joint serves breakfast tacos, tortas, and aguas frescas.

One of the few concepts serving Eastern European cuisine is planting roots. Via Instagram, Ukrainian food truck European Dumplings Café announced the debut of Castle Hills brick-and-mortar at 2211 NW Military Hwy #131B. The grand opening celebration begins at noon on March 18.

The blizzard has ended at the Dairy Queen at 9222 S. Zarzamora St. After 45 years in business, the franchise owner has closed shop. In a Facebook post, the team stated that a lack of employees has made operations difficult, prompting a decision to retire. The last Hunger Busters were served on March 12.

Tex-Mex mainstay Nicha’s Comida Mexicana has opened a third outpost at 12403 West Ave near Churchill. The restaurant renews the mini- chain’s Northeast Side presence after losing its lot to Hawaiian Bros Island Grill. The new location includes some upgrades, like a very spacious patio.

Other news and notes

Pearl behemoth Carriqui is treating San Antonians with two promotions throughout March. Margarita Mondays encourages hookey Tuesdays with half-off deals on the Carriqui and traditional frozen margarita all day. Smokehouse Sundays invite guests to enjoy live music on the patio and enjoy the restaurant’s latest menu item, spare ribs with a dry chile rub.

South San Antonio food truck park Rancho 181 is rolling out its first annual Taco Fest March 17-19. The festivities will include a taco contest, open to home cooks and food trucks, with a $1,500 prize. Vendors and live music round out the event. Admission is free.

sttacoco.com

6 things to know in San Antonio food right now: Mysterious taco joint unwraps on Northwest Side

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Editor's note: We get it. It can be difficult to keep up with the fast pace of San Antonio's restaurant and bar scene. We have you covered with our weekly roundup of essential food news.

Openings

It’s a San Antonio taco mystery. A new fast casual joint has popped up at the shopping center on 5238 De Zavala Rd., but so far, its owners are relying heavily on word-of-mouth. Although the bright and modern space obviously cost a pretty penny, neither the website nor the Instagram page list an address for the Street Taco Company. The eatery appears to have opened in early January, serving familiar favorites like bistec, pollo, and pastor with sides like frijoles charros and elote. Everything else is an enigma, including why the logo claims it has been around “since 2007.” Is it a liminal space; is it part of a forgotten subplot of Lost? Taco snoops demand answers.

Other news and notes

Slice, slice bay! All Access Promotions and Entertainment, the folks behind the annual San Antonio's Brunch Festival, are launching San Antonio’s Pizza Festival on October 13. The planners have rented out the Alamo Biscuit Co. shop and parking lot for an event promising to showcase local restaurants and food trucks. Though plans seem to be still nascent, more info can be found on the Facebook event page.

Pop open a cold one between February 24 and March 5. San Antonio Icehouse Week is back to celebrate Alamo City’s open-air beer joints. The owners of the Friendly Spot and Dakota Eastside Icehouse teamed up with the San Antonio Current for the inaugural fest last year as a way to honor South Texas culture and give small businesses a post-pandemic lift. This year, more than 30 watering holes are participating, offering drink specials, giveaways, and a social media scavenger hunt. For a full list of participants, head here.

Alamo Beer Company has scored a wordlie by teaming up with the San Antonio Brahmas. At the team's meet and greet on February 9, the East Side brewery unveiled a new design for the 19.2-ounce Alamo Original Golden Ale featuring Brahma branding and a QR code for tickets. For now, the cans are only available at Alamo’s beer hall and at the Alamodome, but the outfit promises they are heading to liquor and grocery stores soon.

Popular Pearl restaurant Brasserie Mon Chou Chou is inaugurating a new quarterly tasting menu dedicated to offering locals a more luxe dining experience. Beginning March 29, the eatery will offer La Table de Chou Chou, intimate prix-fixe dinners with seating for only 14 guests. The series kicks off with a tribute to the gastronomy of France’s Alsace region, the homeplace of executive chef Laurent Réa. Future dinners will explore other French regions, highlight specific ingredients, or welcome guest chefs. Seats are available for $350 per person (include wine pairings but excluding taxes and tip) and can be reserved by emailing stephanie@southerleigh.com.

Hyatt San Antonio Hotels is making a stand for inclusivity by hosting the Change Starts Here Vendor Showcase on February 22. Between 11 am-4 pm at the Hyatt Regency San Antonio Riverwalk’s Grand Ballroom, the hotel group will spotlight Black and other minority-owned businesses ranging from graphic design firms to wineries. Among the expected vendors are Weathered Souls Brewing, whisky company Uncle Nearest, juice makers Jeany’s Caribbean Elixirs, gluten-free chocolatier Mamma Reign, and more.

6 things to know about San Antonio food right now: Buzzy vegan chain flies downtown coop

News you can eat

Editor’s note: We get it. It can be difficult to keep up with the fast pace of San Antonio’s restaurant and bar scene. We have you covered with our regular roundup of essential food news.

Openings and closings

After two years of explosive growth, vegan chain Project Pollo is unexpectedly contracting. In an Instagram statement, the brand broke the news that it was shuttering its original trailer at Roadmap Brewing. The owners explained that they would make “drastic changes” in 2023 “to focus on efficiency and guest service.” Project Pollo also will be relocating a kiosk location in Austin, though have yet to announce a new landing spot. Meanwhile, the decidedly carnivorous Last Place Burgers will be rolling into Roadmap starting January 14.

University of Texas San Antonio favorite The Well has tapped out after almost seven years in business. In a Facebook post, the owners thanked the local community for its support without offering any reasoning behind the decision. Fortunately, the building will not remain vacant. A third location of Big’z Burger Joint is sliding in on January 13.

It’s out with flavored sodas and in with … flavored sodas as Utah chain Fiiz Drinks takes over the former Sonic Drive-In location at 3521 Broadway St. In December, signage appeared on the long-vacant Alamo Heights lot announcing the move. The company, however, has yet to make any official announcement. Once open, the eatery will serve various technicolor drinks and snacks like pretzels, nachos, and cookie dough bites.

Bust out that Fashion Nova haul. A new nightclub is moving into the former V Lounge space at 107 E. Martin St. downtown. Exact details about Rio Azùl are still forthcoming, but promotional materials promise the club will thump Latin pop and dance and offer a glitzy, Vegas-like experience.

Other news and notes

Two of Alamo City’s breweries have made the jump to full-service brewpubs. First, Freetail Brewingannounced the previously teased kitchen at its 2000 S. Presa taproom was open. Now, Southtown revelers can enjoy pizza along with their pints.

East Side watering hole Black Laboratory Brewing soon followed suit with its own pizza kitchen opening on January 4. The project is a partnership with 2-1-Dough Pizza Co., using the adjoining space recently vacated by Truth Pizzeria in October. In addition to pies, the brewpub will be offering sandwiches, salads, and shareable appetizers.

Voodoo Doughnut Facebook

6 things to know in San Antonio food right now: Voodoo Doughnut makes Alamo City debut

News You Can Eat

Editor's note: We get it. It can be difficult to keep up with the fast pace of San Antonio's restaurant and bar scene. We have you covered with our regular roundup of essential food news.

Openings and closings

A gaggle of locals braved chilly temps and long lines for the December 20 opening of hip Portland chain Voodoo Doughnut's first San Antonio location. Like the other locations, the new Alamo City outpost at 400 E. Houston St. now delivers sugar and caffeine to both morning crowds and late-night River Walk revelers.

Besamé, the latest project from the owners of popular nightlife spot El Camino, is now open at 511 E. Grayson St. Located at the former home of Alamo BBQ Co., the concept combines a full craft cocktail bar with food trucks such as Pete's Chicken Shack and 2M Smokehouse.

Salad and Go continues to make a dent in the fast-food market with a second location. A filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation reveals plans for a diminutive shop at Potranco Road and Reid Ranch. The Arizona-based chain employs a unique drive-thru model to deliver classic salads like cobbs and Caesars on the quick. Construction is set to wrap up at the end of October 2023.

Boerne mainstay Mi Casa Tamales is taking a breather after 15 years in business. In a Facebook post, the team announced it would shutter on December 31 after fulfilling holiday orders. It's not all bad news, though. The restaurant is remodeling under the original ownership to streamline production. The rebranded eatery will open at a still-unannounced date.

Other news and notes

Turns out the Gray Lady is a fan of a San Antonio institution. In a December 9 article detailing the 25 best dishes of the year, New York Times writer Priya Krishna waxed rhapsodic about the Minion taco from Maria's Café. Though "smoky shreds of brisket and creamy-crunchy migas" ultimately won the reporter's heart, she noted that any filling is superb in the restaurant's "buttery flour tortillas."

La Panadería, already used to getting shine from the James Beard Foundation and Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, has received an unexpected plaudit. Yelp gave it the top spot on its list of best hot chocolate stops in Texas. The bakery was joined by two other local faves in the top 5. I Love Churros and Tlahco Mexican Kitchen nabbed the No. 2 and No. 5 slots, respectively, with Coffee Crush and Laika Cheesecake & Espresso also making the list.

The Pigpen Neighborhood Bar/ Facebook

8 things to know in San Antonio food right now: Neighborhood bar wiggles back to Broadway

NEWS YOU CAN EAT

Editor’s note: We get it. It can be difficult to keep up with the fast pace of San Antonio’s restaurant and bar scene. We have you covered with our regular roundup of essential food news.

Openings and closings

The Pigpen Neighborhood Bar is wiggling its way out of a lengthy Covid closure. The Broadway mainstay took to Facebook on October 24 to announce it had ended its two-year hiatus. The family friendly destination has been on hold since June 2020, when Governor Greg Abbott closed Texas bars a second time in response to the pandemic. Although the post did not elaborate on the prolonged absence, it revealed that it would serve the same menu as before.

Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery also reemerged on October 24 after a brief reset. The Pearl staple shuttered on August 22 to undergo a few improvements. Among them were a few new menu items like stuffed ruby red trout, fried calamari, and classic Southern barbecue shrimp.

A new Peruvian concept has pounced on the former location of Tutti’s: A Place for Foodies in Southtown. Leche de Tigre, at 318 E. Cevallos St., is keeping its opening date mum. Still, diners can water their mouths by perusing an online menu full of cebiches, traditional favorites like lomo saltado, and pisco-based cocktails.

Anticipated arcade bar Be Kind & Rewind is officially pressing play at 115 Alamo Plaza on October 28. Owner Alex Amaro has stripped the former Fuddruckers of its workaday vibes, replacing it with neon and blacklight. Opening weekend will take full advantage of the retro set with an ‘80s night on Friday, a ‘90s/ Y2K party on Saturday, and karaoke on Sunday. Expect at least one version of “I Want it That Way.”

East Side spot Truth Pizzeria has bid arrivederci to San Antonio, according to an October 13 social media post. The small restaurant opened in the heat of the pandemic in June 2020, serving a menu of Neapolitan pies. The message did not offer an explanation for the sudden closure.

In brighter East Side news, trailblazing food truck park the Boardwalk on Bulverde is set to reopen in 2023. The space opened in 2011 as San Antonio’s first food truck park, closing in 2016 so the owners could focus on their Cruising Kitchens business. In a social media post, the team shared that it brought the concept back to address a need for “more impactful community activities.”

The Hill Country will taste la belle vie on November 1 when Bakery Lorraine opens its sixth location in Boerne. Located at 134 Oak Park Dr., the shop will serve the same sandwiches, salads, and pastries as the other outposts. Following the unveiling, guests can get their macaron fix Monday through Thursday from 7 am-6 pm. and Friday through Sunday from 7 am-8 pm.

Ahead of its first anniversary, Bubby’s Jewish Soul Food is getting a facelift. Owners Jason and Charlie Nuttall-Fiske announced the temporary closure on October 25, explaining the move is intended to “amp up [the] Bubby’s experience.” An expanded menu, gussied-up interior, and other improvements will be unveiled at a birthday celebration on November 14.

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Fine dining chef unpacks nostalgic pop-up concept at Grayson Street bar, plus more top stories

Hot Headlines

Editor’s note: It’s that time again — time to check in with our top stories. From pop-up concepts to Hill Country getaways and cool local pools, here are five articles that captured our collective attention over the past seven days.

1. Fine dining chef unpacks nostalgic pop-up concept at popular Grayson Street bar. The Memorial Day popup was hopefully just the start of a new series the chef hopes to hold monthly.

2. Breathtaking Hill Country hideaway is lone Texas star on Vrbo's top 10 vacation homes in the U.S. The Hill Country Riverfront Hideaway was the only Texas home chosen on Vrbo's list.

3. 7 San Antonio icons star in new Texas Monthly book documenting most influential Texans of last 50 years. To commemorate the publication's 50th anniversary, they've collected stories and photographs of 50 iconic Texans.

4. These 6 San Antonio museums are offering free admission for military families all summer long. The Blue Star Museums program begins yearly on Armed Forces Day in May and ends on Labor Day.

5. Summertime is here in San Antonio — beat the heat at these cool local pools. Mourn the loss of cool weather and beat the heat (in style) at these local pools.

'Little West Side gem" sparkles with summer grand opening

DREAMS COME TRUE

Some bar owners talk about community, but the all-woman trio behind new Prospect Hill spot Chiflada’s mean it. The team says the concept, celebrating its grand opening on June 2, wouldn’t have happened without it.

Family and friends turned out to support the bar months before it was ready for the build-out. They turned out again to help transform a vacant bungalow at 1804 West Martin St. into a comfortable and stylish lounge. When the ice machine went on the fritz during the June 27 soft opening, the bar’s supporters flexed their muscles to ensure the drinks remained cold.

Even the West Side neighborhood gave it a seal of approval. Natasha Riffle, who co-owns Chifladla’s with her mother, policewoman Veronica Riffle, and El Buho owner Melanie Martinez, says the team walked door to door to change the zoning, ensuring residential buy-in.

The result is a bar that is by and for the neighborhood. At the soft opening party, Marigolds swayed in the breeze under a pergola as congratulatory bouquets filled the bar’s shelves. Guests busily chattered as popular deejay Sunnyboy played oldies and conjunto hits.

“It feels like you’re at your abuelita’s backyard and hanging with your family,” Natasha Riffle says of the bar’s vibe.

The drinks honor that spirit, too, toeing the line between the neighborhood’s blue-collar roots and the team’s cocktail-making skills. Featured sippers include a punchy Mexican Martini, a melon Paloma, the Chif Peach, and the mezcal-based Smoke on the Water.
“It’s a place to get a nice cocktail, but also a place to get a beer and shot combo,” Natasha Riffle tells CultureMap about the high-low mix.

Ultimately, Chiflada’s feels like home — the type of place folks let loose after a long day at work, where multiple generations can get in on the party and where bartenders become close friends.

“We all lived [on the West Side] off and on,” says Riffle of the team, “and we’ve all worked with each other over the years. We are more of a family than we are co-workers — 100 percent.”

Photo by Joe Rodriquez

Natasha Riffle beams in front of her newly opened bar.

Contemporary Irish pub sprouts up in new St. Paul's Square home

DON'T CALL IT A COMEBACK

One of San Antonio’s most storied bars is gearing up for its next chapter. After a brief hiatus, Southtown hot spot Francis Bogside has reopened in St. Paul Square, along with a sister concept — Anne’s.

The bar first opened in 2015 in conjunction with the fine dining eatery Brigid. The pair had barely been in business for a year before an early morning fire ravaged their shared space in 2016. In 2017, the bar reopened on South St. Mary’s Street sans Brigid, becoming one of Alamo City’s favorite haunts.

In July 2022, owner Steve Mahoney announced another change. Francis Bogside was moving out of its longtime home and into a new location. Eventually, internet sleuths figured out that spot would be 1170 E Commerce St #100 in St. Paul’s Square, the former home of Smoke BBQ.

Though in a new location, the basic DNA of the bar is still intact, with a similar layout featuring a large central bar and a jumble of artwork on the walls. The space, however, is a more contemporary interpretation of an Irish pub with a bold mix of upholstery, up-to-date wallcoverings, and mosaic tiles, all enlivening the mostly brick space.

Though Bogside’s signature cocktails have often strayed from theme, a release promised a return to form with sippers like Paddy’s Irish whiskey-based Irish Maid and low ABV Jammy Lass. As usual, the specialty drinks will be supplemented by various classics, including daiquiris and negronis.

Currently, the bar has a limited food menu of pub grub, like focaccia pizza, wings, and loaded potato skins. A more fully developed menu will be rolled out as it prepares for a grand opening later in June.

The media alert did not offer many details about Anne’s, a wine bar now open in the adjoining space, but did tease at an international bottle list. The concept will also have a dedicated food menu, although no details were shared.

Currently in its soft opening phase, Francis Bogside welcomes guests 4 pm-2 am Tuesday through Sunday. Anne’s operates Wednesday through Sunday with the same opening hours.

Photo by TXTroublemaker

A large central bar is the focal point.

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