By Edmond Ortiz
The newest openings in the San Antonio-area culinary community include a food truck park in the Medical Center area, a South Side steakhouse, a New Braunfels tapas bar, an Olmos Park-area taqueria, and the return of a beloved Chinese spot in the Cibolo area.
Meanwhile, North Side upscale sports bar and grill Cover 3 has new ownership, and two Pearl District venues receive top awards at this year’s Michelin Texas restaurant awards.
NOW OPEN
The Biscuit Yard
The San Antonio-based breakfast and brunch hot spot Alamo Biscuit Co. and Panaderia is opening The Biscuit Yard, a food truck park, effective Oct. 30.
Initial mobile food vendors include Double A’s BBQ, Tacos El Carbón, Krazy Katsu and Smashin’ Crab. The Biscuit Yard also includes a full patio bar. A grand opening event is set for 5 p.m.-midnight Oct. 30.
John Vale, owner of Alamo Biscuit Co., said he wanted to find a creative way to use the property after his restaurant closes in the afternoon.
“Our Huebner location closes at 3 p.m. on weekdays and 4 p.m. on weekends, so I wanted to find a fun way to keep the space active in the evenings,” Vale said in a statement. “The Biscuit Yard brings great local food, good music, and a relaxed vibe to the neighborhood.”
9630 Huebner Road, Suite 103. Open 5 p.m.-midnight Tue.-Sun. (210-265-5585)
Charro El Tio
A casual Tex-Mex/Mexican restaurant opened Oct. 27 in the former Taco Taco eatery spot near Olmos Park. Charro El Tio offers breakfast and lunch, including 20-plus breakfast tacos, nearly all of which are available for under $3 from 6-11 a.m.
Other offerings include breakfast burritos and tortas, burrito combos, pancake or waffle plates, as well as nachos, soups, salads, and a range of lunchtime tortas, burritos, regular tacos and mini-tacos, lunch plates, and children’s plates.
Patrons may dine indoors or outdoors, or order food to go.
145 E. Hildebrand Ave. (210-457-4282)
Max’s Sister
Chef Andrew Weissman is softly opening his newest restaurant at the Alon Town Centre. According to his Oct. 30 posting on Facebook, Max’s Sister, which is offering American cuisine with a French touch, is now accepting reservations for dates beginning Nov. 6 and beyond, and that all reservations for Nov. 3-5 had already been taken up. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be served at the North Side restaurant.
Weissman also said Max’s Sister will start accepting walk-in customers on Nov. 10. Interested diners may email aweissmanrestgroup@gmail.com for details.
10003 NW Military Drive, Suite 2115.
Kowloon Kitchen
This once-popular Chinese restaurant that operated in Schertz for several years until its closure in 2022 has returned with the same ownership, this time in Cibolo in the town’s historic downtown area.
Kowloon hosted a sneak peek on Oct. 24 and a soft opening on Oct. 26, maintaining a focus on Cantonese cuisine. The owners have planned another soft opening with a limited menu Nov. 1 and 2, with doors opening at noon each day.
110 Meek St., Cibolo. (210-999-5328)
Lone Star Steakhouse
An Oct. 22 grand opening was held for this new Southeast Side steakhouse, which serves up an assortment of steak dinners, pork chop, barbecued ribs, pulled pork, smoked brisket, fajitas, a variety of seafood plates, enchiladas, nachos, quesadillas, pasta, burgers, sandwiches and salads.
There is also a children’s menu, desserts, family meals and a full bar.
4427 E. Southcross Blvd. Open 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sun.-Thu., and 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Fri. and Sat. (210-253-9083)
Favorite Neighbor
The New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce held an Oct. 8 ribbon-cutting for this casual European-inspired wine and tapas bistro.
Favorite Neighbor offers more than 10 scratch-made tapas plates, an array of wines from across the globe, desserts, and a mini-market that features peppers, potato chips made with olive oil, and tinned fish.
Favorite Neighbor has indoor and patio seating, and is introducing brunch effective Nov. 2.
494 N. Union Ave., New Braunfels. Open 5-10 p.m. Wed., 5-11 p.m. Thu. and Fri., and 3-11 p.m. Sun. (210-609-9039)
A Chicago Bite
Tri-County Chamber of Commerce held a Sept. 24 ribbon-cutting for A Chicago Bite, which recently relocated from the Encino Park neighborhood in north San Antonio to Schertz.
Former educator and Chicago native Krystal Cross created A Chicago Bite as a fast-casual restaurant where patrons can enjoy authentic Chicago-style hot dogs and open-faced Italian beef. The eatery also has catfish, wings, burgers, gyros and pizza puffs.
A Chicago Bite puts on “Soul Food Sundays,” when visitors have a chance to enjoy pork chops, catfish, mac and cheese, sweet yams, jumbo wings, and other traditional soul food dishes.
Cross and her colleagues also operate a food truck version of A Chicago Bite in Cibolo.
Brick-and-mortar location: 820 Main St., Schertz; food truck, 207 S. Main St., Cibolo. Restaurant is open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Wed.-Sat., and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sun.; food truck operates 6-10 p.m. Wed.-Sun. (210-481-4200)
UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP
DJ’s Cover 3/DJ’s Bar and Grill
Cover 3 restaurant in north San Antonio is not only under new ownership with a new name, but it is no longer part of the Austin-based chain of Cover 3 eateries.
The new owners of DJ’s Cover 3 began displaying the company’s new logo on its social media channels on Oct. 28. Restaurant representatives used the same social media channels in late September to post about searches for a new general manager, servers and food runners.
According to the new owners, DJ’s Cover 3 will retain much of its upscale sports bar and grill atmosphere, but there has been no word on whether the primarily elevated American menu will be changed in any way.
The owners of DJ’s Cover 3 also own Katerina’s, a restaurant that will soon occupy the former Frida’s Mexican Restaurant at 18740 Stone Oak Pkwy.
1806 N. Loop 1604 W. Open 11 a.m.-11 a.m. Mon.-Sat., 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sun. (210-497-9700)
ON THE MENU
Isidore, Nicosi headline San Antonio’s Michelin honorees
The Michelin Guide honored Texas restaurants at an Oct. 28 event in Houston, and two San Antonio eateries were among the top award recipients.
Michelin awarded one star to Isidore, a restaurant whose menu concentrates on Texas cuisine. Michelin Stars identify restaurants providing “exceptional cuisine that’s rich in flavor, remarkably executed and infused with the personality of a talented chef,” according to organizers.
The eatery, which is based at Pullman Market at Pearl, was praised by Michelin’s judges as a stylish venue that blends a midcentury contemporary atmosphere with Texas ingredients, local traditions and Native American elements.
Isidore was also added to Michelin’s Guide to distinguished Texas restaurants, and described as a worthwhile stop for high-quality food. Additionally, the eatery was given a Michelin Green Star, which identifies restaurants that are pioneers in sustainable gastronomy.
Isidore’s dessert bar Nicosi received its first Michelin star. Michelin representatives called each menu offering creative and unique.
Four other San Antonio restaurants and one Seguin eatery kept their Bib Gourmand honors, while a fifth San Antonio spot received the same award for the first time.
Michelin bestows Bib Gourmand honors on restaurants that offer “great food at a great value.”
Mezquite, another Pullman Market restaurant, received its first Bib Gourmand honor. The eatery’s menu is focused on Sonoran cuisine.
The following eateries maintained their Bib Gourmand status: Cullum’s Attaboy, Southerleigh Fine Food and Brewery, Ladino, The Jerk Shack, and Seguin’s The Burnt Bean.
Elsewhere, Southtown eatery Mixtli was again designated as a Michelin-Starred restaurant.
Seven other eateries made Michelin’s Texas 2025 recommended restaurants: 2M Smokehouse, Barbecue Station, Garcia’s Mexican Food, Leche de Tigre, Little Em’s Oyster Bar, Reese Bros. Barbecue, and Signature.
‘Sinister Sips’ dinner
St. Anthony Hotel will host the Sinister Sips Masquerade Wine Dinner, a rooftop event involving a four-course dinner crafted by Chef Leo Davila, a James Beard Award semifinalist. The meal will be paired with Orin Swift wines. There will also be guided tastings, as attendees are encouraged to don masks and get into the pre-Halloween spirit. 6-9 p.m. Oct. 30. Tickets start at $75 per person. 300 E. Travis St.
New menus launched at Gunter Hotel
The Gunter Hotel announced the public unveiling of full menus at its signature restaurant Jots and lobby bar The Keystone Club,on Oct. 27.
Under the culinary direction of Sarah Myles and Executive Chef Hayley Unruh, Jots now serves a breakfast and dinner menu with brunch coming soon, according to a press release. Guests can also enjoy craft cocktails and select refreshments at The Keystone Club.
