By Edmond Ortiz
This early fall edition of Light Bites features a slew of restaurant openings, mainly in the northern and western parts of town and north of downtown.
Elsewhere, a beloved Alamo Heights pizzeria is heading north, a coffee shop is making itself at home in Beacon Hill, a Riverwalk restaurant is adding a rooftop bar, and two popular eateries in Stone Oak and the Medical Center area are planning to shutter.
NOW OPEN
Zojah Burger
The fast-food eatery that specializes in smash burgers opened a second location earlier in September on the Far West Side.
7907 W. Loop 1604 N., Suite 105
Alzer’s Roastery
The Middle Eastern-inspired nut and coffee roastery opened Sept. 25 at The Colonnade shopping center. Alzer’s offerings include gourmet specialty chocolate, and halal gummies.
9871 Interstate 10 W.
Hot Spot 61
The Malatang-style hot pot eatery, which is undergoing a soft opening. Diners can pick from an assortment of ingredients and a broth base to put together a custom soup.
11745 I-10 W., Suite 418. Open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily except Tue.
Cream and Caffeine.
The Far West Side coffee shop opened in mid-September, offering a variety of traditional and specialty coffee drinks, fresh-made energy drinks, and matcha.
8605 Little Geronimo St. Open 6 a.m.-1 p.m. weekdays except Wed., and 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Sat.
Cuarto de Kilo
The Mexican eatery, which prides itself on serving “big burgers,” opened a new, larger location in the Coolcrest neighborhood on the Far West Side.
12370 Potranco Road, Suite 101. Open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Mon.-Thu., 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri. and Sat., and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sun.
2 Greeks Grill
Jerry Kouroumousis and his uncle Nick Zaimis launched this North Side Greek restaurant at the former Genghis Grill location in The Legacy shopping center. Menu items are based on family recipes.
1903 N Loop 1604 E. Open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Mon.–Thu., 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat., and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sun. (210-251-4334)
Wine Folks
A grand opening was held Sept. 10 for Wine Folks, a bottle shop and wine bar featuring a curated selection of wines, craft beers and specialty snacks.
967 N. Academy Ave., Suite 1101, New Braunfels (830-652-8418)
Los Trompos Tacos de Barrio
The Mexican restaurant, which local chef Jorge Garcia first established on the near-West Side, recently opened a second location in the Churchill Estates neighborhood. Los Trompos specializes in al pastor tacos.
15614 Huebner Road, Suite 113. Open 4-10 p.m. Tue.-Thu., 4-11 p.m. Fri., 1-11 p.m. Sat., and 1-9 p.m. Sun.
CheeseMé Charcuterie Boards
CheeseMe, which originated as an event and catering venture in 2024, hosted grand opening activities in mid-September for a brick-and-mortar location near Pearl. The shop offers a variety of curated cheeses, charcuterie meats, jams, bakery items, sodas, teas and waters, as well as customized sandwiches, chicken salad, and specialty boards. Patrons will also find a living room-style space for gatherings.
1107 E. Quincy St. (210-420-9710 )
Fresh Bowl & Co.
What began in Puebla, Mexico as Salad Bowl, offering customizable salads, is now Fresh Bowl and Co. with a first location that recently opened in Stone Oak. Visitors can build their own warm or cold bowl or wrap, with a range of fresh ingredients available to them.
115 N. Loop 1604 E., Suite 2103 (210-251-4465 )
Captain D’s Seafood Kitchen
The Tennessee-based fast-casual seafood chain opened its first San Antonio location Sept. 7. Captain D’s offers a range of fish and shrimp dishes, as well as fried green tomatoes, and cheesecake for dessert.
7531 Bandera Road
SeaSpice Rooftop Club
Local hospitality firm Gusto Group recently launched SeaSpice on the fifth floor of the Jefferson Building near Pearl. The French Riviera-inspired restaurant and bar offers main, brunch and lunch menus. Diners can expect to choose from tartares, carpaccios, poke bowls, lobster and crab rolls, oysters, jumbo shrimp cocktail as well as shrimp, crab or steak tacos, salmon or Kobe beef burgers. There is also an assortment of classic and signature cocktails, martini table service, and a curated list of champagnes and wines, as well as zero-proof beverages.
1900 Broadway St. Suite 500. Open noon-11 p.m. Tue.-Wed., noon-2 a.m. Thu.-Sat., and noon-9 p.m. Sun.
COMING UP
Hudson House
The Dallas area-based chain of East Coast comfort food restaurants plans to enter the San Antonio market next spring or summer. Construction is slated to begin in early November on a $1.6 million renovation of existing space at 5307 Broadway in Alamo Heights. There, local firm Ridgemont Properties is redeveloping the former Nix Medical Center into a mixed-use commercial complex.
Hudson House typically offers East Coast oysters, sushi rolls, maple-planked salmon, French chicken, steak frites, and a double cheeseburger with a house signature sauce, but the menus tend to vary among the chain’s nine Dallas-area sites and two Houston locations. There is also a full bar and brunch.
5307 Broadway St., Alamo Heights
Barberry
Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group plans to launch Barberry, a brasserie at Sítio El Tropicano, the revamped River Walk hotel that is opening before this year’s end. According to a press release, Barberry – named for a small, tart berry native to Texas – will blend Hill Country and French Country influences. The new Riverwalk restaurant will debut with dinner service before expanding to all-day dining. Planned dishes include chicken fried quail, Wagyu steak tartare, Stetson chopped salad, and sweet corn ravioles du Dauphiné.
110 Lexington Ave.
Cafe La Lele
The owners of the Medical Center-based specialty coffee trailer are opening a permanent brick-and-mortar location in the Beacon Hill neighborhood. The team behind Cafe La Lele is modifying the 800-square-foot space at 106 Michigan Ave., which was recently vacated by Folklores Coffeehouse. Cafe La Lele’s pink trailer usually serves up a variety of coffee drinks, teas and baked goods. The owners also plan to offer space at the Beacon Hill location for community activities.
106 Michigan Ave.
Panda Express
The fast-casual Asian chain is opening its first Boerne location in the Boerne Town Center. A grand opening event will be held at 9 a.m. Oct. 2.
34646 I-10 W., Boerne
The Night Heron at Casa Rio
Celebrating its 80th year, the iconic Riverwalk Tex-Mex restaurant will add a rooftop bar, The Night Heron, with a $3.5 million construction project beginning this month. The 13-month initiative will add 4,000 square feet of space to Casa Rio, where diners can enjoy cocktails, wine and small plates.
430 E. Commerce St.
Santonia Cantina
Lizzeth Martínez and Francisco Estrada, the husband-and-wife team behind Naco Mexican, will soon open Santonia Cantina at Pearl. According to a news release, Santonia is inspired by the couple’s take on a borderland cantina, drawing upon culinary influences, hospitality and culture familiar to residents and visitors of northern Mexico and South Texas. Dishes will include pork shanks, ribeye tacos, large crispy shrimp flautas, potato crisps, ceviches and botanas, flour-tortilla tostadas, guacamole with brisket chicharrón, frijoles puercos, queso fundido, pozole, and fideo. The bar program, too, will be anchored on borderland ingredients, flavors and traditions, including sotol, mezcal, tequila, tuna roja, mezquite, pecan, piloncillo, roasted corn, chile, and coffee.
200 E. Grayson St.
RELOCATING
Sorrento Ristorante and Pizzeria is moving from its longtime Alamo Heights home of 25 years to the Castle Hills area, with plans to reopen in the Lockhill Village retail center. Sorrento’s owners, announcing the move on social media, said the 5146 Broadway St. site will close in October.
2311 NW Military Hwy.
CLOSING UP
Old English Tea Shoppe and Cafe
Old English Tea Shoppe and Cafe will permanently close on Oct. 4. In a social media post, co-owners Sandra and Peter Marley are said to be returning to their native England “due to circumstances beyond their control.” The Far North Side eatery had become popular with patrons with native Britons preparing and serving a variety of authentic English foods and teas.
22122 Stone Oak Pkwy., Suite 105
Suck It The Restaurant
Chef-owner Vinh Hoang announced via social media that he will close the popular Medical Center eatery Dec. 31 after 10 years of service at that location. Hoang cited economic challenges, inflation, and a desire to focus more on his family and his health as reasons behind the imminent closure. Suck It originated as a bubble tea and hookah lounge near UT San Antonio in 2010, and evolved into various concepts with the “Suck It” moniker around town over the following years.
7220 Louis Pasteur Drive, Suite 125
OTHER CULINARY/BUSINESS NEWS
Spurs Sports and Entertainment announced the lineup for the sixth season of the Spurs Culinary Residency Program at Frost Bank Center. The following 12 local restaurants and vendors will get to offer signature dishes during Spurs home games at Frost Bank Center this season:Magnolia Pancake Haus, Meadow Neighborhood Eatery, Mina and Dimi’s Greek House, 3 Pho Bowl 09, Cuatro Food Truck, Gourmet Sweet Rolls, Papa Dante’s, Nanay’s Bakery, Specht’s Texas, Sprinkles and Spoons, Wok-Wey, and Parkers Ice Cream.
Chef James Canter of Guerrilla Gourmet will curate what he calls a “Korean-Tex” fusion, multicourse meal at the next St. Paul Square Dinner Club, scheduled for 7 p.m. Oct. 1 at the Cherrity Bar, 302 Montana St. Dinner ticket is $100. (Price does not include beverages, which are available for purchase at the bar.
