By Edmond Ortiz
The latest edition of Light Bites highlights new dining and beverage spots in Boerne, Northwest San Antonio, New Braunfels, Schertz and Windcrest, as well as some notable closures in San Antonio’s bar and restaurant scene.
Plus, the South Side and Southtown are home to a new gaming destination, and a new independent bookstore, respectively.
NOW OPEN
Playa Bowls
A July 31 grand opening event was held for Playa Bowls’ new Boerne Town Center location. The New Jersey-based chain of eateries offers customizable, fresh superfruit bowls, which are filled with bases such as açaí, pitaya, banana, and oatmeal, and topped with fruit, granola, seeds, nut butters, and other ingredients. Playa Bowls also has fresh-made smoothies, juices, and other items.
34674 I-10 W., Suite 102, Boerne (830-331-8807)
Below the Shell at Thirsty Turtle
The owners of Thirsty Turtle, a classic dive bar north of the Oak Park/Northwood neighborhood, have opened Below the Shell, a speakeasy-style craft cocktail lounge on the same property.
1626 N.E. Loop 410
Skill Zone Entertainment
This new Southeast Side recreational venue in the Pecan Valley neighborhood offers a range of skill games, Progressive Bingo and other activities alongside some food offerings.
3857 E. Southcross Blvd. Open 11 a.m.-midnight Mon.-Wed. and Sun., and 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Fri. and Sat.
The Underdog
This neighborhood bar featuring craft cocktails and music soft-opened Aug. 2 on the Far West Side.
12922 Potranco Road, Suite 130
La Carniceria Meat Market
This California-based butcher shop chain opened its third San Antonio location July 15 at Brooks City Base. La Carniceria has other San Antonio storefronts near Stone Oak and in the Westover Hills neighborhood.
7514 S. New Braunfels Ave., Suite 1127
Morbid Curiosities
A July 25 grand opening event was held for this independent bookstore, which took over the former Ghoulish Books location in Southtown. Like Ghoulish Books, the focus of Morbid Curiosities is on horror books.
But the store holds various novels, novellas, comic books, non-fiction works, poetry collections, rarities, as well as age-appropriate materials for youngsters. Additional offerings include Blu-ray discs, magnets, shirts, journals, Tarot cards, crafts, coloring books and other gift items.
628 S. St Mary’s St., Suite 102 (210-248-9593)
La Gracia Coffee and More
La Gracia, which hosted a July 25 grand opening event, offers handcrafted coffee and tea drinks and pastries.
8941 Willmon Way, Windcrest (210-307-9737)
Texas Tea Cafe
Texas Tea Cafe hosted a June 24 grand opening, offering a variety of tea and coffee drinks, fresh-made energy drinks and other beverages. The cafe also has barbacoa tacos, quiche, gyros, pastries and other light foods.
6000 FM 3009, Suite 200, Schertz (512-909-9260)
Tacos N Salsa Mexican Cafe
The local restaurant chain featuring an array of traditional and specialty tacos during breakfast and lunch recently opened a third location in the Medical Center area.
4331 Medical Drive, Suite 202. Open 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Mon.-Sat., closed on Sun. (210-290-8226)
RE-OPEN
Liva Mediterranean Grill
This Mediterranean restaurant, which originally opened northeast of Terrell Hills in early 2026, reopened its doors in late June following a brief closure for renovations. The menu boasts a variety of Mediterranean meals, and offers a private dining space.
2026 Austin Hwy. Open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily. (726-627-9807)
COMING SOON
Munchies Locos
The owners of a popular New Braunfels-based food truck offering Mexican street snacks and treats are opening a brick-and-mortar version of Munchies Locos southwest of downtown New Braunfels.
There is no announced opening date for the permanent location. Munchies Locos offers piccadillys, mangonadas, aguas frescas, fresh fruits, snow cones, corn in a cup, tostolocos, nachos and more.
Food truck site: 675 S. Business I-35. Permanent location: 840 S. Business I-35, New Braunfels
Braunfelser Beer and Wine Garden
Located just west of New Braunfels city limits, Five Stones Artisan Brewery is now making its presence known downtown with Braunfelser, which will occupy the former Faust Brewing Co. site. Five Stones is hosting a pop-up party from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Aug. 1 on site to celebrate the first day of its lease of the property. Attendees will enjoy a small farmers’ market, and free Five Stones beer, mimosas, wine and snacks. A soft opening for Braunfelser is planned for mid-August.
499 S. Castell Ave., New Braunfels
Sixty Vines
Metro San Antonio Chamber of Commerce will hold an Aug. 7 ribbon-cutting and grand opening ceremony for Sixty Vines at The Shops at La Cantera. It is the fifth Texas location for the chain of restaurants that offers wine-inspired cuisine, which is paired with 60 wines on a sustainable tap system. Sixty Vines also has a full bar featuring specialty cocktails. Sixty Vines La Cantera will fully open to the public Aug. 10
15900 La Cantera Pkwy. Open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Mon.-Thu., 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Sat., and 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun. (210-457-3905)
CLOSING
Little Joe’s Ice House
The venerable 57-year-old Southwest Side bar is closing Aug. 1 with a farewell party that starts at 4 p.m. Joseph Van Hecke Sr. opened the lounge south of the Lackland Air Force Base annex between Loops 410 and 1604. Van Hecke died in 2010. Country Gold Ballroom next door is not affected by Little Joe’s closure.
CLOSED
La Finca Tex-Mex restaurant at 1421 Pat Booker Road in Universal City closed July 6 just shy of its first anniversary due to declining sales, the owners said in a social media post.
Cracker Barrel recently sold a subsidiary, Maple Street Biscuit Co., to Biscuit Belly, a growing chain of Southern-style restaurants where different kinds of biscuits are the main attraction.
Biscuit Belly has locations in eight states, and is now expanding into Texas with plans to convert Maple Street eateries. Two local Maple Street spots, on Bulverde Road and at the Quarry Village retail center, have closed. A third, in Alamo Ranch, remains open for the time being.
OTHER NEWS
The San Antonio Economic Development Department launched in late July the Buy Local Legacy Pass program, a scavenger hunt-like adventure that encourages people to visit a variety of local, renowned businesses, such as restaurants, boutiques and galleries, and collect points towards prizes.
Anyone can participate in this free program by visiting this link and signing up for a pass, which will be delivered by email and text. No need to download any apps. Check-ins use one’s phone’s GPS, so a participant must be at the business location with location services enabled to check in.
Points and prizes are awarded while supplies last, and may be subject to availability. Participating businesses and rewards are subject to change. Initial participating businesses include Azuca Nuevo Latino, Curry Boys BBQ, Devils River Distillery, Del Bravo Record Shop, Little Studio Gallery, Texas Republic Sports Emporium, Club Sirius and Merkaba.
San Antonio Restaurant Weeks, now in its 16th year, features more than 130 San Antonio-area restaurants, bars and breweries offering curated three-course prix-fixe menus. The event from local nonprofit Culinaria is designed to encourage local residents and visitors to check out different local eateries and explore diverse culinary creations. The event link includes participating restaurants, and their available offerings. Restaurant Weeks last through Aug. 29.
