By Edmond Ortiz
This short roundup of San Antonio-area bar and culinary news includes the relocation of a Southtown eatery, the closure of a short-lived downtown spot, and a South Side restaurant opting to levy admission during live music shows.
Additionally, Panera Bread has opened a new location in Schertz, Chick-fil-A recently launched a Universal City location.
MOVING
Luna Rosa Puerto Rican Grill y Tapas
This December, Luna Rosa Puerto Rican Grill y Tapas is moving a short distance from its current home at 910 S. Alamo St. to 1014 S. Alamo, where Hot Joy operated for some years before relocating to E. Jones Ave.
Luna Rosa’s owners made the announcement via Facebook on Oct. 23, saying that the past 10 years have held many ups and downs since they first opened the restaurant in 2015 at City Base.
The eatery is owned and operated by Puerto Rican native and Chef Iris Gonzales-Ornelas, and her two sons, Chef Amadeus Ornelas, and Omar Ornelas, who leads bar operations.
The owners cited highlights in their restaurant’s history, including being featured on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” and receiving industry awards and honors.
Luna Rosa moved from the South Side to its present home in late 2022 when Rosario’s, the venerable Tex-Mex restaurant, relocated from 910 S. Alamo to 722 S. St. Mary’s St.
The owners said while the current site has afforded Luna Rosa the opportunity to host many special events and private celebrations, it was time to move to a new spot.
The owners of Hot Joy, the Asian-inspired hot spot, announced in summer 2024 that they would be relocating from 1014 S. Alamo to their current home at 1101 Broadway St.
“Our new forever home will be a place we can pour even more love, culture and sabor into for years to come,” the Luna Rosa Facebook post read.
AN UPDATE
The owners of Trailblazer Cafe, based at Stinson Mission Municipal Airport, said that live music performances, which have been free of charge to patrons for nearly three years, would be ticketed effective Oct. 24.
According to an Oct. 21 Facebook post from the owners Josh and Stephanie Smith, jazz performances held at Trailblazer Cafe have proven so popular that, when they first began on Saturday nights, the audience response prompted the scheduling of additional shows on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons.
Michelle Garibay-Carey is among many local jazz artists who frequently play at Trailblazer Cafe, which also has been known to host Albert Cantu playing “yacht rock” tunes on first Fridays.
The Smiths said they have tried to offer all music performances at no cost to visitors, but that model is no longer sustainable.
“We have worked to support the artists and entertainers through food and beverage sales alone. However, we can no longer support this model and must follow suit with like establishments to remain competitive,” the post stated.
With Trailblazer Cafe implementing ticketed performances, the owners stated that the new process ensures that patrons not only make a reservation, they may pick the table of their choice with a guaranteed space for themselves or their group.
According to the post, the ticket fees “are nominal and fair” compared with other venues where visitors may see the artists that often perform at the cafe.
Additionally, the cafe will offer package deals by the end of the year to include meal and beverage options at a discount for patrons who may wish to order in advance.
NOW OPEN
Panera Bread
Panera Bread held an Oct. 20 grand opening for its first location in Schertz.
The fast-casual bakery-cafe chain, which now has more than 2,200 storefronts nationwide, celebrated the occasion by offering the first 100 customers through the front doors one year’s worth of “You Pick Two” meal deals.
18406 I-35 N., Schertz. Open 6 a.m.-9 p.m. weekdays, 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Sat., and 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Sun. (210-622-8715)
Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A opened the doors to a new Universal City storefront on Oct. 16. Grand opening activities included a formal welcome from city officials, and a flag presentation by the Randolph High School’s Junior ROTC.
700 Kitty Hawk Road, Universal City. Open 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Mon.-Sat., closed Sun. (210-767-9333)
CLOSED
Luz Roja
Representatives for the downtown Tex-Mex restaurant have declared their venue permanently closed via a status update on the eatery’s Instagram, according to recent media reports.
Luz Roja, which was operating at the former Blanco Cafe spot at 419 N. St. Mary’s St. for about seven months, had not updated its social media presence since September.
Media reports point to legal troubles surrounding owner Devin Elder, whose former company, DJE Texas Management Group, launched the eatery last March, but subsequently laid off many staff members the following month and sought to sell a number of its rental properties.
