MAKE READY MARKET
WORDS BY MEREDITH KAY
Photo by Make Ready Market
It’s no secret that the heart of San Antonio is expanding. The downtown area has seen staggering growth over the past several years, and the trend won’t be slowing anytime soon. Downtown has seen many multi-use developments become destinations for locals as well as tourists from around the world. Nestled within this bustling urban landscape, Make Ready Market is one of these locations. Situated in the repurposed and reimagined building of the former Cavender Cadillac dealership on Broadway, Make Ready Market is now ready to welcome culinary enthusiasts and those seeking an inclusive and diverse community gathering space.
Make Ready Market currently features eight retail partners, each specializing in their own unique foods, beverages and gifts. Food is the common language spoken here with several, locally-owned restaurant stalls serving everything from Thai fried chicken, Mexican seafood specialties, authentic Venezuelan fare to hearty American burgers and fries. Visitors can also cool off at Casa Morgana Gelatos, an all-natural concept that originated in Mexico. Casa Morgana sources their ingredients and flavors from local farms and vendors to create the purest and most delicious gelatos.
The eclectic collection of food purveyors at Make Ready Market creates a unique culinary tapestry offering something for everyone. The food hall offers plenty of seating inside at long communal tables, as well as a spacious outdoor area perfect for group outings and celebratory gatherings. The market also plans to host events, including live music and karaoke nights, community events and educational speaker panels.
Zach Garza serves as the general manager, and is also an operating partner of Garaje Cantina, the onsite icehouse featuring craft beers, wine and raspa-inspired frozen cocktails. Garza wants visitors to know that Make Ready Market isn’t just about the food, it’s about the experience.
“We want Make Ready Market to be the place where you come to do your thing, whatever that ‘thing’ is. All of our partners are local businesses where the proprietors are actually working onsite to ensure that visitors get the best possible service. It’s a place for locals, created by locals,” he says.
Photo by Kimberly Suta
While Make Ready Market still has space to add two or three additional eateries, the current vendors create a full sensory feast of sights, sounds and smells inside the food hall. Thai Bird welcomes chef David Gilbert(of the former Tuk Tuk Taproom) back to San Antonio. His flavorful Thai street food will have you crazing the sweet spicy Thai chicken tenders paired with satisfying jasmine-scented rice. Equally enticing there is the red curry corn served steaming hot and spiced with Thai chiles for just the right amount of heat. It pairs perfectly with an ice cold beer.
Across the culinary world (and actually just across the food hall), empanadas and arepas are on the menu at Four Brtohers Venezuelan Kitchen. A true family endeavor, the Barrientos family welcomes you to experience their culture through delicious food such as crispy arepas stuffed with tender, slow-stewed pork or chicken, savory black beans and Venezuelan cheese, complemented by sweet fried plantains and avocado sauce. Their empanadas and rice bowls are equally enticing, transporting your taste buds to South America.
Focusing on fresh seafood, Pescado Bravo serves Mexican-inspired tacos, burritos and tostadas, along with fresh ceviche and agua chile. At the helm of Pescado Bravo is Orlando Aguirre, who also owns Chilaquil at The Pearl. Aguirre brings his successful Mexican specialty concept to Make Ready Market with a passion for transforming Mexican flavors of Mexico into delicious and approachable dishes.
For all-American comfort food, diners will want to head over to the counter at EET-UP, the sister restaurant to Orderup in Lincoln Heights. Here, you can enjoy perfectly seasoned, char-grilled burgers and sandwiches along with their famous hand- cut French fries and house-made chips and queso. For those with a sweet tooth, their huge, chocolate chip-laden CH2 Cookies will satisfy any craving.
Rounding out this stellar line-up of Make Ready Market vendors is BūJē Beverage Co. serving up their refreshing fresh-squeezed lemonades, smoothies, acai bowls and wellness shots, as well as The Fair Goods, an artisan gift boutique featuring an eclectic assortment of gifts from Texas artisans and artists.
Make Ready Market is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at 203 West 8th St. and online at makereadymarket.com.
About the Contributor
Meredith Kay has called San Antonio home for over 30 years and is an incurable foodie with an insatiable case of wanderlust. Meredith is constantly looking for her next adventure, and easily makes friends with everyone she meets.
