WORDS BY FRANCISCO ORTIZ

Photo by Jason Chetwood

BOX STREET SOCIAL HITS LA CANTERA

Once just a food truck and catering company, Box Street Social made waves at its first brick- and-mortar Box St. All Day in Hemisfair with tasty breakfast and brunch items such as the Thicc Boi Pancake and steak, eggs and frites, along with a plethora of coffees and boozy and zero-proof cocktail options. Now, Box Street Social fans can enjoy these fantastic dishes and more at the eatery’s new La Cantera Heights location, which opened in January. There, one can choose from brunch favorites or enjoy new dinner options (only available at this new location after 5 p.m.), such as bolognese with garlic oil milk bread toast, bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin and cast-iron snapper.

For more, check out Box Street Social at boxstallday.com

SIP & SIT WITH ME ON THE SOUTHSIDE

Photo by Sit and Sip With Me

Housed in a circa 1940s two-story structure, Sip & Sit with Me is a newcomer on the Southside’s coffee scene. Having opened around last Thanksgiving across from Mission San Jose, Sip & Sit with Me offers a variety of satisfying and budget-friendly coffee drinks, hot chocolate, hot tea and a growing array of pastries in a cozy, relaxed space. Owner, Marta Alonzo, grew up in a farm laborer household, and drinking coffee around the kitchen table was the basis for conversation, decision making and family planning.

“The kitchen was the warmest place in the house for coffee and some type of baked goods or cookies. The offering of coffee was always the first thing my parents said to our guests,” says Alonzo.

Alonzo researched coffee, participated in the local Break Fast & Launch culinary business program (see article on page 10 for more details on BFL), and went to school at the Texas Coffee School in Arlington before starting and growing this independent San Antonio coffee shop from scratch.

Learn more at facebook.com/sipnsitwithme

NACO MEXICAN EATERY MOVES CLOSER TO DOWNTOWN

Photo by SA Yacht Club and NACO

After fostering a following at Los Patios, the culinary creatives behind NACO Mexican Eatery expanded their reach last November by moving to the SA Yacht Club, the emerging shipping container project near The Historic Pearl. While NACO Grayson boasts more space and longer hours than their Northeast Side spot, the menu is still filled with in-demand offerings. NACO’s tacos run the gamut, from Angus asada and egg tacos to flat top pastor and mushroom tacos, as well as the Porkopus, where chopped octopus is wrapped inside a heirloom corn tortilla with guajillo- seasoned chicharron prensado. NACO Grayson’s menu also features their renowned chilaquiles plates, such as Petroleros, where sunny-side up eggs and chorizo are topped with a black bean salsa. Their tortas feature rustic bread with sides of black beans and chips. Simply said, it’s all incredible.

See more at nacomexican.com.

IT’S TIME TO FIESTA!

Photo Courtesy of Fiesta San Antonio

It’s almost Spring, and that means Fiesta San Antonio is nearly here! The annual city- wide party will be held April 18–28, and a massive spectrum of spectacular eats are a big draw for most partygoers. Renowned food- centric Fiesta events such as Oyster Bake, Taste of New Orleans, Taste of the Northside, Night In Old San Antonio and King William Fair are back, offering culturally diverse ranges of delicacies, from fried oysters and anticuchos to crawfish etouffée and everyone’s favorite, funnel cakes. If Fiesta fans are curious, King William Fair organizers say they are returning to paper tickets for concessions instead of electronic wristbands, which prompted long lines of impatient celebrants last year. Fiesta is also bringing back smaller yet equally enticing culinary happenings. Chili Queens Chili Cook-Off, set for April 21 at the Bonham Exchange, will benefit local nonprofits Fiesta Youth and the San Antonio AIDS Foundation. The cook-off is inspired by the historic Chili Queens — women who created and served chilis and other meals in downtown open-air markets during the late 1800s to early 1900s. Finally, St. Philip’s College will host its annual CultureFest and Rib Cook-Off on April 25. While the spotlight shines on the rib cook-off, event organizers invite attendees to wear attire reflecting their culture.

Learn more at fiestasanantonio.org

FINGER LICKING GOOD CHICKEN AT THE PEARL

Freight Fried Chicken

January marked the grand opening of award-winning chef Nicola Blaque’s latest concept, Freight Fried Chicken, located in the Food Hall at Pearl’s Bottling Department. Blaque wrapped up 2023 by closing Mi Roti, her concept at the Pearl Food Hall space where visitors enjoyed her take on Caribbean American cuisine. According to Blaque, Freight Fried Chicken pays tribute to the culinary history and traditions shared amongst Black Americans, specifically Black women who sold fried chicken to rail passengers traveling through Gordonsville, Virginia, in the years following the Civil War. At Freight Fried Chicken, Blaque and her team dry-batter the chicken and serve it with fresh-baked biscuits, similar to how the so-called “waiter carriers” prepared their meals for the post- Civil War train riders, decades ago. Freight also offers fried chicken tenders, a mouthwatering fried chicken sandwich, mac ‘n’ cheese, seasoned fries and a vegetarian sandwich option.

Find out more at instagram.com/freightchicken

NEW MI GENTE OFFERS BEANERSCHNITZEL – SAY WHAT?!

Photo by Mi Gente

For more than 60 years, Martha’s Mexican Restaurant was a culinary destination in the Huebner/Babcock area, so many fans of the eatery voiced disappointment over Martha’s abrupt closure in May of last year. But don’t be too disheartened as this Northwest side building has a new occupant. Sort of. Mi Gente Comida y Cantina, a fast- casual Latin restaurant, opened in January as the brainchild of Javier Barron who bought Martha’s in fall of 2019. Barron says he wanted to change things up a bit by remodeling the former Martha’s restaurant and jettisoning the eatery’s sit-down model in favor of a counter- service format. Mi Gente, however, held onto Martha’s long-standing popular items, such as carne guisada enchiladas, and also added new modern options such as chicken- on-a-stick, crispy dogs, Hot Cheetos-topped enchiladas and the Beanerschnitzel, a chili dog chopped and stuffed into an enchilada and topped with chili, cheddar cheese and Fritos.

Follow at instagram.com/migentesa

DIVE INTO DELICIOUS JAZZ NIGHTS

Photo by Cuba 1918

Since they opened in 2022 at a restored space on the Southwest side, Cuba 1918 has become a haven for Quintana neighborhood residents, local jazz fans and foodies craving Cuban food in a setting inspired by pre-Castro Cuba. But Cuba 1918 has stepped things up a notch with The Jazz Club. Now, every Friday from 7 to 10 p.m., jazz acts such as the Miles Davis Trio entertain patrons. Plus, the venue hosts socials on Saturdays and Sundays and live Cuban tropical music on Sundays.

Visitors can enjoy both the music and various menu items created in Cuba 1918’s scratch kitchen. Dishes include Guava Bliss French Toast, their best-selling Cubano hot-pressed sandwich and the Tour of Cuba platter filled with roast pork, ropa vieja (shredded beef ), red and black beans, congri (Cuban black beans and rice), white rice, tostones (crispy plantain slices) and maduros (fried plantains). Hearty enough fuel if you plan on dancing the night away!

For more, check out cuba1918.com

EXTRA FINE EXPANDS INTO DOWNTOWN

Photo by Extra Fine

Extra Fine, the buzzy Monte Vista cafe created by Chefs Jessica and John Philpot, is growing with a downtown location in the works. The folks behind ownership group Empty Stomach plan to open an Extra Fine location at The Savoy office building downtown. Just like the Monte Vista spot, this downtown Extra Fine storefront will have coffee drinks, fresh baked pastries, a range of artisanal lunch options and other whole foods scratch-baked daily. Empty Stomach also plans to introduce a pizzeria concept at the neighboring Rand Building this summer. The yet-to-be-named pizzeria will be located behind another Empty Stomach creation, Double Standard. The pizzeria will emulate old-school New York City slice shops and include pizza by the slice, whole pies, pitchers of beer and a pinball machine.

Stay tuned at emptystomach.org

SA CHEFS BRING HOME THE WIN

Photo by Kimberley Suta

Local chefs continue to work hard to establish San Antonio as the Creative City of Gastronomy that it is, a title we were awarded by UNESCO several years ago. Up-and-coming Chef Kaius and his team of The Chef Kaius Xperience won three awards for his culinary prowess in local competitions, specifically for Homegrown Chef’s annual Burger Showdown, Men Who Cook and Jason Dady’s popular Titans of Tailgate. On a national scale, San Antonio personal chef and instructor Cidney Wilcox competed on Food Network’s Chopped: Spin it to Win it tournament, which aired in February (Season 57, Episode 1) and made us proud as the Chopped champion of “Battle 1.” We can’t wait to see what these chefs and our other SA chefs accomplish next!

Discover more about Chef Kaius at thechefkaiusexperience.com and Chef Cidney at instagram.com/therealchefcidtastic.

About the Contributor

A native San Antonian, Francisco Ortiz has been a local journalist for more than 25 years, having worked full time or freelanced for several area news publications. Ortiz studied mass communications at San Antonio College and Texas State University. When he’s not writing or editing, he enjoys hiking, reading, and watching or playing basketball.