Paul Stephen

San Antonio

Reporter at MYSA

Food and Beverage Reporter at The San Antonio Express-News

Covering all the news that's fit to chew for the San Antonio @expressnews and @mySA

Articles

Mixing Tradition and Innovation

3 weeks ago | sanantoniomag.com | Paul Stephen

The first thing to know if you’re planning a visit to the cocktail bar Rock and Rye at The Rim is this: You’re going to have to follow some rules. Rules like this: “Do NOT ask for a Cosmo, Long Island Iced Tea, Jager anything or so-called drinks of this kind, especially energy drinks,” or, “no name-dropping. We know the owners as well.” The end of the page-long list ends with, “we are NOT that kind of bar.”The owner, in this case, is Don Marsh.
New pilates studio to open in St. Paul Square

3 weeks ago | expressnews.com | Paul Stephen

It's not exactly "Jump, Jive and Wail," but bend, stretch and twist is now an option in San Antonio's historic St. Paul's Square. Neko Mega Pilates has announced the June 9 opening of its new studio at 126 Gonzales St. The woman-owned business, helmed by San Antonio-native Jessica Morales, promises to deliver a "a modern take on full-body reformer training," according to a media release. "Opening Neko Mega Pilates inside St. Paul Square is a dream come true," Morales said in the release.
James Beard-nominated bakery expanding to Stone Oak

3 weeks ago | expressnews.com | Paul Stephen

Get ready, Stone Oak. Concha time is coming. The James Beard Award-nominated La Panadería has announced plans for its largest shop to date at a whopping 6,600 square feet to open at 1011 N. Loop 1604 East this fall. For comparison, the average orange-and-white Whataburger measures in at roughly 3,500 square feet. With more than 100 parking spots - a far and distant cry from the tight squeeze you'll find at the original shop at 8305 Broadway - the new shop will go big or go home.
8 pieces of grilling gear to step up your summer

3 weeks ago | expressnews.com | Paul Stephen

Grilling season is undeniably upon us. And the Lone Star State does it better than anyone else. We've got the sunny skies, relatively affordable meat prices and old-school know-how that can smoke any competition in the game. But the game has changed. Article continues below this adThe outdoor cooking scene has evolved rapidly since the COVID-19 pandemic kicked off. Our pits now ping our phones. Fires can be lit with a rechargeable battery. Porch-cooked pizza is everywhere.
Top San Antonio brunch restaurant to close

3 weeks ago | expressnews.com | Paul Stephen

Rise and shine, folks. Your window of opportunity to enjoy one of the city's best brunch destinations is soon to close. Comfort Cafe has announced plans to shutter its Los Patios location at the end of the Fourth of July weekend. The restaurant rattled fans of the beloved spot in a Monday Facebook post that garnered more than 160 comments in two hours. "With full hearts and deep gratitude, we're announcing the upcoming closure of our Los Patios location," the post read.
Pullman Market at Pearl hosts chili cook-off with $1,300 in prizes

1 month ago | expressnews.com | Paul Stephen

Get ready to bring the heat, San Antonio. The sprawling culinary depot Pullman Market is holding its first chili cook-off June 7. The competition is open to home cooks ready to spice things up, and there are at least $1,300 in prizes on the line for the best bowls of red. Pullman's cook-off will benefit the 100 Club of San Antonio, an organization dedicated to supporting the families of fallen or severely injured first responders in Bexar County.
Viral Dubai chocolate trend gets a San Antonio twist

1 month ago | expressnews.com | Paul Stephen

Dubai chocolate is so 2024. But the viral food craze just got a second wind with Trader Joe's announcement that it plans to launch its own take on the crunchy sweet amalgam of chocolate, pistachios and ribbons of crisp phyllo dough at stores nationwide this week. If you haven't caught onto this latest dessert trend yet, Dubai chocolate made its global debut in late 2023 and was driven to feverish popularity largely through social media marketing campaigns in the following year.
San Antonio Food Bank braces for cuts to SNAP program

1 month ago | expressnews.com | Paul Stephen

With hundreds of cars tightly lined up to receive bags containing broccoli, squash, pineapple juice and more, San Antonio Food Bank president and CEO Eric Cooper literally had his hands full during a distribution event Saturday. It wasn't the sea of need famously captured in photographs during the early days of the pandemic, but the parking lot at Boeing Center at Tech Port was at capacity for the distribution, which was expected to provide roughly 40,000 pounds of food to about 1,000 families.
5 things to buy and 5 things to avoid at La Michoacana Meat Market

1 month ago | expressnews.com | Paul Stephen

H-E-B, Walmart, Target. It's easy to get into a grocery store rut in San Antonio. But wait. There's more. The Alamo City is home to more than a dozen outposts of the Houston-based La Michoacana Meat Market. You've probably driven past one tucked into a strip mall dozens of times. But if you haven't gone inside, you're missing out. Article continues below this adFounded in 1986, La Michoacana has expanded into a 140-unit-plus operation with stores stretching from the Gulf to Oklahoma.
Chipotle opens new location with drive-thru, free burrito deals

1 month ago | expressnews.com | Paul Stephen

Attention Bastrop: Your burrito is almost ready to roll. Chipotle Mexican Grill is set to open its first location in the community about 35 miles east of Austin on Thursday. The new location will feature Chipotle's drive-thru, pick-up lane dubbed "Chipotlane." Diners will be able to sample the brand's new Chipotle Honey Chicken protein option for a limited time.