Major food chains expanding into San Antonio tend to draw a crowd, but Canadian institution Tim Hortons managed to open its first location here without much fuss.
Practically synonymous with our neighbor to the North, Tim Hortons is a famous coffee and breakfast chain founded in the 1960s by hockey player Tim Horton. Combining Canada’s love for hockey and its famously polite nature, Tim Hortons even got the pop culture treatment in the 2010s when proud American Barney Stinson repeatedly roasted the chain on How I Met Your Mother — before promptly noting the coffee was actually good.
So does the coffee at Tim Hortons live up to the pop-culture preview?
San Antonio’s first Tim Hortons, currently in its soft-opening phase, is tucked away in Redland Plaza at 2919 N. Loop 1604 East. Located directly to the right of Encore Bar and Grill, the store is in the same strip mall as a Gong Cha, a Cheba Hut Subs and shuttered brunch spot Mimosa Gossip.
I tend to judge a coffee chain by the quality of its house roast — and Tim Hortons serves up a superior black coffee in comparison to its major competitor, Starbucks. The maple leaf on the coffee cup lid was a nice touch.
The space itself is rather small. The order counter is to the left with three or four tables arranged to the right. If you’re looking for a work-from-home space, this probably isn’t the spot.
The employees were hospitable, reminding me of discounts to take advantage of upon my return visit and letting me know about the chain’s reward program.
The coffee menu was pretty standard for a chain, though: flavored lattes, teas, matcha, iced cappuccinos and the like. Tim Hortons even has its own line of energy drinks, aptly dubbed “Tims Boost,” and its own take on refreshers. The frozen lemonade also looked appealing as a sweet antidote to scorching San Antonio temperatures.
Tim Hortons’ signature sweet treats were available at a small pastry counter. In addition to an array of donuts, muffins and bagels, the store also offers savory breakfast options, like English muffins, sausage biscuit sandwiches and even avocado toast.
Naturally, the location had Timbits, the chain’s popular spin on mini-donut holes with powdered sugar. I wasn’t able to try any food due to my allergies, but I noticed several eager customers picking up boxes they ordered ahead of time.
A long line quickly filled the space shortly after I arrived. While I would return for the chain’s smooth signature black roast, I’m curious to see if the two additional Tim Hortons locations planned for San Antonio will have more space for the city’s ever-growing remote-work crowd.
Sign Up for SA Current newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
