Winner: Tim's Oriental & Seafood Market
7015 Bandera Road #8
(210) 523-1688
Open since the mid 1980s, Tim's can either be an adventure for culinary explorers or a trip back to the homeland — or in some cases, both. While it's not as voluminous as a supermarket, it's hard to imagine how the shop could be any more densely stocked with Asian ingredients and cooking implements. From fresh vegetables and seafood to a dizzying array of spices, sauces and condiments, this is the place to either broaden your cooking horizons or find the ingredients to replicate grandma's beef and rice noodle soup with lemongrass.
2. Culebra Super Meat Markets
Multiple locations
3. Ali Baba International Food Market
9307 Wurzbach Road
(210) 691-1111
Shopping
Winner: Love Shack Boutique
1580 Babcock Road
(210) 767-9411
2. Adult Megaplex
Multiple locations
3. Sexology Institute
707 S. St. Mary's St.
(210) 487-0371
Winner: Karolina's Antiques
1705 Blanco Road
(210) 731-9787
2. Period Modern
4347 McCullough Ave.
(210) 902-1217
3. Alamo Antique Mall
125 Broadway
(210) 224-4354
Winner: Bike World
Multiple locations
2. Crossroad Bikes
14510 NW Military Highway
(210) 492-7677
3. Bicycle Heaven
Multiple locations
Winner: Half Price Books
Multiple locations
2. Twig
306 Pearl Parkway, Unit 106
(210) 826-6411
3. Nine Lives Books
7959 Fredericksburg Road, Suite 119
(210) 647-5656
Winner: North Park Toyota
10703 SW Loop 410
(210) 600- 5677
2. Ancira Enterprises
Multiple locations
3. Cavender Toyota
5730 NW Loop 410
(210) 681-6601
Winner: Alamo Botanicals
19141 Stone Oak Parkway #301
(210) 444-9026
2. Bee's Wellness Cafe
3030 Thousand Oaks Dr., Suite 102
(210) 836-8141
3. CBD American Shaman DeZavala
6390 De Zavala Road, Suite 102
(210) 476-5191
Winner: Sweet Pea's Baby Emporium
14353 Blanco Road #102
(210) 254-9109
2.Crib & Kids
1309 N. Loop 1604 W. #106
(210) 764-2742
3. Feliz Modern
110 W. Olmos Dr.
(210) 622-8364
Winner: Eye Candy Boutique
2003 S. Zarzamora St., Suite 1101
As an undergrad studying fashion merchandising at Texas State University, Elsa Fernandez dreamed of one day opening a plus-size clothing store. From her own experiences, she knew there was a void in the market when it came to shopping for trendy, flattering plus-size fashions. In 2015, she scored a temporary home for Eye Candy as part of the Center City Development and Operations Department's OPEN Downtown Pop-Up Shops and, after a successful run, signed a lease for the tiny space on the corner of Houston and Navarro streets. There, she won over a loyal following with an affordable, fashion-forward mix of merchandise encompassing casual, dressy and street-smart looks along with denim, tees and unique accessories. Just before the pandemic, Fernandez opted to relocate Eye Candy to a live-work space on the South Side where she welcomes customers by appointment. She's also made online shopping a breeze with clever "lifestyle/vibe" categories like Amiga Adventures, Wear to Work, Date Night and Keepin' It Cozy. Newbies should tune into the two-time Best of San Antonio winner's buzzy Instagram page (@heyeyecandy), where she serves up styling tips for "capturing eyes at any size."
2. Bless Your Heart Gift Shop
18771 FM 2252
(210) 651-1000
3. True North SA
332 W. Sunset Road #7
(210) 444-9946
Winner: Knight Watch Games
16350 Blanco Road #116
(210) 888-1051
2. Dragon's Lair
7959 Fredericksburg Road #129
(210) 615-1229
3. Heroes & Fantasies
Multiple locations
