Hotly anticipated Southtown San Antonio eatery Bar Loretta to open by month’s end

Fans of recently shuttered Madhatters Tea House and Cafe will soon be able to visit Bar Loretta, a new concept in the storied Southtown space.

Restaurateur and San Antonio native Roger Herr will open the new eatery with fellow chef Paul Petersen, a fellow Alamo City native, offering seasonally inspired Texas cuisine starting in late June. Bar Loretta is located at 320 Beauregard St. in the King William Historic District.

The revived space will offer “exceptional-yet-approachable” fare, according to a news release. That includes salmon al pastor with wilted cabbage, charred pineapple crema and grilled red onion, and cumin-dusted rock shrimp with smoked guacamole and cilantro crema.

Cocktail mavens can expect a bar menu that will highlight a selection of Manhattans, as well as classic cocktails and house specialty tipples, such as a Mezcal-forward take on a spicy margarita. That menu was created by bartender Michael J. Neff, founder of The Cottonmouth Club in Houston and The Rum House in New York.

"We're very serious about cocktails but don't take ourselves too seriously," Neff said in a release. "The environment they're served in, the music playing and the vibe in the bar and restaurant are all as important to the experience of a cocktail as the ingredients in the glass.”

The venue — two 100-year-old structures joined by a walkway — features jade green banquette seats, brass and silver finishes, curated art and a hefty bar top milled from a giant storm-felled pecan tree that used to stand in the Herr’s backyard a few blocks away.

Outdoor gardens and porches provide more space for dining, and a small stage with a piano stands ready for intimate performances.

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