Jeff Bridges of Copa Wine Bar talks about milestone anniversary and influence of his late wife

Name: Jeff Bridges
Job: Co-founder of Copa Wine Bar
Birthplace: Bay City, Texas
Years in food service: 38
Big Impact: The co-founder of Copa Wine Bar opened the Stone Oak lounge with his late wife Angie back when there were no other wine bars in San Antonio. In addition to keeping Copa’s doors open for 20 years and counting, the Bridges give back to various philanthropic organizations, including the Animal Defense League of San Antonio.
Money Quote: “There were a lot of naysayers that said, ‘San Antonio won’t support a wine bar,’ and we knew better.”

What inspired the birth of Copa Wine Bar?

Angie and I owned our own liquor store, Wines, Etc., which was right across the street from where Copa is now. We would have customers come in and ask us where they could go sit and enjoy their wine. It was the early 2000s, and there really wasn’t a place to go grab a glass of wine, especially in Stone Oak. And then the only two wine bars in the city shut down in 2002, so there was a need for a wine bar. There were three years when there were no wine bars at all in San Antonio. It was a leap of faith for us to close Wines, Etc., but we knew our wine bar was the future.

How did you get into the food and beverage industry?

It started with cooking. From the time I was 10 years old, I watched my grandma, who was a phenomenal cook, make others happy with her cooking. I realized my love of food isn’t just about nourishment, it’s about how it feeds the soul. I went to North Texas State University for hotel and restaurant management, but I ended up leaving school to manage a restaurant in the late 1980s. One thing I learned as an aspiring cook at the time was that there’s so many amazing and smart people in professional kitchens. Once I started working front of house, I hit my stride. I love to cook, but I realized I don’t love to cook professionally.

What do you want people to know about your late wife Angie?

Angie was born in San Antonio. We met at a bar playing darts. We worked together for 20 years. She put together the core of the Copa menu, which I still feel like is the heart of the wine bar to this day. There wouldn’t have been a Copa Wine Bar without Angie.

How do you curate the extensive wine list?

The wine list is my best friend and my biggest nemesis! It haunts me at night when someone comes in and says, “What do you mean you don’t have this wine?” It’s because I don’t buy wines for my taste, I buy them for my customers’ taste. My salespeople know not to bring me expensive wines. When I taste the wine, I think of specific customers. If I can’t think of them, I’m not buying the wine.

Do you ever want to expand Copa, and how have you stayed open so long?

The business side of a bar is vital — you have to be there. You have to be connected to your business. Look around. I’m the only one at Copa not drinking. I’m not there to party, I’m there to host. I don’t plan to expand Copa, and I try not to over-tweak our classic menu.

I want people to come into Copa, and whether it’s been a year or 15 years since they’ve been, I want them to have a sense of comfort and familiarity. We usually just do little tweaks — people don’t like change. I want people to know that they’re going to have a sense of stability when they walk in.

What do you appreciate about the sense of community at Copa?

Forget Reno — we’re the biggest little city in the world. It’s amazing the connections we’ve seen at Copa. We’ve celebrated every milestone a person could have, and I love being a part of it all.

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This article appears in May 14-27, 2025.