San Antonio's essential women-owned restaurants and bars

Rosario’s Comidamex & Bar
722 S. St. Mary's St., (210) 223-1806, rosariossa.com
In 2023, Lisa Wong consolidated her restaurant franchise to a single location — its newest, a two-story building with a 5,000 square-foot rooftop bar in Southtown, just steps away from the restaurant’s original outpost. The ground level dining room features a menu centered around Rosario’s favorites such as shrimp nachos, fish tacos, ceviche, enchilada plates and sizzling parrillas, while the rooftop space — open to those 25 and up — includes a full bar with a specialty cocktail menu.

Picks Bar
4553 N. Loop 1604 West, (210) 253-9220, picksbar.com.
Jessica Marinez and Amber Hernandez crafted this venue for the live music lovers of SA. The nightspot features regular live performances, karaoke nights, an expansive drink menu and a food menu to boot. The partners — in business and in life — also operate new downtown spot Pink Shark.

The Good Kind
1127 S. St. Mary's St., (210) 801-5892, eatgoodkind.com
An extension of TimTheGirl Catering, The Good Kind is the brick-and-mortar project of Tim McDiarmid, a well-respected James Beard fellow who has also competed on Food Network's Chopped. The Southtown spot serves eats and drinks on its picturesque patio, and hosts regular events including live music and yoga.

Maíz
923 N. Loop 1604, Ste. 101, maizsatx.com
Located near the intersection of Loop 1604 and Hardy Oak Boulevard, new eatery on the scene Maíz makes its debut in March 2024. Chef-owner Maricela Rangel Trujillo was inspired by recipes that have simmered for generations, dating as far back as the 1950s. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a menu featuring items such as chilaquiles, omelets and enchiladas as well as house specialties like the Milanesa Maíz.

Bakery Lorraine
Multiple locations, bakerylorraine.com
Anne Ng, along with husband Jeremy Mandrell and business partner Charlie Biedenharn, has kept San Antonio happy with colorful and tasty macarons, beautiful tarts and perfectly laminated croissants through Bakery Lorraine’s growing presence across SA.

Jamaica Jamaica Cuisine
2026 Austin Hwy., (210) 590-0515, jamaicajamaicacuisine.com
Owners Dee and Angelo Gordon grew up living a Jamaican lifestyle and graciously wanted to share that experience with their adopted hometown, the Alamo City. Offering authentic fare, Jamaica Jamaica lets you enjoy bites like jerk chicken while appreciating the culture. Go for a traditional plate like the oxtail or go for something with a San Antonio twist. Fiery jerk tacos, anyone?

Cake Thieves Bakery
1602 E. Houston St., instagram.com/cakethievesbakery
From a small commissary operation to a well-oiled brick-and-mortar bakery, Cake Thieves is one of SA’s go-to spots for vegan baked goods. In addition to sweets, Cake Thieves also offers savory options, such as their “Chick’n” sandwiches.

Bistr09
6106 Broadway, (210) 245-8156, bistr09.com
Chef Lisa Astorga-Watel shares kitchen duties with husband and lauded chef Damien Watel at this refreshing eatery in Alamo Heights. She also led Southtown favorite Bite before closing the restaurant in 2020.

Best Quality Daughter
602 Avenue A, (210) 819-4236, bestqualitydaughter.com
Food-focused dream team Jennifer Hwa Dobbertin and Quealy Watson opened Best Quality Daughter in 2020, reflecting the comfort food of Dobbertin’s youth as a first-generation Chinese-American.

Luna Rosa Puerto Rican Grill y Tapas
910 S. Alamo St., (210) 314-2723, lunarosatapas.com
After a teaching career, Chef Iris Ornelas decided to go into the food business. Consider it a blessing that she did, since the Puerto Rican woman opened up this gem, which recently moved into the building that used to house Rosario’s. The Caribbean Nachos are all you need to try to know that Luna Rosa is the real deal.

Freight Fried Chicken
312 Pearl Parkway, Building 6, instagram.com/freightchicken
In addition to her flagship The Jerk Shack, Chef Nicola Blaque brought her new fried chicken concept to the Pearl’s Bottling Department food hall in early 2024. Freight Fried Chicken draws inspiration from Black women known as Waiter Carriers who sold food to rail passengers traveling through Gordonsville, Virginia, in the years following the Civil War. The new joint serves chicken fried in a dry batter similar to the one used by the Waiter Carriers.

Sari-Sari Filipino Restaurant
Multiple Locations, sari-sari-satx.com
Originally opened by Imelda and Adam Valenzuela, the couple’s daughter, Camille De Los Reyes, now manages the Bandera and Wurzbach intersection favorite. In early 2020, De Los Reyes opened a second 1,700-square-foot space in Stone Oak.

The Jerk Shack
10234 TX-151 #103, (210) 776-7780, thejerkshacksatx.com
Chef Nicola Blaque — a 2023 James Beard nominee — runs this West Side Jamaican hotspot in addition to the Caribbean street food restaurant Mi Roti at the Pearl. The Jerk Shack often earns mention in restaurant roundups for its wild flavors, hefty portions and good eating. The jerk chicken is obviously a big seller, but they also offer jerk ribs, plantains and mac and cheese.

Pharm Table
611 S. Presa St. #106, (210) 802-1860, pharmtable.com
Vegetable-forward, Ayurvedic and inventive, Pharm Table is the brainchild of Elizabeth Johnson, a former Culinary Institute of America instructor and perennial boss lady.

Plantology
22026 US-281 #101, (210) 290-8000, eatplantology.com
Owned by Griselda Munoz, vegan and gluten-free restaurant Plantology offers a 100% plant-based and gluten-free menu that uses organic non-GMO soy products and source local produce whenever possible.

Ming’s
914 E. Elmira St., (210) 600-4083, mingsthing.com
A few years after her husband landed a gig as an instructor at the CIA, Ming Qian launched a new business here in SA. Aptly named Ming’s, the business operates a catering company and noodle bar near the San Antonio Museum of Art.

Williams Confectionery Crafts
12107 Toepperwein Road #5A, Live Oak, (210) 967-5200, williamsconfectionerycraftscafe.com
Live Oak can mean quite a drive for many locals, but it's worth it to dine at Williams Confectionery Crafts. With breakfast, lunch and dessert options that truly taste like your mom or granny made them, owner Joyce Williams has kept the authentic homemade bites coming since 2006.

Pink Shark
203 N Presa St., (210) 834-3372, instagram.com/pinksharkbar
Owned by the same couple as Picks Bar, this vacation-themed cocktail bar is sure to chomp at your taste buds. If the impeccable decor and shark-shaped tiki mugs don’t sell you, the extensive list of draft beers, cocktails and food likely will. While you’re there, maybe you’ll catch a sight of Left Shark or Blåhaj, the blue-and-pink IKEA shark plushie that became a trans icon.

Dashi Sichuan Kitchen & Bar
2895 Thousand Oaks Drive, (210) 562-3343, sichuandashi.com
Kristina Zhao, owner of popular Chinese eatery Sichuan House, expanded her culinary footprint with Dashi Sichuan Kitchen & Bar in north central San Antonio. While the food itself is something to anticipate, Dashi also features a full beer, wine, sake and cocktail program created by Benjamin Krick, owner of craft-cocktail havens Pastiche and Jet-Setter.

W.D. Deli
3123 Broadway, (210) 828-2322, wddeli.com
Kelly Palubiak and Steve Clemens took over ownership of this lunchtime eatery in March of 2022, and they’ve proved to be a great fit since. The launch of their pay-it-forward program in 2022 — which allows diners whose pockets are empty to place an order of a sandwich, with cheese and a drink, and charge it on “Joyce’s account”— shows how Palubiak and Clemens both seek to preserve the deli’s legacy as a longtime SA eatery, as well as give back to the community.