Where to Find San Antonio's Hidden Convenience Store & Market Restaurants

By San Antonio Current Staff

        
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Convenience store food may not sound appetizing, but there's exceptions to every rule. These hidden gem restaurants prove that you should never judge a book by its cover. Covering a wide variety of cuisines, these spots are worth a trip.

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Chas Market & Kitchen
1431 N Pine Street, (210) 227-1521
Your visit to Chas won’t be complete without devouring some Korean BBQ beef short ribs, or perhaps the teriyaki if you don’t want something so messy.
Photo via jesselizarraras / Instagram

ChockDee
115 E Lindbergh Road, (210) 566-2210
Not only does ChockDee serve up delicious Filipino food, but it does so buffet style. The food is fresh and the staff is friendly, so you’ll be making trips out to Universal City without any hesitation.
Photo via rainelda_ / Instagram

Sari-Sari Filipino Restaurant, Market & Bakery
5700 Wurzbach Road, (210) 647-7274, sari-sari-satx.com
For nearly 20 years, the shop has served up with hand-rolled lumpia rolls, adobo chicken and crispy pata (marinated, deep-fried pork shoulder), house-baked pan de sal, all-day breakfast, and for those with a sweet tooth, halo-halo.
Photo via jesselizarraras / Instagram

Tabares' Philippine Restaurant & Market
912 Pat Booker Road, Universal City, (210) 314-6330
Universal City is blessed to be so close to the Randolph Air Force Base, where there’s a number of community members with Filipino roots. This market stocks authentic ingredients while the cafe whips up hot entrees like crispy pata (fried ham hocks) and cold treats like halo-halo (sweetened tropical fruits with crushed ice and leche flan).
Photo via Dave S. / Yelp

Gino’s Deli @ Stop & Buy
13210 Huebner Road, (210) 764-0602, myginosdeli.com
This hidden gem is probably one of the best low-key eateries. Take your pick from delectable burgers and sandwiches, just do yourself a solid and order the Philly cheesesteak. And pick up a few scratch-offs while you’re there.
Photo via ginosdeli / Instagram

Korean Market
6210 Fairdale Drive, (210) 646-7005
This hole-in-the-wall restaurant is not one to be ignored when on the prowl for delicious Korean food. Although nowhere near as flashy as upscale sushi bars, this low-key market/cafe is a must-try for adventurous eaters and Korean fare lovers alike.
Photo via s.a.vory / Instagram

Fratellos Deli
Multiple locations, fratellosdeli.com
Fratellos is both a deli and a market, bringing some major NYC vibes while you’re munching on an authentic sandwich – or maybe you’re more of a pizza person. Either way, this joint’s food is so good you’ll be tempted to buy some ingredients and try to create such a masterpiece on your own.
Photo via jesselizarraras / Instagram

Seoul Asian Market & Cafe
1027 Rittiman Road, (210) 822-1529
The sizzling bibimbap stone pot should come with a warning sign, but instead the cooks make sure you’re using a sturdy tray. Bigger appetites should order beef bulgogi, which comes piled atop delicately sliced white onions and with as much banchan as you can handle. Take some chapchae to go — trust us.
Photo via jesselizarraras / Instagram

Niki’s Tokyo Inn / Tokyo Mart
825 W Hildebrand Ave., (210) 736-2111, facebook.com
Early customers according to the staff included war brides and Japanese researchers that lived in San Antonio in the ’80s looking for ingredients they couldn’t find in their new homes. As with the restaurant, which is now seeing generations of families rolling in for a sushi fix, the shop, located behind Niki’s is seeing older women and grandkids coming in for their groceries.
Photo via dirtandnail / Instagram

La Michoacana
Multiple locations, lamichoacanameatmarket.com
Buy fresh meat and groceries here for some authentic Hispanic foods, and a full-size taqueria and panaderia. Enjoy good eats like mini tacos, pozole, or menudo, or indulge in a smaller snack like a concha or churro.
Photo via berryunique77 / Instagram

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La Garita International Food Market
8333 Culebra Road, Suite 203, (210) 375-3187
Not only will you find pretty much any Latin ingredient you could ever want, this market also serves up freshly-made comida in monster portions while offering a family-oriented atmosphere. Go for the Cuban sandwich, or pretty much any of the Puerto Rican dishes.
Photo via jesselizarraras / Instagram

Three Amigos Grocery
303 NW 36th Street, (210) 436-0685
Aka Three Amigos Chinese Restaurant … what?! Trust us, don’t knock it ‘til you try it. This hidden gem is a Westside favorite, with the ever-popular pineapple chicken. Go. Now.
Photo via tito3000 / Instagram

Mustafa
4081 Medical Drive, (210) 615-7861
Here you’ll be able to find Indian groceries and and fresh Indian street food, including chicken korma and tikka masala.
Photo via Mustafa Restaurant / Facebook

La Moreliana Meat Market
1510 Callaghan Road, (210) 432-1364, lamorelianasananroniotx.com
La Moreliana is more than just a carniceria, it’s also a fruteria and taqueria. Stop by for Mexican household products for cleaning and decoration, and be sure to scarf down some tacos with fresh salsas. Plus, there’s fresh pan dulce made in-store, so this spot has everything you could possible need.
Photo via La Moreliana Meat Market / Facebook

Rudy’s Country Store and BBQ
Multiple locations, rudysbbq.com
Okay so Rudy’s is more restaurant than convenience store and most people already know about it, but the South Texas-chain is a must visit for quality barbecue without the ridiculous wait times. If you haven’t already dined at Rudy’s, give it a try. No matter whether you get brisket, sausage or turkey, remember to pour plenty of the original sause to dip it in. It makes everything finger-lickin’ good.
Photo via boho.billy / Instagram

Iron Skillet
1112 Ackerman Road, (210) 661-9416, ta-petro.com
There’s something oddly satisfying about eating a greasy meal during the wee hours of the morning while on a road trip. Skip the miles and get some grub from Iron Skillet. A staple inside local TravelCenters of America, this eatery offers up American classics from the Southern tradition for breakfast to the Texas Steerburger for something much, much heartier.
Photo via bobgambert / Instagram