In the last decade, San Antonio’s food scene has begun to hit the big time.  But as little as twenty years ago, things were a lot simpler and easier to understand. “When I was a kid, it was all about Mexican food and burgers and country cooking,” says San Antonio native Nicki Longoria. She grew up on the South Side, where tastes were mainstream and time moved slowly, if at all: “We ate pizza and pancakes, tacos and tortillas,” she says. “People went to Bud Jones on Friday during Lent because they had all-you-can-eat fish. They caught up on gossip at Mary Lou’s. It was a huge deal when Rudy’s finally started taking credit cards.“

We wanted to know what that older San Antonio was like, so we asked Nicki for a list of childhood favorites that are still going strong. (Full disclosure: Nicki is a culinary school graduate and also our pal—she used to work here.) About her unapologetically quirky list she says, “I’m super nostalgic about the ones from the ’hood. But I also threw in a new favorite, Barbaro, from up north, because it has awesome pizza.” In this list of oldies, and one newbie, the past is still as accessible and comfortable as ever.

Barbaro: Upscale dive vibes, solid cocktail menu.
Photograph by Matthew Johnson
Bud Jones Restaurant: No-frills diner with enchiladas and spaghetti.
Photograph by Matthew Johnson
El Bucanero: You know it’s good when the menu is mostly food photos.
Photograph by Matthew Johnson
Mary Lou’s Cafe: I will order cheese enchilada plates as early as they’ll let me.
Photograph by Matthew Johnson
Rudy’s Seafood: Floor-to-ceiling Spurs décor and hard-to-beat fried fish.
Photograph by Matthew Johnson
Las Nieves Fruit Cups & More: Come for a fruit cup. Stay for the esquites.
Photograph by Matthew Johnson
B&D Ice House: Post up at one of the outdoor tables.
Photograph by Matthew Johnson
More from B&D Ice House.
Photograph by Matthew Johnson
More from El Bucanero.
Photograph by Matthew Johnson
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