SAN ANTONIO — A popular Southtown establishment has closed its doors.
Consistently named the ‘Best Mexican Restaurant in San Antonio’ by food critics, Rosario’s Mexican Café y Cantina has been a fixture at the corner of Alamo and St. Mary’s for more than two decades.
Sunday night, staff served their last enchiladas, tacos, and margaritas in a historic building holds many memories for owner Lisa Wong.
“Graduations, anniversaries, engagements, wedding proposals,” she reminisced.
Wong rescued Rosario’s from bankruptcy in 1992 and quickly turned things around.
Outgrowing the original location at 1014 South Alamo, Wong moved the restaurant one block northeast to 910 South Alamo in 1999.
Since then, Rosario’s has stood the test of time. The business has made it through recessions, construction, and a pandemic. Wong says loyal customers got them through.
“When you have had a business as long as I have, especially here in the Southdown area, you want to make sure it has a future,” she said. “With that future, there’s nothing like owning your own property.”
So, the time has come to move again. Like before, Rosario’s isn’t going far. It’s moving one block north to 722 South St. Mary’s.
The new 25,000-square-foot space will offer outdoor dining and a rooftop terrace with a 360-degree view of downtown.
Wong says it will have a modern look and feel. However, Rosario’s is keeping its traditional menu.
“We are making this move not for this month or next month,” said Wong. “We are doing for a lifetime. I have several family members that will take the reins sooner or later, and it’s for the next generation.”
Saying goodbye was bittersweet for Wong.
A grand re-opening will be held at the end of December.