Flavors of Texas: Meet Rosario’s Mexican Cafe y Cantina!
This San Antonio landmark serves up traditional Mexican fare with a modern twist
Consider this your guide to the best hometown eats across the Lone Star state. In this blog series, we’re celebrating restaurateurs in our Local Favorites category who are keeping Texans fed and serving up good in their communities.
To celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, we recently spoke with Lisa Wong, owner of Rosario’s Mexican Cafe Y Cantina in San Antonio, about the childhood experiences that shaped her passion for the restaurant industry — and what it’s like to compete in the most popular US city for Mexican cuisine.
What is your signature dish and why do you love it?
It is hard to choose only one, but our Tacos Callejeros are one of our most popular: lightly grilled corn tortillas with a thin layer of beans [and] your choice of beef, chicken, or carnitas, topped with our famous cabbage lime slaw, queso fresco, diced avocado. A second would be our Enchiladas Mexicanas: three queso filled enchiladas topped with a savory chile guajillo sauce, served with cabbage lime slaw, avocado, and a chile toreado.
What inspired you to start your restaurant?
I had an entrepreneurial spirit at a very young age, from my competitiveness in selling Girl Scout cookies [to starting] one of my many lemonade stands. I did handy jobs around the neighborhood and it was always in me to stay busy and learn all I could. My first job was at a small Mexican restaurant in my neighborhood [when] I was probably in 6th or 7th grade. I learned everything there I possibly could, from washing dishes, chopping and prepping vegetables, [and] working on the line [to being] a cashier and a waitress. My passion for the restaurant business started here.
What do you love about owning a restaurant in San Antonio?
San Antonio is on the cusp of being a top foodie [and] culinary destination. We have so many varieties of different cuisines that are gaining popularity, [there] is always something new and exciting to try here. We have been [named the most popular US city for Mexican cuisine], from food trucks specializing in Mexican food, cafes, [and] taquerias [to] full-service [and] fine dining [restaurants]. Being in San Antonio keeps you on your toes — in order to compete in the Mexican food business here, you have to be constantly on top of your game, reinventing your space, and always staying true to the basics.
How do you embrace your heritage personally and/or through your business?
I am of Chinese and Hispanic descent and am very proud of both, but I have always felt a deeper connection to my Hispanic heritage. I will always remember fond memories of my maternal grandmother, Luisa. Her home was always full of the aromas of so many comfort foods — homemade tortillas, Mexican rice, some variety of a guisado, always a pot of beans. Not a day went by that she did not cook for us. My mother, Isabel, was a stay-at-home mom who cooked three meals a day for my father and siblings. Those memories warm my heart and gave me inspiration for many of my recipes we still use today.
What is your favorite thing to cook?
I love cooking and grilling outside — a delicious steak, burgers, or smoking a brisket. I can make a mean brisket!
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