January: Mud Bugs A Cajun Joint (Buda)
For Jeff Parks, the service industry is all he has ever known since he was 15 years old, so he opened Mud Bugs A Cajun Joint in March 2020 as a way to honor the service industry. Though it was daunting due to the pandemic, the feeling was fleeting.
"The community really showed up," Parks said. "They say it takes a village. Well, Buda is that village. We couldn't have predicted a better outcome for the crazy, crazy start we had."
February: Toma Taco (San Marcos)
From the age of 13, Hector Garnica began working at stand-alone taco stands in Mexico. He moved to San Marcos several years later and began working in the service industry.
In 2019, Garnica and his brother Oscar opened Toma Taco on the corner of South Edward Gary Street and South LBJ Drive.
March: Louie's Craft BBQ (Buda)
Coming from a background in software and tech, Matt Carver, owner of Louie's Craft BBQ, did not envision getting involved in the barbecue industry.
After moving to Austin 15 years ago, he said he realized Tex-Mex and Texas barbecue stood out the most about the city. Carver discovered a passion for visiting barbecue places across Texas and wanted to get involved in the business.
April: Kahvie Cafe (San Marcos)
Annisha Mackenzie, general manager of Kahvie Cafe, said she and her team have the freedom to implement their personal vision into their work.
"As a team, we're literally all performers," she said. "I have a degree in music. [The barista] is a drag queen; [the chef] is a comic. We're going to be incorporating that idea into future events."
May: Tejas Birria (Buda)
In December 2020, husband and wife Alex and Mary Hernandez decided to open a food truck focused on birria tacos, a style they first encountered while on vacation in California.
Alex spent 19 years in San Antonio managing restaurants of various styles, mostly Asian and Mexican cuisine, and a combination of moving out of San Antonio and the COVID-19 pandemic gave them time to think about what to do next.
June: The Pita Shop (San Marcos)
Situated on the outskirts of San Marcos along RR 12 sits a small, locally owned restaurant called The Pita Shop that specializes in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Greek cuisine.
Despite a lack of foot traffic in the area, business owners Omar Aldmour and Susan Mutschlechner-Aldmour appreciate not being in downtown as they have better parking, do not have spiking rent and have grown a loyal customer base.
July: N'Chiladas (Kyle)
Seemingly overnight, a small building off the frontage road in Kyle began to stand out thanks to some bright red paint and a new sign, N'Chiladas.
With their savings, family support, a degree in finance and deep roots in the service industry, Edson Marquez and Eduardo Mares were able to bring their years of planning this restaurant to fruition in late April.
September: Valentino's (San Marcos)
After closing in November 2018, Valentino's is now open on the downtown square at 110 N. LBJ Drive, San Marcos.
For nearly 40 years the pizzeria served the public with dining, delivery and a service window facing the street for late-night pizza by the slice.
November: Radish and Dill Fine Food Market (San Marcos)
When Diana and Chris Espiritu purchased a retail space at 102 Wonder World Drive in San Marcos, they said it was "dark, dank and dreary."
Both skilled carpenters, the couple tackled most of the renovations themselves. They had spent recent years renovating and flipping houses.
December: Cody's Restaurant, Bar & Patio (San Marcos)
Cody's Restaurant, Bar & Patio opened in San Marcos in 2012 and most recently opened a second location in downtown New Braunfels this fall.
Co-owner and chef Jonathan Smartt said the new location showcases the evolution of where the restaurant has landed in terms of its unique, modern fare as it worked out the menu in San Marcos.
Have a local favorite we should feature in 2023? Email us at [email protected].
Kindra Cooper, Zacharia Washington, Daniel Weeks and Eric Weilbacher contributed to this report.
