When the Austin-based Buzzmill opened a second location in San Marcos in September, its frontier-inspired menu and decor set it apart from existing food spots in town, owner Jason Sabala said. Along with its focus on sustainability, vegan fare and humanely sourced meat, it is also one of the only restaurants in San Marcos open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.


“We wanted to create a space you could come to and get together, that communal aspect,” Sabala said. “I thought it was very important that we have a place that people could come to when the bars close, somewhere to go when they broke up with their girlfriend, a spot where if a date’s going well you can come hang out.”


He said he also made a point to hire San Marcos residents instead of bringing people in from Austin.


“People from out of town don’t have that same passion for the community,” Sabala said. “When we invest in the community, they will invest back in us.”


Sabala said Buzzmill is known for using unique meat in its menu items, such as the Chicken Fried Quail Sandwich, which consists of a fried quail breast and tangy slaw on a biscuit served with fries.


The restaurant works with Broken Arrow, a ranch that partners with ranchers in Texas to humanely field harvest animals and help farmers manage animal populations. Sabala said this practice is more sustainable than other methods of obtaining meats and results in a higher-quality product. He said he thinks there is value in investing in this process.


“The price point might be a little high, but there’s something behind it. I think there’s a market for people who want to spend an extra dollar or two because they feel good about this,” he said.


The restaurant also sets itself apart by cultivating its vegan menu options, which have received a “tremendous response” in San Marcos, he said. Especially popular are the Vegan Soy-Rizo breakfast tacos, a tofu scramble with a vegan chorizo flavoring, potatoes, vegan chipotle mayonnaise and guacamole wrapped in flour tortillas. Another animal product-free favorite is the Vegan Queso Fries—french fries topped with a dairy-free queso.


Sabala said he has plans to open 15 more Buzzmills over the next 10 years in cities nationwide while keeping true to the restaurant’s values.


“We’re not just another bar. You can look at our track record,” he said. “We’re there to help, community-wise.”