Does anyone know of any good Mexican Tiendas or Panaderias [Bakeries]? (San Antonio: law school, living in)

[Hyun-Soo]

Anyone know of any Mexican goods stores and bakeries in town?

Ironically, I haven't seen one Mexican food store yet! With 60% of the population being Latino or related to Latino.

In Warner Robins in Georgia, Hispanics were around 5% of the population yet their were 3 Mexican tiendas in town and a bakery shop.

[Eleanor Rigby]

Perhaps you are living in the wrong side of town. I had a coworker who moved here and bitched about the lack of tortillerias and panaderias. Where did he live?

Stone Oak.

Yeah, not a whole lot of traditional Mexican businesses out there (though Delicious Tamales just opened a branch on Sonterra Blvd)

I go to law school at St Marys, which is between Culebra and Bandera several miles inside the loop on the West side, and there are carnicerias and panaderias as far as the eye can see. I drive by one on Cincinnati every day - I think the cross-street is Zarzamora.

Mi Tierra, on Market Square, has a huge bakery counter. They make everything fresh in the basement, and they also make Mexican candy, including my favorite, the brick of solid coconut.

Also, there really aren't stores JUST for Mexican food here. HEB does a good job of stocking traditional Mexican foodstuffs, so there's not much call for separate stores. Several departments within HEB will have shelfspace turned over to Mexican goods - like, in the laundry section there is always a section of Mexican brands of detergent, and in the baking section there is always a section of things like Mexican brands of chocolate (Abuelita chocolate is my favorite - makes killer cocoa). There is a store on San Pedro inside the loop that sells Central and South American groceries, if you are in the mood for pupusas.

[Insomniac]

There aren't any large Mexican Tiendas but there will be groups of smaller versions in the heavily Mexican cultured on the west side. Or you can just go to Market Square downtown. As for bakeries, I like La Popular.

[wCat]

I second Mi Tierras bakery items. It's a touristy restaraunt, but they do specialize in the authentic fresh baked Mexican baked goods!

I also agree that the part of town makes a difference. Near West and Near South side will have what you're looking for.

I have to giggle a little about HEB's "Mexican food" aisle. Yes...they do have quite a bit, but my eyes bugged out when I noticed the label to the aisle was changed to the politically correct "Hispanic Foods"! While I understand that there are MANY latino cultures, San Antonio is predominantly MEXICAN. It truly is mostly MEXICAN food. I don't understand not embracing that! Oh well....

[Insomniac]

FYI, there are several La Popular bakeries around the city.

[StanStelle]

Originally Posted by Eleanor Rigby

Perhaps you are living in the wrong side of town. I had a coworker who moved here and bitched about the lack of tortillerias and panaderias. Where did he live?

Stone Oak.

Yeah, not a whole lot of traditional Mexican businesses out there (though Delicious Tamales just opened a branch on Sonterra Blvd)

I too have lamented the lack of Mexican businesses on this side, but its slowly changing. In addition to Delicious Tamales, Rio's Barbacoa Express opened up this year on Blanco Rd. Their ad in the Stone Oak newsletter says "Bringing the Southside to your side!".

[Hyun-Soo]

Thank you for all of the information!

I live on the Northside, but I have drove all over San Antonio and haven't seen any Panaderias that remind me of the one in Georgia.

They sold some wonderful churros there!

[Hyun-Soo]

Originally Posted by wCat

I have to giggle a little about HEB's "Mexican food" aisle. Yes...they do have quite a bit, but my eyes bugged out when I noticed the label to the aisle was changed to the politically correct "Hispanic Foods"! While I understand that there are MANY latino cultures, San Antonio is predominantly MEXICAN. It truly is mostly MEXICAN food. I don't understand not embracing that! Oh well....

Well that's the kind of thing.
I don't want to go to HEB. I want to go to an authentic Mexican family owned bakery.

[Eleanor Rigby]

I too have lamented the lack of Mexican businesses on this side, but its slowly changing. In addition to Delicious Tamales, Rio's Barbacoa Express opened up this year on Blanco Rd. Their ad in the Stone Oak newsletter says "Bringing the Southside to your side!".

That made me snort Dr Pepper out my nose. I'm glad the Northside is getting some good local places like that, finally.

I admit that part of the reason I am happy that Delicious opened a branch in Stone Oak is that perhaps it will draw off some of the holiday crowds and I won't have to wake up at 4:30 to get in a line half a block long by 5:20 to get tamales for Christmas Eve.

[Hyun-Soo]

I'm tired of chain restaurants already, I've been here for 3 months coming from England.