Something new is cooking at San Antonio's Pearl. What we know – MySA

Something new is cooking at San Antonio’s Pearl. What we know  MySA

San Antonio's Pearl is constantly evolving, and one local chef team is ready to be part of that evolution. Naco Mexican founders Lizzeth Martínez and Francisco Estrada are cooking up something new at the growing dining hub that pays homage to the couple's roots. Santonia Cantina is coming soon to the Pearl, taking over the former Full Goods Diner space at 200 E. Grayson St., according to a news release. The project aims to open in late November and will seat 90 inside and 50 outside. Like Naco, the concept won't be strictly Mexican or strictly Tex-Mex. It will straddle the Rio Grande with its offerings and highlight the culture that spans the border.

“Santonia is very personal to us because it comes from the region that shaped who we are. Growing up between Northern Mexico and South Texas, we never saw those influences as separate. They were simply part of everyday life," Lizzeth Martínez said in the release. Customers can expect Northern Mexican cuisine, South Texas flavors, street foods and family recipes, including dishes like rib-eye tacos, flour tortilla tostadas, queso fundido and pozole. On the bar side, the cocktails will also stay in the vein of the borderlands, with spirits like sotol, mezcal and tequila mixed with ingredients such as piloncillo, mesquite and coffee. “The borderlands have always