Southtown Bodega, a new San Antonio “bardega” combining a deli counter and a dive bar, will launch Thursday, July 10 at 727 S. Alamo St. in the Lavaca neighborhood. The first guests can expect freshly made sandwiches, unfussy cocktails, and the carefree fun of childhood.
The project comes from Hannah Brierley, Roel Garza Jr., and Derek Lyssy, the team behind spooky upstairs bar Southtown House of Spirits. Brierley had previously teased that the trio were working on a new concept when the cocktail lounge debuted in November 2024.
Southtown Bodega was founded by Hannah Brierley (l), Derek Lyssy, and Roel Garza Jr.Photo by Tejanas in Media.
The hybrid restaurant-bar is split into two distinct parts. When first entering, patrons are greeted with a deli counter filled with meats and cheeses and a curated selection of snacks. An arched doorway leads to a rec room-style lounge in the back.
The decor is retro, from the ‘90s era hunter green paint covering the walls to the assembly of thrift store artwork. Custom wood panels backdrop the bar, where a sign lists a few cheeky rules. Among them is “no Tito’s and vodka.”
Although there are plenty of bar stools and long communal tables scattered throughout, the most coveted seats are sunshine yellow easy chairs arranged around a console TV (naturally outfitted with a cartridge video game system and a VCR). The team completed the homey illusion by bringing in toys and other bric-a-brac from home.
“[We’re] big kids at heart,” explains Brierley. “We love video games and nostalgia.”
The video game console is the star attraction.Photo by Tejanas in Media.
Keeping the effortless theme, Brierley says Southtown Bodega focuses on “good, approachable sandwiches” that would not feel out of place as an after-school snack. The No Reservations, a nod to Anthony Bourdain, is stuffed with mortadella, while the Lavaca is filled with roast beef. All use fresh ingredients like a house vinegar slaw.
While the drinks are adult, they wink at a latchkey kid upbringing. The small cocktail list includes a PB&J shot and wells are sold for “five doll hairs.” Brierley shares that the drinks were intentionally kept simple, but the owners reserved some pizazz for the barware.
“All of our drinks are in old-school pizza parlor tumblers and our shots are in someone’s lifelong collection of souvenir glasses,” she says. “Instead of buckets, we use vintage [Igloo] Playmate coolers for the beer.”
Following the July 10 opening, Southtown Bodega will be open Tuesday through Sunday. Hours are 11 am-10 pm for the bodega and 4 pm-2 am for the bar.