SAN ANTONIO – A new place in town is getting a lot of buzz.
Chef Rebecca Lopez is looking to prove that vegan food can be just as good as some San Antonio favorites.
Located at 2911 N. St. Mary’s St., La Botanica is Texas’ first full-vegan restaurant and full bar.
While living in California, Lopez decided she wanted to do a full cleanse of her body and turned vegan.
She quickly found out that she had to find alternative ways to enjoy some of her favorite foods.
“I take a lot of what you would do with meat and I just kind of transfer those techniques into how I work with the vegetables,” Lopez said.
Now with her own restaurant in San Antonio, Lopez is hoping her food can heal others.
“For us, we feel like the food here can be healing and nourishing and good for the body. And that’s what we want to be able to produce and give,” she said.
Don’t be fooled by the menu. Items include empanadas, fish tacos and ceviche, but you won’t find any meat.
“We have fish tacos we make out of oyster mushrooms that I think are really fun because they kind of trick the minds a little bit,” Lopez said.
La Botanica opened two months ago, and since then it has hosted several community events and live music shows from the back patio.
“We try to go beyond being just a restaurant. We really want it to be a space that is open and inviting to the community,” Lopez said.
Click here for more on La Botanica.