Yellow Rose

If you’re seeking an epic spread of breakfast tacos, look no further than Yellow Rose. The humble Tex-Mex spot by Krystiana and Dave Rizo gained a loyal fanbase for simple Bean and Cheese Tacos, Vegan Chips and Queso, and Texas Sheet Cake on the dinner menu, but it also draws crowds for brunch. Breakfast tacos on fresh flour tortillas with egg and house mesquite-smoked bacon and other fillings make up the menu’s staples, but stop by early to get your hands on the shop’s Buttermilk Brioche Donuts, which often sell out.

Standing by the motto of “genuine cosmic Texas cooking” is Yellow Rose, a San Antonio-style taco spot and bakery. This plant-forward pop-up turned restaurant opened this spring and churns out flour tortilla tacos (bean and cheese, barbacoa, and shredded chicken verde are among the popular choices); white bean chalupas; and an array of smaller dishes like tomatillo salad and Spanish rice arancini. Dessert-wise, don’t miss the Texas sheet cake made with candied fried pecans, sea salt, and Texas olive oil. Round out your meal with a Mexican Coke or a vodka-spiked shrub soda for an extra kick.

What started as a pop-up last February by two San Antonio natives dismayed by the lack of good tacos in the city, improbably grew during the pandemic when founders Dave and Krystiana Rizo lost their other industry jobs (he at Superiority Burger and she at Emmy Squared). By November they had opened this permanent spot in the East Village, serving a variety of tacos, along with snacks, sides, and desserts like Spanish rice arancini with Oaxacan and cotija cheese, a tomatillo salad, and doughnuts in flavors like Piloncillo Peanut. On weekends they open early (9 am instead of 12) and offer breakfast tacos on fresh flour tortillas, filled with items like eggs, mesquite-smoked bacon, breakfast sausage, chorizo, potato, and migas scrambled with tomatoes, onions, and tortilla chips.