Growing up, Fridays were a big deal. As a kid it meant the school week was over, a weekend of sleep overs with friends, video games and sports awaited. But, none of the weekend fun started until after Friday’s family dinner. On Friday’s it was usually payday and meant mom was getting a break from cooking for the family and we were going out to eat.
Let’s take a trip down memory lane to restaurants that were on the Southside when we were growing up that have since relocated or closed. These places were some of the community’s favorites and provided many childhood memories for us.
Belle Burgers- Located on Pleasanton next to La Superior Bakery, Belle’s was that quick hit when we wanted a burger. A young guy named Victor that lived down my street did it all; he took the order, cooked the burger and delivered the meal. My go-to meal was the bacon cheeseburger, fries and a nice cold root beer. Price for the combo was an amazing $5.25 with tax.
Bonanza- Literally across the street from South Park Mall (now CiCi’s Pizza) Bonanza was known for its chicken fried steak, shrimp, crispy fries and their banana pudding. I used to love going there because in the back of the restaurant they had a video game arcade; that was the first time I played “High impact”.
Medina’s Mexican Restaurant- Medina’s was a family favorite for breakfast AND dinner. I remember their strips of bacon and egg tacos on soft tortillas for breakfast. Can’t forget their enchiladas with a ton of melted cheese though. This place was a legit hangout, our family loved visiting because the owner, Mr. Medina would always ask how things were and their head server Jesse was always making my Aunt Minnie laugh. Ah, the days of 2 tacos for 99 cents.
Pizza Inn- Sitting on the corner of SW Military and I-35 S (now hungry farmer), Pizza Inn was one of the first buffet style pizza spots on the Southside. Can you believe the buffet was only $2.99? This place holds a memorable place with me because of a weekly promotion they use to do that involved two of my childhood (and adult) passions; pizza and wrestling. Every Friday for 4 weeks, we got a poster of the famous Von Erich’s. (Kevin, Kerry, Mike and one with all three in tuxedos).
What are some of your childhood restaurant favorites?
Photo courtesy of hiveminer.com
Post by guest contributor Antonio M. Guillen. Antonio grew up in the South side of San Antonio in the South Flores and Division area. He’s a corporate america refugee, wrestling historian, and owner of Trifecta Strength and Conditioning.
