Centennial birthday coming soon

La Fonda on Main, San Antonio’s oldest Mexican restaurant, offers the Alamo City’s best brunch, bar none. Add in its beautiful setting, and you can’t beat it. This is the place to take out-of-town guests when they visit.

The restaurant has been in business since 1932, and it will celebrate its 100th birthday in 2032. Cappy and Suzy Lawton purchased the restaurant in 1997 and have stayed true to its roots. They have, however, artfully enhanced its grounds, creating an inviting green space that is filled with fountains, fireplaces, talavera pottery and lush plants all anchored by a gigantic heritage live oak.

Wear stretchy pants

My husband, daughter and I visited before going to see Ballet San Antonio’s “Cinderella” at the Tobin Center recently, and we sat outside. A nearby fireplace took the chill off.

My husband ordered camote, sweet potatoes with red jalapeño sauce and sautéed nopalitos. I ordered huevos rancheros with tres chiles chorizo and black beans, and our daughter ordered blueberry pancakes and bacon. Each of us was delighted with our selection. When we visited with friends a year ago, I had chocolate chip pancakes, which were also yummy. The pancakes change weekly, so call ahead for the flavor.

Lawton Family of Restaurants

Other San Antonio restaurants owned by the Lawton Family include Cappy’s, Cappyccino’s, Mama’s Cafe and Jingu House. Over the past 50 years, the Lawtons have practiced kindness, teamwork and perseverance to create one of San Antonio’s best regional cuisine restaurant groups known for their delicious food and warm hospitality.

We hosted my mother-in-law’s 85th birthday party at La Fonda on Main in 2012, and it remains a fond memory. The Lawton Team is adept at hosting special gatherings of all kinds and sizes.

La Fonda on Main is open daily: Mondays through Thursdays from 11 a.m. until 9:30 p.m.; Fridays from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.; Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.; and Sundays from 10 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. It is a popular spot, so reservations are encouraged. Free parking is plentiful.

Denise Barkis Richter, Ph.D., author of “San Antonio’s Passport to Fun,” has been blogging about San Antonio since June 2010. Follow facebook.com/SanAntonioTourist so that you’ll never miss a post. Her love affair with the Alamo City began at Hemisfair in 1968. She moved to San Antonio in 1979 as an 18-year-old college student, and San Antonio has been her home ever since. Denise completed certification to become a professional tour guide in 2019. Please contact her at sanantoniotourist at gmail dot com if you’d like for her to curate a fabulous San Antonio experience for you!