William and Addie Garner were the powerhouse couple behind Mr. & Mrs. G’s Home Cooking and Pastry, a soul food staple that fed San Antonio’s Eastside for 32 years. From humble beginnings to a neighborhood mainstay, Mr. & Mrs. G’s found a way into the hearts of locals during its lengthy run, which came to an abrupt end in 2022.
In recent years, a new business has moved into the former home of Mr. & Mrs. G’s, but the Southern-style eatery will continue to live on in the memories of every customer who spent time at the long-lost restaurant.
Mr. & Mrs. G’s was a dream come true for Addie Garner
The Garners opened Mr. & Mrs. G’s on July 16, 1990, fulfilling Addie’s dream of opening a restaurant after years of working in sales. William Garner told the San Antonio Express-News in 2017 that Addie was the heart of the business and that the duo worked in tandem to serve up “good home cooking.”
“It all started because of her,” Garner said at the time. “We got well-known from word of mouth. We didn’t have any money for advertising.”
Mr. & Mrs. G’s became known for its range of soul food dishes, including its famous crispy fried chicken, smothered steaks, okra gumbo and fried pork chops. Addie Garner’s specialties were of the sweet variety, with offerings like sweet potato pies, banana pudding and peach cobbler.
William and Addie Garner remained steadily active in the kitchen and operational sides of Mr. & Mrs. G’s well into their golden years. Together, they made a huge impact on the lives of their customers and the surrounding community. Unfortunately, in her final years, Addie had to take a step back as her health declined, but her focus on family and food never wavered.
“She was a mom to the entire community,” said Deborah Thomas, daughter of the Garners, in a 2017 interview with Express-News. “The people that would come to visit and eat with us, they were family as soon as they walked through the door.”
Addie Garner died surrounded by her family on September 11, 2017. In memory of his beloved wife, William carried on Mr. & Mrs. G’s until his own passing in 2021. The Garners were both mourned deeply by longtime customers and their next of kin following both of their deaths.
COVID-19 led to the closure of Mr. & Mrs. G’s
By 2022, Mr. & Mrs. G’s had fallen on hard times, as so many restaurants had at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The restaurant inevitably called it quits in July 2022, sharing a message on social media about its impending closure.
“It was a dream for William & Addie to open a restaurant,” the announcement said. “They wanted to give back and help the community.”
In the four years that have passed, Grand Rodeo Mexican Restaurant has taken over the space at 2222 S. W.W. White Road, but over 32 years, Mr. & Mrs. G’s made a lasting impression on San Antonio’s food scene.