A popular San Antonio-born Mexican bakery chain is staking more claim across the city as its expansion charges ahead.
In February, La Panadería announced two new San Antonio locations: one in Southtown and another in Alamo Ranch. The expansion will bring the total to seven bakery-restaurants since debuting a decade ago, with openings expected by the end of the year. Now, more details are emerging about progress at the Southtown location, which is set to replace the former Brown Coffee at 812 S. Alamo Street.
According to a regulatory filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Registration, renovations began on October 6. The restaurant, which will serve Mexican pastries, a brunch and lunch menu, coffee, matcha and more, will occupy two suites spanning 2,000 square feet. The filing lists a $650,000 price tag for renovations, expected to wrap up by early December 2027. As for Alamo Ranch, there doesn’t seem to be a TDLR filing just yet. However, a spokesperson previously told MySA it would be taking shape in the Culebra Commons shopping center.
Five locations are currently up and running: the original at 8305 Broadway near Loop 410, another on Broadway just north of the Pearl, one downtown on Houston Street, a Fiesta Texas Drive location near La Cantera, and a recently opened outpost in Stone Oak.
“La Panadería’s new location in Southtown marks a new chapter of expansion for our business,” co-founder Jose Cacares told MySA in a statement. “Southtown is a bustling center of arts, culture and food, and we’re beyond excited to bring a piece of our heritage to this side of town. Our new location, the result of a $2.2 million investment, will open in early 2027 and will bring an estimated 50 jobs to the neighborhood. What started as a stall at the Quarry Farmers’ Market has grown into a brand with six locations across the city, and we couldn’t be more grateful.”
The expansion seems to be moving forward after some backlash this summer. In August, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released findings from an investigation detailing federal labor law violations at three locations: La Cantera, Houston Street and 8305 Broadway.
The violations included employing a 13-year-old and scheduling a 15-year-old to work overnight. Children as young as 14 can work in Texas, but limits apply to hours and times of day. The DOL’s Wage and Hour Division fined La Panadería $25,706. In a statement to MySA after the DOL’s announcement, the company said the minors were “accompanying their parents to work without leadership’s knowledge or approval.”
Employers were also found not to have paid a worker for two overnight shifts and not to have combined hours for employees who worked at multiple locations. Some employees owed time-and-a-half for overtime were paid only the standard wage. According to the DOL, La Panadería paid about $45,000 in back wages and penalties.
The company told MySA, “At La Panadería, we take our responsibility as an employer seriously and are committed to providing a workplace that complies with all applicable labor laws while supporting the well-being of every member of our team.” They added that the DOL’s findings relate to incidents from 2024 and “the underlying issues have already been resolved.”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include comment from La Panadería on the Southtown location.