One of San Antonio\u2019s few Panamanian restaurants is reopening after a spring hiatus. Panjaz, the on-again off-again project from chef Shaunda Hopkins, is reemerging at 17510 Judson Rd. in July.<\/p>\n
Discover the taste of Panama at Panjaz Panamanian Cuisine, San Antonio\u2019s exclusive spot for authentic Panamanian dishes,\u201d wrote the restaurant on social media<\/a>. \u201cPanjaz is reopening in July 2026, and will once again be serving up delicious and genuine flavors that capture the spirit of Central America.\u201d<\/p>\n Panjaz has operated as a few different concepts since it first debuted, according to the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. In 2014, it was a meal delivery service; in 2019, it became a catering operation. In 2021, Hopkins branched out to the Lombrano Food Hall at 427 Lombrano St., her first brick-and-mortar, before pivoting again to host chef\u2019s table events and pop-ups.<\/p>\n In 2023, she finally opened a full-service restaurant inside a gas station near Morgan\u2019s Wonderland at 5115 Thousand Oaks.<\/p>\n Throughout all the iterations, Hopkins, who was born and raised in the Central American nation, was devoted to sharing her native fare in a city dominated by Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine. The menus always featured traditional dishes like ropa vieja, patacones, arroz con pollo, and her signature tamales wrapped in banana leaves.<\/p>\n It\u2019s unclear what the new menu will feature. Currently, the chef\u2019s Square site<\/a> is advertising items like empanadas and carimanolas \u2014 yucca fritters stuffed with ground beef and cheese. The Instagram page has also been trumpeting Hopkins\u2019 sancocho, a meaty vegetable stew.<\/p>\n Panjaz had not released the exact timeline of its grand reopening. Local food fans interested in expanding their pan-Latin repertoire can follow its Instagram page<\/a> for updates.<\/p>\n