Santonia Cantina, a new borderland-inspired restaurant from the husband-and-wife team behind Naco Mexican, is coming soon to Pearl in San Antonio, according to a media release seen by What Now San Antonio.
The restaurant is being developed by Lizzeth Martínez and Francisco Estrada, will be located at 200 E. Grayson St. in San Antonio, taking over the former Full Goods Diner space at Pearl. The couple describes Santonia as their take on a borderland cantina centered on the food, drinks, culture and hospitality shared between Northern Mexico and South Texas.
The concept’s tagline, “North Mexican. South Texan. No Rules.,” reflects the restaurant’s approach to the cuisine and atmosphere. Rather than labeling the concept as Mexican, Tex-Mex or contemporary Mexican, Martínez and Estrada say Santonia will draw from the shared culture of the borderlands.
“For us, the border isn’t a line you cross; it’s a culture you live in,” Martínez said in a press release. “Santonia is very personal to us because it comes from the region that shaped who we are.”
Santonia’s menu will feature shareable dishes inspired by cantina culture, Northern Mexican cooking, South Texas flavors, street food and the family recipes Martínez and Estrada prepare at home.
Guests can expect dishes including pork shanks, ribeye tacos, an oversized crispy shrimp flauta, cantina potato crisps, ceviches, botanas, flour-tortilla tostadas, guacamole with brisket chicharrón, frijoles puercos, queso fundido, pozole and fideo.
The restaurant will also feature a bar centered around cocktails incorporating ingredients associated with Northern Mexico, South Texas and the borderlands. The cocktail program will include flavors and ingredients such as sotol, mezcal, tequila, tuna roja, mezquite, pecan, damiana, avocado leaf, grapefruit, piloncillo, roasted corn, chile and coffee.
Santonia is being designed as a place for lunch, dinner and cocktails, with an atmosphere intended for everything from casual drinks and shared plates to celebrations and longer meals with friends.
Santonia represents the next chapter for Martínez and Estrada, whose restaurant story in San Antonio began in 2017 when they launched Naco Mexican as a food truck.
The couple eventually grew Naco into a brick-and-mortar restaurant concept, gaining recognition from outlets and programs including Texas Monthly, Netflix’s Taco Chronicles, Food Network and Forbes.
Their work has also included community initiatives and collaborations with organizations such as the San Antonio Food Bank. According to the announcement, their efforts have helped provide more than 200,000 meals to people experiencing food insecurity.
In 2026, both Martínez and Estrada were named James Beard Award semifinalists for Best Chef: Texas.
The couple says Santonia will not be a second version of Naco Mexican, but instead a new concept shaped by their experiences in Mexico City, Nuevo Laredo and San Antonio, along with their years working in the culinary industry.
The restaurant will join Pearl’s growing collection of dining and hospitality concepts and will allow the couple to explore the cultural connection between Northern Mexico and South Texas through food, drinks and hospitality.
An official opening date for Santonia Cantina has not yet been announced.
What Now San Antonio reached out for additional information but did not receive a response at the time of publication. This article will be updated.
