Cone N’ Swirl, a San Antonio dessert business known for its customizable Hungarian chimney cones filled with blended ice cream, is preparing to open its first brick-and-mortar location at 9910 W. Loop 1604 N., Suite 104, in the Braun Pointe shopping center.
Owners Gilbert Torres and his wife, Kristina Torres, confirmed the upcoming expansion during an interview with What Now San Antonio. The couple currently operates the business through a mobile food trailer, bringing its dessert concept to different neighborhoods around the city. The new storefront will give customers a permanent location to visit.
“We are currently in a food trailer right now, so it is an expansion of that,” Gilbert said during the interview. “This will be our first store location, and we’re hoping that it is not the last one.”
The couple said they chose the Braun Pointe location after considering several potential sites. Its proximity to major roads, nearby businesses and a sports complex made it a good fit for their first storefront. The shopping center includes businesses such as Little Woodrow’s, Fast Eddie’s and Starbucks.
Cone N’ Swirl combines Hungarian chimney cakes with blended ice cream, giving customers the opportunity to create their own dessert combinations. The chimney cones, traditionally known as kürtőskalács, are made by wrapping strips of dough around a spit and baking them until the exterior develops a crisp finish.
The Torreses discovered the dessert concept while watching a television program. They later traveled to Houston to try the chimney cones themselves and spent approximately two months perfecting their own recipe, according to the business’s published background.
While chimney cakes are traditionally served plain in Hungary, Cone N’ Swirl fills its cones with ice cream, drawing inspiration from different dessert traditions. The business also incorporates a blending technique that creates a thicker ice cream mixture with ingredients such as fruit, cookies, nuts and coffee.
Kristina explained that customization is central to the experience. Customers can choose their cone flavor, ice cream combinations and additional toppings, creating a dessert that suits their preferences.
“There’s nothing like it in San Antonio where you get that two different combinations of styles of blends,” she said during the interview. “All our creations are customizable.”
Cone options include cinnamon sugar, Oreo, graham cracker and plain varieties. Customers can pair them with blended ice cream and additional toppings or sauces. The business also offers a cup-based option called the Cup N’ Swirl for those who prefer their dessert without a cone.
The owners said customers enjoy experimenting with different combinations, while others return to order their favorite creations. The goal is to make each visit an interactive experience rather than simply a stop for ice cream.
The planned storefront will measure approximately 1,452 square feet, according to Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation project records. Gilbert said the couple intends to carry the ordering experience they have developed through their food trailer into the new space.
Customers will see the menu displayed above the counter and place their own orders through a self-ordering process. Staff members will be available to explain how the system works and help first-time visitors understand the customization options.
The owners are also considering adding a designated area where customers can photograph their creations. They hope the space will encourage guests to share their desserts and make the visit memorable for both children and adults.
“We definitely want to make it that experience more than just an ice cream shop visit,” Gilbert said.
The new location is also expected to expand the menu. In addition to the current cone and cup offerings, the couple plans to sell half-pints and pints of ice cream, allowing customers to take home flavors they have created. Shakes are another potential addition.
The owners anticipate hiring approximately 10 to 12 employees to staff the store. Gilbert said the team will need adequate coverage during busy periods to keep orders moving efficiently, particularly as the storefront will have two blenders compared with the single blender currently used in the trailer.
The Torreses are aiming to open the storefront in December 2026, although the date is not yet confirmed. Gilbert said the contractor had recently submitted permit paperwork to the City of San Antonio, and the build-out timeline will depend on the permitting process and construction progress.
The couple signed the lease in July 2026 and hopes to welcome customers before the end of the year. They are also considering prizes, discounts and branded giveaways for a grand-opening celebration, though the details have not been finalized.
Beyond the first storefront, Gilbert and Kristina have ambitions to grow Cone N’ Swirl into a larger operation. They hope to open additional locations and eventually explore franchising, with the goal of bringing the concept to major cities across Texas.
“This isn’t gonna be our first and only store,” Kristina said. “We do plan to open up more.”
For now, the Braun Pointe location will mark the business’s first step from a mobile operation into a permanent storefront, giving its existing followers a place to visit without having to track down the trailer.
