Casa Rio is turning back the clock — and stepping into the future.
For one day, it will offer an original dinner at its 1946 price of 70 cents to celebrate 80 years on the San Antonio River Walk.
For as long as necessary, Casa Rio is asking a UNESCO chef ambassador to bring a post-World War II cafe into the modern era.
Joel “Tatu” Herrera, 47, embraces the challenge. He bussed tables at Casa Rio when he was 16. He worked his way up to line cook and kitchen manager, enrolled in culinary school and became an award-winning chef at Folklores Coffee House.
Now he’s returned to his roots, working two days a week at Casa Rio as a consultant. In this role, he’s revamped the kitchen, restored original recipes and elevated Tex-Mex offerings.
“It’s super exciting, like being in a time capsule,” said Herrera, who also serves as executive chef at The Desert Spoon. “When I went back, my friends were still there. I have so much history there. It’s like going back to high school.”
A serendipitous encounter brought Herrera back to Casa Rio. In March, he noticed a woman with a familiar name and face seated beside him at a culinary event at the World Heritage Center.
“Are you related to Bill Lyons?” Herrera asked.
“He’s my father,” Elizabeth Lyons Houston replied.
“You look just like him,” Herrera said.
It’s-a-small-world conversation followed. Herrera worked for Bill Lyons, the Casa Rio owner, in the 1990s. Now the chef was speaking with his daughter, the Casa Rio co-owner, who’s planning an 80th anniversary event.
On Oct. 1, Casa Rio will serve one item — the regular plate — from the 1946 menu at the 1946 price. The plate includes one cheese enchilada, one tamal, chili con carne, rice, beans, tortillas and coffee or tea for 70 cents.
A San Antonio original
Casa Rio opened on Oct. 4, 1946, the first restaurant to offer dining on the River Walk. The cafe became a landmark, providing outdoor seating beneath colorful umbrellas and serving dinner on a fleet of river barges.
“There is hardly a day all year long when Casa Rio fails to attract scores of visitors,” the San Antonio Light reported on May 9, 1955. “Nestled under the high banks of the San Antonio river, the old-world sidewalk cafe is charming and cheerful.”
The story included a photo of a river boat beside the cafe and noted that boats for parties could be rented for groups of 12 to 18 people.
“That is what made the River Walk special in those early years,” Houston said. “It was extremely romantic. … If we can recreate that for a day, that would help us pull on those roots.”
A fête to the past. A toast to the future. Herrera arrived to bridge generations and move the restaurant forward.
“The River Walk can have a reputation for serving tourist food,” Houston said. “I want to raise the bar. We have so much competition to the north and south of us. We are the heart of downtown. I want to put our best foot forward.”
The aim is to expand the customer base of tourists and attract locals. One new draw will be a rooftop bar called “The Night Heron,” targeted to open in 2027.
In a city with a plethora of Tex-Mex options, Houston hired Herrera to help Casa Rio stand out.
Herrera is a San Antonio native, a graduate of Memorial High School with deep roots in the state. His ancestors arrived from the Canary Islands.
“I’m a 12th-generation Tejano,” he said. “We’ve been in Texas as long as Texas has been Texas.”
Looking to the future
His return to Casa Rio sparked memories. The kitchen is where he realized he wanted to cook.
The tastes and smells inspired him to attend the Center for Foods of America (CFA), the school that preceded the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at Pearl.
“If I had never worked at Casa Rio,” Herrera said, “I never would have gone into cooking.”
He recognized three faces when he returned: two managers at the front of the house and one supervisor in the kitchen. The old friends caught up and went to work.
Herrera found the original recipe for chili con carne, the dish made famous by chili queens in late 19th Century city plazas. Over time, kitchen managers altered the ingredients. Herrera showed cooks how to make chili the way it was served in 1946.
“It was like night and day. Once we had the original recipe, it was easy to fix the problem,” he said. “It didn’t feel like a job. It felt like helping friends and family.”
Casa Rio energizes the UNESCO chef ambassador. He spends two days a week connecting with amigos, identifying challenges and devising solutions.
“On my off days, I’m at Casa Rio and it doesn’t feel like work,” Herrera said. “How do we fix a problem? That’s the fun part. Investigating. What I preach is, “We’re a tourist destination. Our job is to show them what true Tex-Mex food is.’
“Me being Tejano and being from San Antonio, it’s to show who we are. That’s my passion. That makes me proud.”
