At first glance, Comfort Café in San Antonio looks like a typical brunch joint. There are plates filled with eggs and bacon, half-inch-thick pancakes, and a two-hour wait on Saturday mornings. But the menu doesn’t feature a trendy mimosa flight or list any prices for dishes. The most notable difference: A busser or server might stop for a moment to talk openly about their recovery from addiction.
Comfort Café is a pay-what-you-want (or what-you-can) restaurant with locations in Smithville and San Antonio. The cafés are run by SerenityStar, a recovery center founded by couple Teri and Rosie Lopez. All proceeds from its weekend brunches support the center, and everyone who works at
