Texas Restaurateurs Mark 35 Years Running Popular San Antonio Eatery, El Jarro De Arturo Mexican Restaurant
Texas restaurateurs Sandy and Arturo Cerna mark 35 years operating their popular San Antonio restaurant – El Jarro de Arturo Mexican Restaurant – located on the city’s northside. You can read their story in this month’s issue of San Antonio Woman Magazine.
The cover story pays tribute to Sandy’s 35 years working alongside her husband Arturo who together own and operate their popular eatery tucked away in the corner of a strip center at the intersection of Highway 281 and Bitters.
“It’s about family. We know a lot of people and have had a lot of celebrations here.”
You could say the Cernas were born to be restaurateurs. “It’s in our blood,” Sandy laughs. Her father Jesse Flores owned several Mexican restaurants. Arturo got his first restaurant job washing dishes at age 11 which began his life-long journey in the restaurant business. A self-taught chef, his menu creations have earned him a reputation as one of the city’s best.
The Cernas opened El Jarro de Arturo in 1975 to a packed house; three decades, three sons, and 45 employees later, they’re still packing them in with their unique blend of Tex-Mex and Mexican gourmet fare.
“I began using items like mango and jicama long before other restaurants in town,” Arturo said. “We’ve always used better oils and have carried low-cal dishes for many years. This is what makes us so different. We’re not just Tex-Mex.”
As a married couple, the Cernas have found success working together by setting up clearly marked boundaries. Sandy’s domain is the front of the house and Arturo’s is the kitchen.
They also attribute the restaurant’s success to their loyal clientele, many of whom have been eating here since they were kids and now bring their own children. Some have even become their closest friends. One such couple is Joe and Anne Orozco who met the Cernas in 1978.
“We gotta get our fix,” says Joe. “It’s not just about the Mexican food,” his wife adds. “It’s about family. We know a lot of people and have had a lot of celebrations here.”
Over the years, El Jarro de Arturo has been featured in Texas Monthly, Bon Appétit, Southern Living, and the San Antonio Express-News who awarded them critics’ choice for best buffet and best salsa. It is also listed in Who’s Who in America’s Best Restaurants and is Zagat rated.
Logos, product and company names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.
- NYC Restaurant Serendipity 3 Receives a Guinness World Records® Title for the Most Expensive Hamburger in the World
- VooDoo BBQ Franchise Appoints Chef and Business Vet Gregg Frazer to Executive Team
- OpenTable Diner Reviews Reveal Top 100 Outdoor Dining Restaurants
- Menchie's Celebrates New Milestone As the World's Largest Self-Serve Frozen Yogurt Franchise
- Tossed® Adds Some Green to Boston's Financial District with New Eatery
- CKE Restaurants Files Brief in Support of Lawsuit Fighting Inflated Credit and Debit Card Swipe Fees
- Harwood Feffer LLP Announces Investigation of Benihana, Inc.
- Dunkin' Donuts Franchisees Elect Brand Advisory Council Leaders To Collaborate With Senior Leadership
- World's Best Airport Restaurants - USATODAY
- Tim Hortons Announces Major Initiatives to Improve Animal Welfare for Pigs and Chickens
