San Antonio’s culinary community is gearing up for one of its most meaningful celebrations of the year. From June 6 to June 20, San Antonio Food Bank Restaurant Weeks return — an event that blends farm-to-table creativity with a powerful purpose: supporting children facing food insecurity during the summer months.
What began in 2025 as a grassroots effort by the Food Bank’s Hospitality Committee has quickly grown into a signature citywide campaign. The committee itself is a volunteer-powered coalition of chefs, restaurant and bar owners and marketing professionals who share one goal — to strengthen the connection between the Food Bank and the local dining scene. Their work has helped transform Restaurant Weeks into a vibrant showcase of community, cuisine and compassion.
Farm-Fresh Inspiration on Every Plate
This year’s participating restaurants — expected to number around 75, up from 60 in the inaugural year — will feature dishes crafted with produce grown at the Food Bank’s own farm. The farm team provides chefs with a list of what’s in season, and the ingredients often spark the inspiration behind each restaurant’s featured item. In many cases, the star of the dish or drink comes directly from the Food Bank’s fields. Mitch Hagney, Director of Food System Resiliency, coordinates ordering and pickup to keep the process seamless. It’s a rare opportunity for chefs to work with hyperlocal ingredients while directly supporting the community that grows them.
Dining with Purpose
Every participating business commits to raising at least $300 through sales of their featured menu item or through direct customer donations. If they fall short, they pledge to make up the difference themselves. With roughly 75 restaurants on board, this year’s fundraising goal is set at $22,500 — an ambitious increase from last year’s $15,000.
All proceeds benefit the San Antonio Food Bank’s Summer Meals for Kids program, which fills a critical gap when school cafeterias close and many children lose access to reliable meals.
Chef Geronimo Lopez, a leading voice on the Hospitality Committee, captured the spirit of the event: “San Antonio Food Bank Restaurant Weeks is a powerful example of how our community comes together to fight food insecurity. Seeing so many of San Antonio’s acclaimed restaurants rally behind our Summer Meals for Kids program is what makes me proud to be a chef and part of this meaningful campaign.”
Special Events and Community Highlights
This year’s Restaurant Weeks will also feature special pop-up dinners that spotlight Food Bank produce and the talents of local chefs:
- A farm-driven dinner at Bending Branch Winery during the first week of June
- A collaborative pop-up at Wild Barley on Tuesday, June 9
- Additional appearances by Chef Geronimo and other committee chefs throughout the campaign
These events offer diners a chance to experience the Food Bank’s agricultural work in a more intimate setting while supporting the same mission.
A Growing Movement
Restaurant Weeks is more than a dining event — it’s a testament to what happens when a city’s culinary leaders unite behind a shared cause. With more restaurants participating, more dishes inspired by local harvests and a higher fundraising goal than ever before, the 2026 campaign is poised to make a meaningful impact on children who need it most.
For San Antonio, it’s a reminder that great food can do more than nourish — it can bring a community together and help ensure every child has a meal on their plate this summer.
