Lupe Tortilla

Is the juice worth the squeeze? In regards to the cases of limes the good people at Lupe Tortilla are squeezing every day to make fresh lime pepper marinated fajitas and tangy margaritas from scratch … the answer is YES! Squeeze on, Lupe!

Lupe Tortilla will intrigue you with its décor and exciting menu. Enormous, industrial funnels suspended from the ceiling framed by a once-functional catwalk give Lupe Tortilla’s new home in the Quarry a historical flare. It is located in the former Alamo Cement Company bagging house, where Lupe Tortilla has kept the authenticity while putting a “Texas' Mex” spin on the building.

This location has been operating in the Quarry since April. Shane Glasbrenner, Lupe Tortilla’s managing partner at the Quarry, has been with the company for four and a half years. On Tuesday, Sept. 13, Shane and his staff welcomed 40 Alamo Heights residents and their families for a night of generous portions and memorable conversation.

“Lupe Tortilla is all about quality and value. The food is prepped and made fresh every shift. We have fajitas and quite a few good seafood dishes. From cedar plank salmon to lobster tacos, we have some delicious options,” Shane said proudly.

As the glass carafes of margaritas were passed around, our party room got lively quickly. We sat at two long tables, family-style, and strangers became friends as we oohed and ahhed over the appetizers. The guacamole really was fresh and abundant — as if avocados grew on trees. The chips were dippable, and the dips were definitely chippable. Salsa, beans, queso and guac — Lupe’s appetizer game was as colorful as it was tasty.

We were served the Fajitas Grandioso, which is a pound of lime pepper marinated fajita beef, chicken and six bacon-wrapped pepper shrimp. The heap of caramelized onions served beside the meat and shrimp was a valued employee of the platter that deserved at least a month in the reserved parking spot. SO yum. I mean, wow! The shrimp, deliciously bacon-wrapped with a precious little slice of jalapeño, were dripping with melted cheese that made a sneaky “Oh, I’ll just take one extra shrimp from the communal plate” very dramatic and cover-blowing with its cheesy stringiness.

The Fajitas Barbacoas come with chicken, beef, spicy chipotle smoked ribs and jalapeño sausage. Elaine and Eric Vornsand and their family enjoyed the evening. “My favorite dish was the smoked ribs. We didn’t know they offered these, and they were some of the most delicious ribs ever!” Elaine said.

Morale was high as neighbors stepped off of their lawns, gathered around a table, rubbed elbows and passed hand-pressed corn and flour tortillas.  Ron and Kathy Ripps gushed about their beloved Los Amigos Ski Club that met at Lupe Tortilla recently for a happy hour. Their skiing adventures range from North America to Europe. They are always welcoming new members.

Tom and Phyllis Neckar and Mary and Henry McDonnell appeared to be longtime friends but surprisingly hadn’t met until that night. Tom and Phyllis reminisced about their house of 45 years on Oakview, seeing such an array of neighbors come and go as well as grow up on the street. Mary and Henry recollected that their Blue Bonnet Hills street, Wildrose, has changed so much over the 41 years they have lived on it, too. Both couples have so much pride in Alamo Heights and the community it is.

The wait staff took great care of us in the party room, keeping the night flowing smoothly. Lupe Tortilla puts a fresh, exciting spin on Tex-Mex and proudly serves its “Texas’ Mex” for brunch, lunch, happy hour and dinner. Once a limestone quarry’s cement bagging house and now a lime juicing Tex-Mex joint, squeeze in an outing and see why Lupe Tortilla is in the neighborhood limelight.