Saludos Cocina + Bar quietly flipped on the lights Monday, turning a hulking old mill in downtown New Braunfels into a Mexico City-inspired street food hangout with room for the whole crew. The spacious, patio-first spot leans into shareable plates, an agave-heavy bar and family-friendly dining inside the restored Dittlinger Roller Mills building.
According to CultureMap San Antonio, Saludos debuted on Feb. 2 and is rolling out a menu built for passing around the table, including vampiro-style tacos, a shrimp aguachile tostada, rajas con crema and cochinita pibil flautas. The dinner lineup also brings in mains such as fajitas and enchiladas rojas, plus crossover plates like a roasted-garlic Caesar and ancho-achiote crispy wings.
Who’s behind it
The concept comes from brothers Israel and Daniel Trevino alongside Edward Garcia III and Allen Shy, who are listed as co-owners on the restaurant’s website. The group is not exactly new to the local dining scene, bringing experience from Las Fontanas, Box St. All Day and CRAFThouse/Blind Salamander into the mix at Saludos.
Inside the old mill
The restaurant takes over the Dittlinger Roller Mills, an 1887 industrial building that once helped power New Braunfels’ growth. Property records list the address as 398 E. San Antonio St. in the city’s downtown core. MySA reported that the team has restored roughly 7,600 square feet for dining, private events and a sizable patio area, tying the project into a broader wave of adaptive reuse in the city center.
Menu, cocktails and dessert
CultureMap San Antonio notes that the cocktail list leans hard on agave standards such as palomas, margaritas and ranch waters, while still making room for an espresso martini and a Spanish gin and tonic. Dessert does not stick to one lane either, with options that range from beignet sopapillas to lemon meringue pie. The dinner menu also sneaks in a few curveballs like schnitzel, burgers and vegan tofu skewers alongside more traditional Mexican plates.
Practical details
Per the restaurant’s website, Saludos is open from 3 to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 3 to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, giving downtown diners a solid afternoon-to-evening window. Reservations and a waitlist are available through Yelp, and the site lists a phone number and email for anyone looking to book private events.
Downtown momentum
The opening adds to a growing cluster of restaurants and adaptive reuse projects reshaping New Braunfels’ main drag, as highlighted by MySA and local business roundups. For river regulars, tourists and nearby residents, Saludos brings another option for tacos, cocktails and weeknight family dinners right in the heart of town.
