SAN ANTONIO — The matriarch of a historic central San Antonio staple has passed away.
Doña Cruz Cortez, a San Antonio native and co-founder of Mi Tierra Café in El Mercado, died this week, according to a statement on the restaurant's social media accounts.
“Señora Cruz embodied the authentic comida and cultura that La Familia Cortez Restaurants represents and we strive every day to honor her legacy,” the statements reads.
Cortez helped open the popular Tex-Mex eatery in 1941 with her husband, an entrepreneurial effort that has since expanded to the family owning four restaurants, presiding over 600 employees and serving 1.5 million patrons every year.
A public viewing for Cortez is scheduled for Saturday at Porter Loring Mortuary from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Her family is requesting that, in lieu of flowers of gifts, members of the public consider making a donation to St. Jude’s or Christ Mission College.
The full statement from the family can be viewed below or here.
