New American Restaurant Katerina Opens in San Antonio's Stone Oak

The restaurant took over the former Frida Mexican Kitchen space with a dramatic redesign and elevated American fare.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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A new American-style restaurant called Katerina has quietly opened in San Antonio's Stone Oak neighborhood, transforming the space that previously housed Frida Mexican Kitchen. The restaurant, named after owner Dick Jones' partner Katerina Akimova, features a complete redesign with warm wood tones, polished finishes, and a dramatic towering tree centerpiece. The menu skews American with sophisticated touches, including wood-grilled steaks, hand-tossed pizzas, and a decadent black-truffle burger. The culinary program is led by chefs Justin Manzi and Greg Carter, who are focused on refined execution and layered flavors. Katerina is already proving popular, with the restaurant fully booked for Valentine's Day and a wedding in the private dining room.

Why it matters

The opening of Katerina represents a significant transformation of the dining landscape in San Antonio's Stone Oak area, replacing a Mexican restaurant with a new American-style concept that aims to offer a more elevated and sophisticated dining experience. The restaurant's rapid success in booking events and drawing crowds highlights the demand for this type of dining option in the growing Stone Oak neighborhood.

The details

Katerina took over the space formerly occupied by Frida Mexican Kitchen, completely redesigning the interior with warm wood tones, polished finishes, and a dramatic towering tree centerpiece. The restaurant also added a new bar adjacent to the private dining area. The menu features American fare with a sophisticated edge, including wood-grilled steaks, hand-tossed pizzas, and a decadent black-truffle burger. The culinary program is led by chefs Justin Manzi and Greg Carter, who are focused on refined execution and layered flavors. Desserts are made entirely in-house, with highlights including a maple-peanut butter pie, German chocolate cake, and caramelized banana bread pudding.

  • Katerina quietly opened in February 2026.
  • The restaurant is already fully booked for Valentine's Day 2026.

The players

Katerina Akimova

The partner of restaurant owner Dick Jones, after whom the new restaurant is named.

Dick Jones

The owner of the new restaurant Katerina, which he opened with his partner Katerina Akimova.

Justin Manzi

One of the chefs leading the culinary program at Katerina restaurant.

Greg Carter

One of the chefs leading the culinary program at Katerina restaurant, and a San Antonio native.

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What they’re saying

“We're already fully booked for Valentine's Day and for a wedding in our private dining room.”

— Dick Jones, Owner (sacurrent.com)

“The braised beef short rib — slow-cooked and built for comfort — is another dish the kitchen is betting on.”

— Justin Manzi, Chef (sacurrent.com)

“The pastry program is a point of pride, with highlights including a maple-peanut butter pie, German chocolate cake and a caramelized banana bread pudding.”

— Justin Manzi, Chef (sacurrent.com)

What’s next

Katerina is expected to continue drawing large crowds, especially for special events like weddings, as word spreads about the new restaurant's sophisticated American fare and dramatic redesign of the former Frida Mexican Kitchen space.

The takeaway

The opening of Katerina represents a significant shift in the dining landscape of San Antonio's Stone Oak neighborhood, replacing a Mexican restaurant with a new American-style concept that aims to offer a more elevated and sophisticated dining experience. The restaurant's rapid success in booking events and drawing crowds highlights the demand for this type of dining option in the growing Stone Oak area.