Luby’s Cafeteria is a Texas institution that has been around since it got its start right here in San Antonio in 1947. Sadly though, after over seventy years of serving the people across this state and beyond, this chain is set to close the doors to all of its restaurants later this year. And while Luby’s is not known as a location for spicy menu options, it has a few items with a kick to choose from and long ago actually helped contribute to my love of spicy foods.
Way back when I was a little tyke, Luby’s (or Romano Cafeteria which was bought up by the chain) was a common destination for lunch after church on Sundays if we weren’t going to grandma’s house. The fried fish (square in shape like fish should be) was my usual entre selection accompanied by macaroni and cheese (which counted as a vegetable) and fried okra (look mom, I’m eating my greens). And no, I didn’t get the Lu Ann Platter, I wanted the whole piece of fish! I would also usually get the jalapeno cornbread (there’s kernels of corn in there, more vegetables!) which was never very spicy but at least a baby step in the right direction.
The meal was not complete, though, unless I also picked up one of their cream cheese stuffed jalapenos. That was half of a pickled jalapeno with the seeds removed and stuffed with a fluffy cream cheese mixture that I believe also included bits of pickles (though don’t be trusting these withered brain cells to recall precise ingredients). They really weren’t particularly hot, but to a five-year-old kid they sure seemed like a spicy challenge, and my brother and I would usually dare each other to eat the whole thing. Those are my earliest memories of eating spicy foods, and my love of heat has only grown from there.
I recently visited Luby’s for lunch knowing that I will not be having many more opportunities in the future, and it was truly a blast from the past. I got my standard combo of fried fish, mac and cheese, fried okra, and cornbread. Sadly, the location near me does not have the cream cheese stuffed jalapenos anymore, so I had to settle for the pickled pepper on its own (and with seeds removed).
Luby’s is not gourmet food, nor has it ever been. But it is good comfort food and that lunch was like taking a trip back in time. Sure, sitting on the steam tray causes the fried selections to lose some of their crispiness. The tartar sauce is heavier on the mayonnaise than I prefer. The mac and cheese could use a bit more seasoning. The cornbread is somewhat dry. But none of that mattered or bothered me a single bit while eating my meal. If you want more seasoning, they have salt and pepper and hot sauce and more at the condiment stand. This is simple food, and it is simply good, and every bite was pure nostalgia.
It is a shame that current food trends have passed Luby’s by because it still has plenty to offer. It’s not farm-to-table, it’s not organic, it’s not all scratch-made, it won’t get any airtime from Guy Fieri or a photoshoot in Bon Appetit. But it is good, old-style comfort food at a reasonable price. And it has plenty of choices to satisfy different tastes. But waiting in line to select your food from servers standing behind steam trays lost favor years ago, and the current pandemic environment only made this establishment seem like an even less desirable establishment for a meal.
I have to admit that I have been a stranger to the place over the last decade or so. When the kids were younger, we went to Luby’s more often because it usually had something to satisfy everybody, and it was cheaper than your average casual sitdown joint. But as a lover of craft beer, I started going more often to places that had a variety of brews on tap. The kids also grew up (they tend to do that), and became less enamored with old-school cafeteria dining. Perhaps if people like me had not removed this restaurant from the regular rotation, it might not be on its last legs.
Over the years Luby’s has tried different things to update the restaurant’s image like adding fancier entrees, offering beer and wine, beefing up the table service, and more. But that never did enough to bring in new customers and was typically not well-received by the established clientele. Luby’s is what is. A throwback cafeteria that serves good food but has sadly become more and more of an anachronism in the 21st century.
Current plans are for the locations still open to continue full service through August, which is the end of the fiscal year. At that point, the cafeterias will close their doors—unless a last-minute savior steps in—and Luby’s will become yet another restaurant chain that has fallen to hard times. If you have not been in a while, I recommend stopping by for a Lu Ann Platter and a slice of pie. If you have never been, it’s worth a visit to see what you missed out on all these years.
Farewell, Luby’s! You have served the great state of Texas and beyond well in your years, and you will be missed by those of us who have many fond memories of dining in your halls.