By Moses Leos III
Having grown up around the restaurant business, cooking comes easy for John Zamora.
From backyard barbecues with his father to watching family members own Austin restaurants, cooking is the tie that bonds his 13 siblings and 78 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
So when a piece of family owned property at 902 Old U.S. Highway 81 in Kyle became available, Zamora didn’t hesitate. Now with a possible opening date of July 4, Zamora hopes his new venture, South Austin BBQ, harbors a family-friendly vibe.
“We want to have washers, and beanbag toss and games outside to keep it family friendly,” Zamora said. “It will be a BYOB location.”
Zamora initially wanted to open a food trailer on the property, which at one time housed a gas station and an icehouse owned by family members.
According to Zamora, the trailer, which was called South Austin Grill, would have served street tacos along with “old fashioned” hot dogs and hamburgers.
But the family hit a small snag when it had to retrofit bathrooms to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The next logical step was to transition to a brick-and-mortar.
“When we had to do the ADA bathrooms, we might as well open up the building,” Zamora said.
The process started in October, but Zamora said the investment was “way bigger than obviously anticipated, as with any business.”
One of the primary tasks was plugging holes to keep rainwater from leaking inside. He also began the task of adding windows and countertops, along with renovating the kitchen.
And while he worked to keep the building’s rustic look, he said all of the walls “are new from the inside, out.”
“It’s obviously an older building. The restoration has been lengthy,” he said. “But we are chugging away at it slowly. We are coming along.”
Once the building is complete, Zamora plans to serve hot dogs, hamburgers and barbecue by the pound, along with sausage.
His background as a tailgater and a competitive barbecue cook plays a role in his cooking style. For the last 13-plus years, Zamora has been part of a barbecue team that competes at various events.
What he’s learned from the competitive barbecue circuit goes toward his new business.
“It’s seeing, experiencing and tasting (barbecue). Seeing different techniques of everyone and the little tweaks to styles, rubs and heat,” Zamora said. “It’s all about heat.”
But continuing the family legacy was also important for Zamora. That is the primary reason why his son, John Zamora, Jr., will work as the business’ operating manager and will be in charge of marketing.
Their bond goes back to tailgates at Texas football games.
“We cook a lot together and [have] done all kinds of events,” Zamora said. “It’s super important to keep him around it; that he’s involved in [the business].”
