One of San Antonio’s few Panamanian restaurants is reopening after a spring hiatus. Panjaz, the on-again off-again project from chef Shaunda Hopkins, is reemerging at 17510 Judson Rd. in July.
Discover the taste of Panama at Panjaz Panamanian Cuisine, San Antonio’s exclusive spot for authentic Panamanian dishes,” wrote the restaurant on social media. “Panjaz is reopening in July 2026, and will once again be serving up delicious and genuine flavors that capture the spirit of Central America.”
Panjaz has operated as a few different concepts since it first debuted, according to the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. In 2014, it was a meal delivery service; in 2019, it became a catering operation. In 2021, Hopkins branched out to the Lombrano Food Hall at 427 Lombrano St., her first brick-and-mortar, before pivoting again to host chef’s table events and pop-ups.
In 2023, she finally opened a full-service restaurant inside a gas station near Morgan’s Wonderland at 5115 Thousand Oaks.
Throughout all the iterations, Hopkins, who was born and raised in the Central American nation, was devoted to sharing her native fare in a city dominated by Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine. The menus always featured traditional dishes like ropa vieja, patacones, arroz con pollo, and her signature tamales wrapped in banana leaves.
It’s unclear what the new menu will feature. Currently, the chef’s Square site is advertising items like empanadas and carimanolas — yucca fritters stuffed with ground beef and cheese. The Instagram page has also been trumpeting Hopkins’ sancocho, a meaty vegetable stew.
Panjaz had not released the exact timeline of its grand reopening. Local food fans interested in expanding their pan-Latin repertoire can follow its Instagram page for updates.
