The Institute of Chili

San Antonio has a long and storied street food tradition, dating back to the 19th century when the San Antonio chili queens became a legendary part of city life. Working from closely-guarded family recipes, these self-reliant lady entrepreneurs set up stalls in San Antonio’s bustling plazas where they invented Tex-Mex cuisine, serving bowls of what would become the official state food: chili con carne.

The Institute of Chili food truck opened in 2012 serving Tex-Mex classics and our own version of the historic chili, paying homage to the original street food pioneers. Our chili is made from scratch using fresh and dried peppers and the finest quality ground chuck and smoked brisket. Institute of Chili was named “Best Chili in America” by Food & Wine Magazine (November 2014) and we’ve been written about in many national publications like USA Today, Huffington Post, Travel & Leisure, Southern Living, Latina Magazine, Hispanic Magazine, USA Today and more. We’ve appeared on TV shows on the Cooking Channel, Travel Channel, PBS and others.

In 2013, Chamoy City Limits was born as a “chili-queens spin-off” dessert truck, featuring raspas and shaved ice. With our homemade Chamoy (pickled fruit sauce), house pepper syrups and pickled fruit garnishes we established ourselves as a innovative voice in a traditional market and established a loyal fan base. We offer catering for both our food and our cold desserts. Please fill out the contact form to book a date or get more information.