The Legacy of the Chili Queens

From the mid-1800s to the early 20th century, San Antonio’s public plazas transformed each evening into open-air dining rooms, where women known as the Chili Queens served steaming bowls of chili con carne, tamales, and other regional dishes by lamplight. These women—many of them of Mexican heritage—were pioneers of street food in Texas, drawing crowds of locals, soldiers, and travelers alike.

Their chili was distinctive: brick-red, boldly seasoned, and always homemade. Prepared without beans and built from hand-ground dried chiles and slow-simmered meat, it reflected both necessity and culinary ingenuity. Over time, the Chili Queens became cultural icons, immortalized in newspapers, photographs, and travel writing that romanticized their presence as essential to San Antonio’s character.

Though their era ended in the 1930s due to shifting regulations and modernization, the Chili Queens’ influence endures. Their approach to food—simple, flavorful, communal—laid the foundation for what would become Tex-Mex cuisine.

At Institute of Chili, we are proud to continue that legacy. Our recipes are informed by historical research and rooted in tradition, honoring the original spirit of the Chili Queens with every bowl we serve.