profile by: Yol-Itzma Aguirre
SAN ANTONIO NATIVE REBECA LOPEZ KNOWN SIMPLY AS ‘REBEL MARIPOSA’ IS FOUNDER, AND OWNER OF ‘LA BOTÁNICA‘ WHICH HAS THE DISTINCT HONOR OF BEING THE FIRST VEGAN RESTAURANT WITH A FULL BAR, IN TEXAS.
REBEL (AND COMPANY) HAVE CREATED SOMETHING UNIQUELY SPECIAL AT LA BOTÁNICA. WALKING IN, YOU INSTANTLY FEEL A WARMTH ABOUT IT, THEY SERVE A DECOLONIZED PLANT BASED MENU AND CUSTOM VEGAN DRINKS; FROM THE FOOD TO THE DECOR, EVERYTHING ABOUT IT SPEAKS TO HEALING THROUGH OUR INDIGENOUS, ANCESTRAL ROOTS.
NOT ONLY A RESTAURANT AND BAR, BUT ALSO A QUEER COMMUNITY SPACE, AND ON SOME NIGHTS, AN ART GALLERY. A PLACE WHERE MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT COEXIST WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF EATING. REBEL MARIPOSA MIGHT HAVE NOT KNOWN WHAT WAS WAITING FOR HER WHEN SHE STARTED THIS JOURNEY, BUT IN JUST A SHORT TIME LA BOTÁNICA HAS POSITIONED ITSELF AS A SAN ANTONIO FAVORITE AND ALSO A LEADER IN TEXAS.
PEOPLE MAY THINK TEXAS IS ALL STEAKS AND CATTLE, BUT THE FUTURE OF THE STATE WILL LIKELY FOLLOW THE FLIGHT OF THE REBEL MARIPOSA.
NOBLEZA MAGAZINE 