New Braunfels Edition | February 2026

Dining

BY ANDREW CREELMAN

Favorite Neighbor sells sparkling wines by the glass.

ANDREW CREELMANCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Fresh burrata with jamón and prickly pear gastrique ($22) complements the tapas menu at Favorite Neighbor.

COURTESY FAVORITE NEIGHBOR

Local wine bar oers tastes of Europe to German town After traveling to wineries across Portugal, Spain and the rest of Europe, Abigail Porter and Matt Bizer wanted to bring the same avors and atmosphere back to Texas. “We always thought New Braunfels needed European model of not needing a full build-out and fancy interior. Looking for a libation?

Co-owners Abigail Porter and Matt Bizer opened Favorite Neighbor in July.

ANDREW CREELMANCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Favorite Neighbor sources wine primarily from vineyards in western Europe, focusing on avors from Italy, Portugal and Spain, Porter said. “The main focus is bringing that European touch to New Braunfels,” she said. The wine bar oers domestic wines from Wash- ington, California and the Texas Hill Country for patrons to sample. Favorite Neighbor also features a tapas menu with appetizers and freshly-baked bread, Bizer said. “We’re trying to source most of our ingredients locally, like using locally grown vegetables,” he said.

something like they have over there,” Bizer said. That’s why Bizer and Porter opened up Favorite Neighbor in July, a wine bar that oers not only tastings but also a sense of community and trying new things. A new chapter Porter said she wanted to capture a rustic, mini- mal feel for the bar prior to opening. Featuring a classic bar top, indoor and outdoor access, Porter said Favorite Neighbor follows the

494 N. Union Ave, New Braunfels www.thefavoriteneighbor.com

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NEW BRAUNFELS EDITION