Among the signature cocktails specially created and handcrafted at The Traveler Collections are two that represent the restaurant’s business partners, Alex Hernandez and Andrea Alvarez. Hernandez, who spent 21 years in the Army as a critical care nurse, is the Major Old Fashioned, a play on the Irish standard with lemongrass syrup and smoked mesquite. Alvarez is the Carmen Sandiego, a blend of tequila, mezcal, and fire tincture.
“My dad owned the largest corporate travel agency in Puerto Rico, and therefore I was in a plane since I was months old,” Alvarez said. “I would travel with my parents everywhere, see different cultures, try different types of food.” Both partners hail from Puerto Rico, and they noticed Fredericksburg’s dining options didn’t include any representation from the Caribbean. “I just thought this town needed a little bit of Latina flavors,” Alvarez said.
She formerly managed Stout’s Signature at Grape Creek Vineyards for Jason Stout, then took over operations at Stout’s Signature at the Tobin Center in San Antonio. Stout owns the historic 1860s building that houses The Traveler Collections.
Hernandez’s journey to Fredericksburg came by way of a planned trip to Argentina, to sample wine. “Someone told me there was wine in Texas. I told them they were crazy. I came in May 2020, and the following week bought a house here,” he said.
He and Alvarez connected, became friends, and decided to go into business together. “I appreciate her creativity, her vision. I try to put structure to it,” Hernandez said. “I tell her, ‘You’re my artist. But what about maybe this way …’”
Alvarez admits to being a dreamer who needs a bit of grounding. “Tell me what your palate is. Let me create something for you. Tell me where your boundary is, and I’ll push it just enough,” she said.
Her creativity has resulted in a menu of high-end fusion cuisine with a distinctive Puerto Rican flair. Duck confit with plantain. Cassava root mash with risotto. And some Latin American specialties, like churrasco, a skirt steak with chimichurri sauce. “Puerto Rican food is not spicy at all. We use a lot of spices—oregano, cumin, cilantro—but we’re not spicy,” Alvarez explained. “Our rice is more grainy, almost al dente.”
The Traveler Collections has an elegant, cozy, timeless feel, with wall space showcasing a rotating array of artists, including a butterfly collection from an entomologist. Each artist is someone Alvarez connected with during her travels. She wants her dinner guests to feel at home and experience something new. “We want them to feel they’re not in Texas or 2024. We get people who are foodies, who like crafted cocktails, who like wine, who like elevated service,” Alvarez said. “I’m in the business of making people’s hearts happy and tummies full.”
Plans include adding an outdoor patio to double the seating. Since the restaurant opened this summer, Fredericksburg has made it the new go-to spot. “It’s like a locals’ convention,” Hernandez said. “We’re also open for people who want to host their meetings here or a private event.”
The Traveler Collections has a couple of different logos, each one centered around a woman on a journey. Perhaps she has a bag or a glass of wine. But one thing this traveler always has is coffee. Printed boldly on their T-shirts and sweatshirts is, “But first, Cafecito.”
“It’s a phrase I love,” Hernandez said. “No matter what you’re doing with your day, you’ve gotta have your coffee.”
And in the evening: art, sip, dine.
The Traveler Collections opens at 4 p.m. every day.
