Visit San Antonio for the food! This post will share some of my restaurant recommendations.
I went to San Antonio for the food. It had a little bit to do with all the best things to do in San Antonio, but my to-try restaurant list was growing out of hand. The culinary scene is growing in San Antonio, like much of the city, and it’s an exciting time to experience it. If you want a weekend trip to a Texas foodie town, you should definitely consider San Antonio.
Here are my recommended San Antonio restaurants! (This post has recs from multiple trips to San Antonio, most recently in 2022.)
Cured
We stepped into the restaurant and discovered it was happy hour, which is always a great discovery! For happy hour, we enjoyed 50-cent fried quail legs and a discount on charcuterie. The fried quail legs were lightly fried and small nuggets of flavor. I almost wish we got more than two each! The charcuterie was a hit also. My favorite things on the board were the salmon rillette, smoked duck ham, and bresaola (dried, salted beef). The accompanying spreads and mustards on the board were perfect pairings.
Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery
While we were only able to try their in-between menu (a short menu available between lunch and dinner service), we really enjoyed our time at Southerleigh. The inside of the building is really cool because you can see the old building mixed with the new. You can try their many beers with a beer flight. Since they focus on flavors of the gulf, we snacked on fried snapper throats and raw oysters, both very tasty! We enjoyed a beer flight each, and my favorite beers were the Koalas, Cocker Spaniels & Unicorns (a cucumber Gose), Darwinian (IPA), and the Drop, Hop & Roll (a Pilsner).
Mixtli
As I mentioned, Mixtli was one of the big adventures we were looking forward to in San Antonio. To dine here, you must reserve and pre-pay your spot online. By serving 12 people every night they’re open, the restaurant is full every night, so get your tickets early if you want to try it. Every couple of weeks, the chefs focus on a different region of Mexico and create the menu around it. Paired drinks – alcoholic and not – are included with the price and they ranged from beer and red wine to tea.
Our menu was La Huasteca, featuring a region that is on the Gulf of Mexico. We enjoyed seven courses with variations of tamales, enchiladas, seafood, and beef. My favorite part of the impressive meal was dessert, of course! The lemon curd tart was perfectly cohesive and I loved the additional drops of coconut meringue, guava, and raspberry. All-in-all, Mixtli was a fun, intimate, and adventurous experience that I’d love to do again!
Bakery Lorraine
This is the perfect breakfast spot and judging by the long line, many others agree! If you’re a lover of baked goods like me, you would probably like to know that this place was created by alumni of Bouchon Bakery. You’ll order at the counter, which will test your limits because you’ll be staring at a plethora of beautiful baked goods. We went with a kouign amann and some macarons. We also ordered the quiche du jour (with roasted red pepper and artichokes) and a sandwich with roasted red pepper, spinach, and poached egg. Everything was fresh, delightful, and filling. My favorites of the meal were the light quiche with flaky crust and the crispy and buttery kouign amann.
La Fruteria
We made a quick stop here because we had spent the last hour outside and were parched! We enjoyed some agua frescas of two different flavors: strawberry lime and cantaloupe. They were a little sweeter than I expected. La Fruteria also has a wide selection of juice, smoothies, and Mexican food options.
Ocho
Ocho is the restaurant at Hotel Havana and swoon-worthy. The room is filled with light and impeccably color coordinated. I especially loved the tabletops. I indulged in the Cubano con Huevo which was an open-faced torta with Achiote roasted pork shoulder, griddled ham, swiss cheese, and pickles with a side of dressed home fries. It was a mess of deliciousness that begged not to be left on the plate.
Dough
When I went to San Antonio to run a half-marathon a few years ago, I re-fueled with Dough after the race. This restaurant makes wonderful Neapolitan pizza in wood-burning ovens and they have a variety of combinations. Sit at the bar to see the pizza-making “show.” You also need to try their burrata made in-house.
Other suggestions on my to-eat list for next time:
- Indy Coffee – If you like coffee, this shop comes recommended and the pretty interior is a plus.
- Supper – Located at Pearl Brewery at Hotel Emma, this restaurant serves American fare and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I had a bite from this restaurant at an event in Austin and it was superb!
- La Gloria – Another restaurant by Chef Johnny Hernandez (same as La Fruteria above), this Pearl Brewery restaurant features the wonders of interior Mexico.
- Cullum’s Attagirl – Come here for the spicy fried chicken and cold beer!
- South Alamode Panini & Gelato – The name says it all: panini sandwiches and gelato. Sounds like a delish combo to me!
- Garcia’s Mexican Food Restaurant – This is a chef-recommended place for tacos and Mexican food.
- Hot Joy – This restaurant is a dinner and late-night spot with Asian fusion food and drinks.
- Freetail Brewing Company
For more about San Antonio restaurants, visit Eater.
Where are your favorite eats and drinks in San Antonio?
Want suggestions of things to do in San Antonio besides eat? Check out this post!
Planning a San Antonio bachelorette party? See the recap of mine for ideas.
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