Hey, y'all, are you ready to explore the best restaurants in San Antonio, Texas? In 2023, I began visiting Alamo City more frequently, and I'm excited to share some of the best places to dine there. From nationally recognized chefs serving seasonal menus to top South Texas barbecue joints, San Antonio serves up a diverse feast.
Join me as we dive fork-first into San Antonio's restaurant scene, where the flavors are as rich as the history. You'll want to bring your appetite and an adventurous spirit.
Table of Contents
Top San Antonio Restaurants
1. Clementine
My first choice for dinner was Clementine, an unassuming restaurant at the end of a strip mall in the Castle Hills neighborhood north of downtown San Antonio. Executive chef John Russ, a New Orleans native and 2023 James Beard Award Finalist for Best Chef: Texas, co-owns Clementine with his wife, pastry chef Elise Russ.
The menu is divided into four sections: Petites, Sideboard, Platters, and The Best Parts (desserts, of course). You can order what you want or outsource the decision-making to the kitchen with the "Feed Me" option. The chefs will design a family-style meal for your table, starting at $81 per person.
Kel and I kicked off our dinner date with pomegranate sangria and one of the "petite" offerings, a mountain of hush puppies served with herb-laden labneh, wildflower honey, and sumac. Next, we received an unexpected gift from the open kitchen: a crispy flame tart with smoked bacon, sweet onions, bechamel sauce, and pink peppercorns.
My entree of choice was the meaty Alaskan halibut with sweet Texas corn, huitlacoche, and a bacon and truffle jus. The side of sweet corn risotto was also fantastic, and Kel enjoyed the broccolini. We shared the restaurant's namesake dessert, a Clementine Crunch Bar (chocolate mousse with toasted hazelnuts and clementine sherbert).
Overall, we had a wonderful experience. A minor downside to the restaurant's success is the noise, which steadily increased as the dining room filled up. If you're sensitive to noise, arrive early or choose the outdoor seating. 2195 NW Military Hwy, San Antonio, TX, clementine-sa.com
2. Brasserie Mon Chou Chou
Next, head to the Pearl Brewery, a historic district on the San Antonio River Walk. What was once the largest brewery in Texas is now one of San Antonio's top dining spots. The new Pullman Market, the weekend farmers market, and the stunning Hotel Emma are also worth a visit. But for now, I'd like to draw your attention to Brasserie Mon Chou Chou.
Here, you'll find a busy Parisian-inspired restaurant open for lunch and dinner daily, plus Sunday brunch. You can dine al fresco on their covered patio, at the gorgeous indoor bar, or a table in the dining room. The extensive menu features French comfort foods, some of which Kel and I were eager to order for dinner.
If I hadn't been feeling full from meals earlier in the day, I'd have begun with an indulgence, the raclette cheese sandwich on a crisp baguette served tableside. Instead, I skipped to a hearty cold-weather entree of braised beef cheeks in a Burgundy wine sauce (Bourguignon de Joue de Boeuf).
The preparation was fabulous, with the meat easily pulled apart by the forkful. Meanwhile, Kel opted for the Cheeseburger Mon Chou Chou with melted Gruyere and shallot sauce on a sesame bun. The French fries, as one would hope, were on point.
A half-dozen desserts tempt those with a sweet tooth. I'm well-versed in the delights of heavy New York-style and silky Basque cheesecakes. However, I wasn't sure I'd ever tried France's Alsace-style cheesecake. So, that's what we ordered.
It's traditionally lighter and less sweet than the N.Y. and Spanish versions. The version at Mon Chou Chou was a bit crumbly, leaving me wanting to try their coffee and chocolate pot de creme with sea salt caramel instead. Next time! 312 Pearl Pkwy, San Antonio, TX, brasseriemonchouchou.com
3. Cured
Cured is another excellent place to eat at the Pearl. The stately 1904 structure originally served as the brewery's Administration Building. The restaurant's name is a nod to Wisconsin-born chef Steve McHugh's triumph over cancer and his artisanal approach to curing meats. After perusing the Sunday farmers market, I walked to Cured for brunch.
Diners are greeted inside the entrance by an attractive glass case full of meats in various stages of being cured. Behind it, a large bar anchors the main dining area. Counter seating facing the kitchen is available in an adjacent room. Exposed brick walls, wood flooring, and a pressed-tin ceiling add to this historic building's old-world aura.
The brunch menu includes egg dishes, like a butcher's Benedict with lamb merguez and harissa hollandaise, and sandwiches. The double Blue Ribbon burger with a Wagyu-bacon blend and onion jam sounds fantastic. Instead of fried chicken and waffles, there are chicken and doughnuts with buttermilk-brined chicken thighs. But I was there for the charcuterie.
The charcuterie section of the menu offers nearly a dozen options. You can order three for $22, six for $32, or nine for $42.
As my day was just getting started, I picked three:
- 60-day cured pork coppa
- Smoked duck ham
- Dapper Goat Chevre
I immediately liked the silky slices of pork coppa, while the thicker duck ham was too smoky for me. When my server saw that I wasn't eating the duck ham, she offered to substitute something else.
Following her advice, I got the thinly shaved beef cecina, which I enjoyed as much as the pork. And I appreciated the customer service she provided. My Sunday brunch at Cured was capped with a generous serving of chocolate pot du creme with cherries and tonka bean cream. 306 Pearl Pkwy UNIT 101, San Antonio, TX, curedatpearl.com
4. Leche de Tigre Cebicheria Peruana
Leche de Tigre, a modern Peruvian ceviche and pisco bar, is one of the most exciting new additions to San Antonio's food scene. Located just south of downtown, this family-owned restaurant is accessible from the River Walk near the Blue Star Arts complex.
On my first visit, I savored a spicy Nikkei ceviche with yellowfin tuna and tamarind ponzu and a novel causa with steak tartare (instead of the typical chicken or tuna salad). Kel and I were impressed by the delicious tenderloin in the lomo saltado, a Peruvian dish we learned to make during a cooking class in Cusco. A strawberry pisco cocktail and maracuya pie with berry compote for dessert sweetened the meal.
Diners can choose indoor seating at the counter, where they can watch the chefs at work, tables along the walls, or outdoor seating on the patio. When this popular spot is packed, expect Latin music (reggaeton, salsa) and a loud environment. 318 E Cevallos St, San Antonio, TX, lechedetigretx.com
5. Cullum's Attaboy
In 2021, San Antonio native Christopher Cullum opened Cullum's Attaboy, offering an elevated take on French breakfast and brunch fare. The casual counter-service spot offers starters such as the 1915 Spudnuts (beignet-like donuts made of potato and flour), Burgundy snails with herbed scotch compound butter, and Champagne butter-poached scallops.
Entrees include a classic French omelet, brisket eggs Benedict, and steak and eggs. For an added fee, you can get black truffles shaved over just about everything, including the previously mentioned entrees. Oh, and there's a caviar service, too.
I dropped by Cullum's Attaboy for brunch at 11 a.m. on a Wednesday and had the place to myself for the first 30 minutes. I ordered a latte, freshly-made Spudnuts, the Attaboy burger with glace (made from beef stock), and Mom's Cheesecake with blueberry compote. The burger harkens back to an early iteration of Attaboy Cullum, which ran out of a food truck in 2012.
Sitting at the counter overlooking the small kitchen allowed me to watch the action. Chef Cullum's father was a local jazz cornet player, a fact I was reminded of as I enjoyed the jazz music playing at his restaurant.
In 2024, Christopher Cullum was named a nominee (finalist) for the 2024 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Texas, and San Antonio Magazine named Attaboy the best brunch restaurant in the city. You'll hear no argument from me! 111 Kings Ct, San Antonio, TX, cullumsattaboy.com
6. Restaurant Claudine
The award for the best decor in a San Antonio restaurant goes to Claudine, a Government Hill neighborhood restaurant a few blocks east of the Pearl District. Restaurant Claudine opened in October 2022, the third offering by local restaurateurs Houston and Emily Carpenter. The intimate five-room restaurant is named after Houston's grandmother, and the Southern menu pays homage to her cooking.
Kel and I stopped by for an early lunch on a Monday as we departed San Antonio for Austin. Upon walking in the front door, it was love at first sight. The colorful wallpaper and painted walls were just as beautiful in person as they appear on Instagram. Jazz music played over the sound system.
We began with Grandma's cornbread served with smoked wallflower butter and an order of blue crab beignets. For the latter, I was expecting deep-fried balls, similar to what we experienced at La Petite Grocery and Carousel Bar in New Orleans. However, Claudine's version wasn't deep-fried, and I missed the contrasting textures.
Kel and I shared a chicken salad sandwich with tarragon and dill on toasted brioche bread. The sandwich was accompanied by housemade potato chips, which provided a satisfying crunch. There was a shrimp po'boy, gumbo, and ruby red trout with field pea succotash for a more substantial main course.
For dessert, I chose a monumental chocolate mousse pie, most of which we packed to take home. Cardamom cake and banana pudding were also available. Despite being in a rush our first time, we had an excellent experience. I want to try their dinner menu next. A decision between duck confit and rabbit bolognese awaits. 517 E Grayson St, San Antonio, TX, restaurantclaudine.com
7. Tokyo Cowboy
If you're looking for a fun happy hour spot along the San Antonio Riverwalk, look no further than Tokyo Cowboy Whisky Diner. The website promises "Southern comfort meets Japanese street food," and they deliver based on our dinner there.
First and foremost, the entertaining cocktail menu offers drinks named after popular music and movies, such as Fists of Fury, 36 Chambers, and my pick, the Cobra Kai. My purple mixed drink arrived with a fresh flower. It was a tropical mix of Japanese whisky, ube, coconut, pineapple, and Becherovka (an herbal bitter).
Kel went with the Fists of Fury, a light and refreshing rum cocktail with lychee, strawberry, and mint. Sake, beer, and a small selection of international wines are also available.
Foodwise, I enjoyed the two-bite salmon poke taco while Kel and I split the larger brisket egg roll with pickled collards and queso asadero, served with a chili herb ranch dip. We also tried the dashi corn waffle, which layers shrimp atop kewpie-drizzled pork belly.
Kewpie is a Japanese mayonnaise made from egg yolks (instead of whole eggs). A beautifully presented yuzu tart with burnt meringue completed our dinner at Tokyo Cowboy, which deserves a spot on any list of the best restaurants in San Antonio. 135 E Commerce St, San Antonio, TX, tokyocowboytx.com
8. Curry Boys BBQ
A delicious food I never knew I needed is the Brisket Smoke Show at Curry Boys BBQ. You'll find it at their fluorescent pink restaurant on The Strip, a nightlife district west of the Pearl. This casual dining concept seems so simple. Smoke prime brisket and then drop it in a bowl of green curry with jasmine rice.
For brisket and Thai curry fans, the fusion comfort food will rock your world. Pay 75 cents for a tablespoon of crispy chili oil to kick up the heat. So worth it. Once you've ordered at the counter, sit inside or on their patio, and they'll bring you the food.
Related: Where To Stay in San Antonio
Additional menu options include pulled pork nachos, curry queso and chips, the Good Luck Cluck (smoked chicken thigh with yellow curry), and the Tony Porker (pulled pork with Penang curry).
For their innovative Asian cuisine, chefs Andrew Ho, Andrew Samia, and Sean Wen were recognized as 2023 James Beard Award Semifinalists for Best Chef: Texas. 536 E Courtland Pl, San Antonio, TX, curryboysbbq.com
9. Pinkerton's BBQ
For a more traditional Texas BBQ experience, head to Pinkerton's Barbecue at Legacy Park in downtown San Antonio. After graduating from the University of Texas in Austin, Houston native and self-taught pitmaster Grant Pinkerton returned home and followed his passion for smoking meats.
He ultimately opened his own BBQ joint and attracted national attention. Pinkerton's Barbecue has been named by Texas Monthly as one of the Top 50 BBQ Joints in the state and has been featured on The Food Network.
On our first day in town, after checking into The St. Anthony Hotel, Kel and I walked to Pinkerton's to sample the smoked meats. As has become our habit, we ordered a giant 1.5-pound beef rib and a quarter-pound brisket.
For the other sides, we tried the tangy cole slaw and jambalaya with smoked duck and sausage. For dessert, we had a piece of Aunt Ruby's blackberry cobbler.
Though both were excellent, the beef rib edged out the brisket in my mind. It was a lovely 83-degree day, so we ate outside at one of the picnic tables on their large patio. 107 W Houston St, San Antonio, TX, pinkertonsbarbecue.com
Related: Discover San Antonio BBQ
10. Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery
At Southerleigh Fine Food And Brewery in the Pearl, chef Jeff Balfour has developed a menu that mixes Southern favorites with coastal Texas cuisine. Chef Balfour grew up on the coast in Galveston, so it's no surprise to see snapper throats and cracker-crusted Gulf redfish on the menu.
For the carnivorous, you can start with antelope tartare with jalapeno coulis dressing and progress to entrees like filet mignon, steak frites, and pork schnitzel.
While visiting San Antonio in December for the Holidays on Houston Street events, I had the opportunity to sample Southerleigh's menu, including their famous fried chicken, redfish, cheese grits, and roasted asparagus with beurre blanc sauce.
Every dish was divine, but none more so than the flavorful fried chicken served with homemade biscuits and gravy. The chicken paired nicely with a cold glass of Southerleigh's beer, brewed on-site. 312 Pearl Pkwy, San Antonio, TX, southerleighatpearl.com
11. Mi Tierra Cafe y Panaderia
For over 80 years, the family-owned Mi Tierra Cafe y Panderia has served traditional Mexican food and Tex-Mex cuisine to San Antonians. The enormous and festively decorated restaurant opened in 1941 when Pedro Cortez, an immigrant from Guadalajara, and his wife Cruz Cortez (San Antonio) purchased a three-table cafe in Market Square. The restaurant grew in size over the decades, adding a panaderia (bakery) in 1955 and a Mariachi Bar in 1989.
Mi Tierra has all the hallmarks of a potential tourist trap where the decorations and history draw you in, but the food is overpriced or not good. Thankfully, I found that not to be the case.
Given its popularity with locals and tourists, waiting to be seated is the norm here (even at 1:30 p.m. on a Tuesday), so I recommend going early for your meal. When you arrive, check in under the neon "Register here" sign in the bakery to get buzzed when your table is ready.
After walking in 100-degree heat, I ordered a cold margarita to accompany the complimentary chips and salsa. My mole poblano with chicken was as good as any mole I encountered in Oaxaca, and the tres leches cake from the bakery, sadly served in a plastic container, was nonetheless delicious. 218 Produce Row, San Antonio, TX, lafamiliacortez.com
12. Little Em's Oyster Bar
Little Em's Oyster Bar is a bright and stylish seafood spot in the Southtown neighborhood. Opened in 2020, it was the first restaurant by Emily Carpenter and her husband Houston, who later opened Restaurant Claudine (New American) and Nineteen Hyaku (Japanese). As I had already been a fan of Claudine since 2023, I had an inkling I'd enjoy Little Em's during a visit to San Antonio in 2024.
I dropped by at 11 a.m. for an early lunch and enjoyed a few fresh oysters (Sunset, Sunken Meadow, and Otters Choice) before devouring a Maine lobster roll with French fries. The ora king salmon carpaccio also caught my attention, but it'd have to wait for a future visit.
The menu includes standards such as shrimp cocktail, ceviche, aguachile, and fish and chips. For a touch of luxury, there's caviar service. There's plenty of bubbly to wash it down, whether you fancy Prosecco, Lambrusco, or Champagne. 1001 S Alamo St, San Antonio, TX, littleemsoysterbar.com
Final Thoughts
After each road trip to San Antonio, I'm left with the lingering smoky scent of brisket and an appreciation for this city's excellent food scene. Beyond the food, the best thing about dining in San Antonio is the stories behind every restaurant and the passion chefs bring to their projects.
From the seasonal menu at places like Clementine to the innovative fusion of Curry Boys BBQ, the variety is as expansive as Texas. The city of San Antonio marries tradition with modernity, welcoming food lovers with open arms. So whether you're indulging in classic French fare or slicing into a BBQ beef rib, remember: in San Antonio, every bite tells a story of history, community, and craftsmanship.
