San Antonio is known as one of the best foodie cities in the United States. With strong Mexican and Southwestern influences, as well as top-notch chefs who have adopted the city as their own, this is an awesome place to live or travel if you love food. Lots of new restaurants have been opening up here, while others have been serving locals for multiple generations. To help you navigate this exciting food scene, here are some of the best San Antonio restaurants to start with!
The Cove
Not only is the Cove a sustainable and local restaurant in San Antonio, but it’s also a live music venue, a car wash, a laundromat, a dog-friendly hangout, and a kids’ playground! Seriously, what more could you want? This is a wonderful place to eat if you’re looking to live a healthy lifestyle, support local producers and have a good time with great people. On the menu you’ll find creative tacos, grass-fed beef burgers, a kids’ menu, and frozen treats. The Cove has over 50 Texas craft beers on tap, and there’s something happening on the Cove’s event calendar pretty much every day. This restaurant doesn’t take reservations unless you’re interested in holding tables for a fee for your party. Just stop by for food starting at 11am until 10pm on Tuesdays through Thursdays, until 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and until 9pm on Sundays.
Biga on the Banks
If you’re looking for a fine dining spot right on the Riverwalk with great food, look no further than Biga on the Banks. This restaurant serves New American food with creative menu twists on a regular basis, and it’s a favorite among both tourists and locals. The kitchen is run by Chef Bruce Auden, who is a past James Beard Award nominee for best chef in the Southwest. Entrees start at $25 and include favorites like gulf crab stuffed with American snapper, griddled 13-ounce Angus beef ribeye, and eleven-spiced Hill Country venison and grilled quail. There’s also some tasty desserts on the menu, such as Grand Mariner souffle and blackberry buttermilk panna cotta. Make a reservation for dinner any night of the week.
Cappy’s Restaurant
Another great spot for eclectic New American fare is Cappy’s Restaurant in San Antonio. Come here for fresh seafood, regional specials, and steaks. Opened in 1977, Cappy’s is open for brunch, lunch, and dinner and is a short drive from downtown and the airport. It’s a good idea to make a reservation at this restaurant too, and you can make one online. Some popular specialties on the dinner menu include the Allen Bros. ribeye, rack of lamb, gumbo, and Skuna Bay salmon. After dinner, save room for a sticky toffee pudding or slice of coconut cream pie. The bar here also has a great selection of wines by the bottle or glass and cocktails as well.
Iron Cactus Mexican Restaurant and Margarita Bar
The Iron Cactus Mexican Restaurant and Margarita Bar is a San Antonio staple that has been on historic 6th Street since 1996. It serves contemporary and redefined Mexican food and actually has three locations in Texas (the others are in Dallas and Austin). In San Antonio, the restaurant is right across from the La Mansion hotel and has a relaxing private patio on the Riverwalk. You’ll love the three chili pork loin, pork tamale pops, veggie enchiladas, and queso compuesto. Come here for the bar’s happy hour specials too!
Magnolia Pancake Haus
To start your morning off right in San Antonio, be sure to stop by the Magnolia Pancake Haus. This restaurant serves made-from-scratch foods that are just like grandma used to make. In addition to pancakes, Magnolia serves tasty waffles, omelets, salads, soups, and sandwiches too. The restaurant opened its doors in 2000 and has since become one of the best breakfast spots in the city. It was even featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. More than 70 percent of the menu here can be made gluten-free if you have a food sensitivity. It’s open every day from 7am to 2pm.
Smoke Shack
The Smoke Shack in San Antonio serves up excellent BBQ sandwiches and platters with sides to help you embrace the spirit of Texas. This local BBQ joint is open every day but Sunday from 11am to 9pm, and it also has a food truck on Nacogdoches that’s open for lunch. In fact, the restaurant actually started as a BBQ food truck and served customers for four years before the full restaurant opened in town. Come here for brisket, pulled pork, fried chicken, and Frito pies to get your Southern food fix.
Dough Pizzeria Napoletana, Multiple Locations
San Antonio also has some excellent pizza restaurants, including Dough Pizzeria Napoletana. This restaurant serves authentic Neapolitan-style pizza at two San Antonio locations (downtown and Blanco Road). The restaurant has been in town since 2007 and focuses on the delicious pizza style that is specific to Naples, Italy and Southern Italian cuisine. Try the signature Truffle Burrata pizza or the signature Pork Love pizza when you stop by.
Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery
San Antonio’s breweries also offer some tasty food, including Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery. Here you can get brunch, lunch, dinner, or late-night fare. On the dinner menu, for example, you’ll often find fried chicken, pan-seared bone-in pork chops, grilled gulf red snapper, and oysters. Chef Jeff Balfour creates a modern take on Texas cross-cultural cuisine here. Also, make sure to try a pint of The Future Will Recognize Us, In the Arms of Morpheus, or another local brew. Make a reservation online to secure your table.
Bliss
For a special occasion dinner out in San Antonio, choose Bliss. This New American-style restaurant is stylish and has superb food in a fine dining atmosphere. Come here for upscale and impressive cuisine just south of the downtown area. Popular dinner menu items to try are the prime beef tenderloin, duck foie gras, vegan platter, and charcuterie plates.
Cured
We also love the restaurant Cured in San Antonio for creative cuisine and craft cocktails. This is Chef Steve McHugh’s new restaurant that’s in a historic building and focuses on hand-crafted cured foods. It’s open for brunch, lunch, dinner, and happy hour. This is an ideal place to visit if you love charcuterie, with both small plate and large plate options to make your mouth water.
