17 Best Restaurants in San Antonio, Texas

For almost 90 years now, Earl Abel's has managed to stay as hip as ever thanks to their classic homestyle menu and loyal fans that have followed them to a new location in the Pearl. The top-notch comfort food is made fresh daily and includes everything you would hope to see on your family table: classic breakfasts, soups and salads, hearty sandwiches, Abel's famous meat loaf, house-roasted turkey breast with cornbread stuffing, chicken-fried steak, garlic fried rice, and much more, with homemade pie and cake for dessert. But the real star of the show is Earl's Famous Original Fried Chicken, available as an entrée or dinner box, or in a family meal package with two sides and two slices of pie. Earl's also serves classic cocktails, coffee cocktails, draft and bottled beers, wines, and mocktails.

This is the Pearl's reimagining of a food court, an eminently casual spot featuring chef-driven stands. Choose from six vendors: Chilaquil, serving Mexican street food and namesake chilaquiles; Fletcher's Hamburgers (which also sells hot dogs made with 100% organic Texas Akaushi beef); Kineapple, with healthy smoothies and snacks; Mi Roti, Caribbean street food built around roti, a Caribbean flatbread; Park Bar, a casual wine and beer bar with Texas beer and seasonal cocktails; and Tenko Ramen, a noodle-driven eatery with Japanese-style snacks. The Food Hall was rebuilt from the ruins of a 2003 fire that claimed the structure originally built in 1894 as the bottling house for the original Pearl Brewery. 

This sophisticated, yet casual follow up to Chef Andrew Weissman's popular Le Rêve is just the kind of regular neighborhood spot San Antonians were looking for. Excellent, well-executed Italian food matched by flawless service in a cozy, unpretentious bistro-style environment. Though reservations are now accepted, families and couples alike still line up for breakfast, lunch and dinner at this urban-chic space at The Pearl. Antipasti are a focus, with a corner area table brimming with plates and platters of options from white bean purée to marinated wild mushrooms and fennel with cream sauce. Pastas are house-made and excellent, as are wood-fired pizzas, but heartier mains like decadent sugo or fall-off-the-bone osso bucco are earth-stopping. There are also delicious desserts and top notch wine list.

In a city filled with Mexican bakeries, brothers José and David Cáceres kicked the whole pan dulce (pastry) game up a notch with La Panadería. Their love for baking comes from selling their mama Doña Josefina's loaves of fresh-baked bread on the streets of Mexico City, and they've translated that passion into a winning combination of fresh, quality products available for only a limited amount of time each short day. Bestsellers include empanadas, tres leches (three-milk) croissants, and Nutella cruffins (a croissant-muffin hybrid). Brunch items include avocado toast with grilled chicken, ranchero eggs Benedictine, and tequila-butter steak and eggs. They also have salads, tortas, cakes and cookies, and a nice assortment of freshly baked breads. Ordering can be fast and furious at peak times—grab a tray, get in line, pay for your selections, and settle in to a nearby table. To avoid disappointment, check the website to see how many of what you want they have left. Aficionados have been known to drive from location to location in search of their favorites. Their other locations are 8305 Broadway (Alamo Heights) and 17030 Fiesta Texas Drive (La Cantera Heights).

The heart of Market Square boasts one of San Antonio's most venerable culinary landmarks, part of the notable Cortez Family of restaurants. Opened in 1941 as a three-table café for early-rising farmers to get breakfast, Mi Tierra ("my land") is a traditional Mexican restaurant, bakery, and bar that serves its hallmark breakfasts all day; the chilaquiles famosas—eggs scrambled with corn tortilla strips and topped with ranchero (mild tomato-based) sauce and cheese—are alone worth coming back for again and again. Truly memorable nachos, tacos, enchiladas, chalupas, fajitas, and house specialties, all made from fresh ingredients, are served at lunch and dinner. The giant, carved oak bar serves up aged tequilas, authentic margaritas, draught beer, and mixed drinks. The bakery has an enormous selection of pan dulces (Mexican pastries) and excellent coffee. Yes, the Christmas decorations stay up year-round.

This venerable and popular downtown institution has been serving up hearty German soul food for breakfast (served all day), lunch, and dinner since Mama and Papa Schilo established their first location in 1917. The delicatessen moved to its current spot on East Commerce Street in 1942; Schilo's even lays claim to being the oldest operating restaurant in San Antonio and nobody has challenged them for the title. Fuel up with their famous split-pea soup; Reuben, sausage, and deli sandwiches; or weekday lunch specials, such as chicken and dumplings or meat loaf. There are also plenty of German classics like schweineschnitzel (panfried pork loin) or wienerschnitzel (panfried veal). Wash it down with fantastic homemade root beer, and top off your meal with rich, creamy cheesecake or delectable apple strudel. They also offer draft beer and spiked root beer specials. To add to the cool history, the building was originally a bank; the old bank vault is now the restaurant's walk-in cooler. They don't take reservations for groups smaller than 20, so be prepared to wait a bit during peak breakfast and lunch times.

This popular restaurant is housed in a stately 1860 home built by the founder of Pioneer Flour Mills. Breakfast is served all day, and options like fluffy Pioneer Brand biscuits, breakfast tacos, Southern sweet cream waffles, and delectable pastries are half the reason to eat here. The other half is the 1920s art nouveau decor of stained, beveled, and etched glass along with plant motifs that create the illusion of a fine home's conservatory.

Here expertly crafted croissants, cookies, muffins, macarons, rolls, tarts, and danish pastries are as delicious as they come. Heartier breakfast fare includes quiche Lorraine, croque madame, Turkish eggs, and French toast, while lunch features Cuban roast pork loin sandwiches and other options on their homemade breads. You can even take home fresh loaves of sourdough, whole wheat, and white bread.

A French twist on the usual coffeehouse scene, friendly staff here serve up freshly baked bread and pastries in a hip, stylish location within a beautifully renovated historic home in Alamo Heights. The weekday menu offers breakfast and lunch favorites like croissants béchamel and croque madames, while the robust beverage menu has signature and seasonal coffee flavors, teas, and smoothies. Weekend brunch has crepes, quiches, omelets, and mimosas with Moët & Chandon champagne and fresh-squeezed orange juice. Enjoy your meal on the lovely outdoor patio.

The name sounds stuffy, but the dining room is everything but at this European-inspired location far removed from downtown's urban closeness. Views of the forest through large windows and comfortable seating prepare you for a greatest hits approach to continental cuisine, with some unexpected twists such as ostrich fillet. Savory sauces drape chicken, prime rib, and rack of lamb. The on-site bakery serves up fresh breads and pastries. Outdoor dining is plentiful, but beware mosquitoes after dark.

Nuevo Mexican and traditional Tex-Mex flavors collide at this family-owned restaurant, a much-loved King William–district mainstay since 1967. Owner Dona Marie's mole enchiladas shine here, with the extra-sweet but smoky sauce designed to be sopped up by homemade corn tortillas. Shrimp and fish play a major role, bringing new life to tacos, nachos, and chiles rellenos. And if you've never had a breakfast taco, this is the place to try one in any of almost a dozen ways. A full bar during dinner and an outdoor dining patio seal the deal on a quintessential San Antonio eating experience.

At this restaurant focused on Texas heritage and place—primarily sourcing its ingredients locally and regionally—renowned chef Steve McHugh creates an evolving menu that, naturally, changes with the seasons. As sleek, comfortable, and contemporary as the Thompson Hotel it's housed in, the restaurant has River Walk access where guests can stroll up directly from the river level without having to go through the hotel. The 200-seat Landrace evokes warm mid-century modern design with its light color palette, soaring ceilings, and floor-to-ceiling windows.There is outdoor patio dining as well. Entrées include luscious offerings in Wagyu beef, bison, lamb, pork, free-range chicken, and seafood, with fresh salads, fruits, and vegetables. A table-side cart even prepares Old Fashioneds on the spot. When making reservations, ask for seating at the K-Bar for a close-up look at the Grillworks wood-fired grill and a chance to watch the chef at work. 

River Walk dining at its most elegant and romantic, this three-level restaurant is known for its sophistication and romance and has one of the most relaxing and beautiful outdoor dining areas on the River Walk, with graceful palm trees and soothing views. The menu is a celebration of refined American cuisine that combines locally sourced ingredients in chef-inspired dishes. Creative, flavorful dishes of note use products from local farmers and artisans, such as Lockhart quail and veal tenderloin. The finest handmade margaritas on the River Walk can be found here. 

A much-loved breakfast institution, Magnolia prides itself on dishes made from fresh and wholesome ingredients. The fluffy buttermilk pancakes are a mainstay, but for something different, try the Bodega Bay omelet or Oma's puffed apple pancake made with Granny Smith apples and Haus secret spices, served with powdered sugar and European-style whipped cream. Breakfast is served all day, but at lunchtime a diverse selection of Haus-made salads, soups, burgers, and deli "sammies" round out the menu. No reservations are allowed, so be prepared to wait at this very popular spot.

Its name means oyster in Spanish, and you will find them plenty fresh here, chilled on the half shell and served with mignonette or chipotle cocktail sauce. The oyster bar also serves up clams, crabs, shrimp, and ceviche. Other offerings of this premium seafood restaurant are roasted Gulf redfish, mahimahi Veracruz, grilled ahi tuna, and applewood-roasted salmon, along with lobster tail and the fish of the day. The nonseafood menu is limited, so ask the server for suggestions. It's open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner at a lovely spot on the River Walk, housed in the luxury Mokara Hotel & Spa; it's very popular, so dinner reservations are highly recommended, especially on weekends. 

If you've never had a breakfast taco, this is the place to try it in San Antonio. Newbies may pause at the number of possibilities, including chorizo and egg, chilaquiles, and migas (eggs scrambled with fried tortilla strips, cheese, and peppers), but first-timers really can't go wrong with a basic potato and egg taco. Breakfast plates, appetizers, soups and salads, and substantial lunch plates round out the taco extravaganza. Don't be afraid of the long lines out the door, as the morning crowds move quickly. 

This Alamo Heights standard has served fresh, healthy food since 1981. Regulars and visitors love it because it's a neighborhood spot with a tempting bakery case and a varied menu for breakfast and lunch, including some Mexican favorites. The atmosphere is relaxed, friendly, and a bit quirky. Breakfast is a special treat with a good assortment of omelets, including vegetarian, cowboy, and vaquero (Mexican cowboy), plus Mexican favorites like chilaquiles, migas, and even tofu rancheros. Lunch offers homemade soups and freshly made salads and sandwiches. Brunch is served on Saturday only.