Beyond the famous River Walk and the historic walls of the Alamo, San Antonio has a dynamic culinary scene worthy of every palate. From the city’s unique blend of cultures sprout dishes that are rich in tradition and brimming with innovation. We call it “Tex-Next.” The city is on the fast-track to becoming one of the most celebrated dining destinations in the country. On the world stage, it was designated a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy in November 2017.
Authentic Tex-Mex is a must for any trip to San Antonio. The cuisine is ever-present throughout restaurants and family cocinas, yet San Antonio extends well beyond the enchilada. Generational recipes are still being passed down while innovative dishes are popping up with speed and passion.
San Antonio and the surrounding Hill Country, an agriculturally rich area, seduce local chefs into becoming foragers. The dining scene is abundant with wild game, locally-grown produce and even chiles found only in this region. To complement, the neighboring Texas Wine Trail in the Hill Country is one of the nation’s hottest wine destinations.
As a gateway to Latin America, San Antonio is uniquely positioned to showcase and celebrate the richness of this cuisine. The third campus of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America (CIA) is located in San Antonio. Dedicated to the foundations of culinary instruction as well as specializations in Latin cuisines, this campus takes advantage of the city’s cultural influences and access to indigenous ingredients. The school’s full-service restaurant, SAVOR, opened in January 2019 at Pearl and features Modern-American cuisine based on the CIA’s curriculum.
The CIA campus is located at Pearl, a food haven and shopping destination. San Antonio is an old brew town that has breathed new life into this well-known brewery in the heart of the city. A cluster of diverse restaurants offers some of the city’s best cuisine—from Texas Gulf Coast seafood and on-site brews at Southerleigh to Botika, where Asian-Peruvian fusion shines, to La Gloria’s street foods of Mexico. Pearl also offers a weekend farmers market where locals and chefs alike can gather the region’s bounty. Hotel Emma is a historic riverfront luxury independent boutique hotel at Pearl, combining the culture, history and authenticity of the city.
Festivities abound in San Antonio, and culinary celebrations are no exception. To delve into the depth of San Antonio’s culinary landscape, Culinaria Festival Week is held annually in September. Here chefs showcase their talents alongside wines ranging from local to international.
Fine drinks only enhance the experience, and San Antonio takes them as seriously as great tacos. The annual San Antonio Cocktail Conference, one of the nation’s largest cocktail events, brings spirits enthusiasts and industry experts alike for cocktail education, tasting events, competitions and more, all celebrating the art of the cocktail.
San Antonio is truly a place where you can happily feed the stomach and nourish the heart.
Visit San Antonio is a 501(c)6, and serves as the sales and marketing arm of San Antonio as a leading leisure and meetings destination. San Antonio welcomes approximately 39 million visitors annually. Hospitality is one of the top five industries in the city, contributing $15.2 billion into the local economy annually and employing 140,000. More information can be found at VisitSanAntonio.com.
