I was recently in San Antonio, Texas. Famous for Davey Crockett and the Alamo, it is a lovely city with many fantastic places to dine.

For convenience, I’ve grouped the restaurants into the section of the city where they can be found.

River Walk

A site in the city almost as iconic as the Alamo is the San Antonio River Walk. A pedestrian thoroughfare in the center of downtown, built around water ways designed to prevent the San Antonio River from overflowing and causing flooding. It is one level below street level and forms a loop connecting many downtown sites. Along the River Walk are many hotels, shops, and restaurants. I am going to focus on the restaurants.

Schilo’s

Founded in 1917, Schilo’s is the oldest restaurant in San Antonio. Technically, it’s not on the River Walk but since it is just one storefront down from it, I’m including it here. (It’s sister restaurant next door, Casa Rio is not only on the River Walk, it is the oldest restaurant on it.)

Schilo’s history dates back to the early 1900s, when “Papa” Fritz Schilo opened a saloon in Beeville Texas. In 1914, the family moved, saloon and all, to San Antonio. They started serving food in 1917, using Mama Schilo’s recipes. In 1942 Schilo’s moved to its current location, during the time the River Walk was being built. Three generations of Schilo’s ran the restaurant until 1980. At that time another German family, the Lyons purchased it. The Lyons family still owns and operates Schilo’s.

Schilo’s is only open for breakfast and lunch. We arrived in San Antonio around lunch time and headed straight there. The menu is a mix of German and Texas fare, along with both breakfast and pub food. Breakfast items include eggs, hash browns, biscuits and gravy, and pancakes. But there is also Breakfast Schnitzel and Potato Pancakes. Proving that they are in Texas, they have 6 choices of tacos. Pub items include sandwiches and a variety of burgers and dogs. German offerings include three kinds of Schnitzel, Meatloaf, and a Sausage Platter. There is also a Taste Of Germany which includes the above items, plus sauerkraut and German Potato Salad.

In order to get a variety of Schilo’s food, I ordered the appetizer sampler (Schilo’s Sampler). This included a soft pretzel, sausage, and one of their signature items: Reuben Fritters. Everything in the sampler was good, but the stand out dish is the fritters. It is a signature item for good reason. Consisting of Corned beef, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese, the fritters are breaded and fried. Crispy on the outside but soft on the inside, they tasted just like a fried Rueben sandwich. Perfect!

For my entree, I had their Chicken and Dumplings. This is comfort food, with plenty of chicken and vegetables. My favorite part of the dish was the gravy. A lot of places rely on salt to give gravy flavor. Not here. This gravy was low salt, yet had a deep chicken flavor.

Schilo’s has plenty of beer, but I am not one who drinks beer with lunch. But they also have Root beer. Dubbed as their Famous Root Beer, it is made with pure cane sugar. This is good Root beer, a cut above what you would get from a store or a fountain.

Schilo’s has the feel of an old style family restaurant. We were served very quickly, but our waitress, gregarious and friendly, took time to talk to us. Not only was she helpful with making food recommendations, she gave us the history of the restaurant. She did not make us feel rushed at all.

Saltgrass Steak House

While in Texas, one of our must haves was steak. However, not everyone was eating steak so we wanted a place that has a diverse menu and was in our price range. There are many high end steak places in San Antonio that we could not afford. Fortunately, right on the River Walk we found a place that has good steak and a wide selection: the Saltgrass Steak House.

The menu describes the origin of the name. In the mid 1800s, “when millions of Longhorns roamed freely in Texas,” the cattle were driven to the Texas Gulf Coast to graze on the salt grass. The trail to and from the coast was known as the Salt Grass Trail and was renowned for having the best beef around. The Saltgrass Steak House aims to capture the high quality of that beef.

I’m going to focus on the steaks, but Saltgrass has a full menu with Appetizers; Soup, Salad, & Sandwiches, BBQ, grilled or fried chicken, and seafood. There is also a Surf and Turf section called Paired For You.

The steak options are: Wagon Boss Center-Cut Top Sirloin, Pat’s Ribeye, Maudeen’s Center-Cut Filet, Bone-in Ribeye, New York Strip, Texas T-Bone, Silver Star Porterhouse, and Snake River Farms Bone-in Wagyu Strip. Add-ons to steak include smothered with mushrooms and onions, shrimp (grilled, fried, or cajun), sauteed mushrooms on the side, and a blue cheese bacon topping. I believe a good steak does not need additions, and did not get any of these options.

We began our meal with one of the appetizers, Queso Fresco (cheese fresh), and a complimentary bread roll. The Queso Fresco was a cheese dip served with tortilla chips. The queso was very liquid, and had a strong cheese flavor. It was great for dipping chips. The bread was fresh and served with a honey butter that I found delightful.

For my entree, I chose the Wagyu strip steak, asking for it to be cooked rare. It came out a perfect rare. I had it seasoned with Saltgrass’ 7 seasoning spice blend. I found it too salty, but one of my companions felt it was just right. Two of my companions also had steak. One also had the Wagyu and the other had the sirloin. Everyone agreed that the steaks were fantastic: moist, flavorful, and having a good beefy taste. Entrees are served with a side of soup or salad. I had the tortilla soup, which was filled with plenty of crisp tortilla strips and a flavorful broth.

As for the rest of our group, one had the Grilled Chicken Breast and the other had the Grilled Chicken Salad. I had a taste of the grilled chicken and it was quite moist and tender. I did not taste the salad myself, but it got a positive review.

Among their selection of desserts, we chose the Pecan Pie Bread Pudding. Served in a skillet, it was crispy on the outside and had plenty of pecans and caramel sauce. The pudding itself is quite sweet and rich, with the vanilla ice cream cutting it. It is also a heavy dessert; I am glad we shared it.

Saltgrass is a busy place. We did not have a reservation, but were seated in about 10 minutes (although we were there in the early evening). The service was very good. Our waiter was attentive and promptly refilled our drinks. While we entered from the street level, the restaurant is also accessible from the River Walk. There is plenty of outdoor seating, but we were seated inside and on the lower level. This provided us with a view of the walk without having to deal with the outside humidity.

Mr Ice Cream

Mr Ice Cream is an ice cream parlor on street level but accessible from the River Walk. But that is not how I found it. I found it because it is right across the street from Schilo’s. I made note of the place on my first day and returned to it later in the week.

The ice cream is not made in house, but they serve a Texas favorite: Blue Bell Ice Cream. As their sign says, Mr Ice Cream has 37 flavors. This includes standards such as Homemade Vanilla, Butter Pecan, and Mint Chocolate Chip. But they also have some unique flavors: Moo-llenium Crunch, Chocolate Peanut Butter Overload, and Krazie Kookie Dough. Some varieties, such as Cookie Two Step and Pecan Pralines ‘n Cream, have a decidedly Texas flavor.

I went with two very Texas choices: Pecan Pralines ‘n Cream and Dr Pepper Float. The Praline flavor is quite unique. It has a sweet, caramel like base, with chunks of pecans and Pralines mixed in. It is a great combination of tastes and textures. The Dr. Pepper, not too surprisingly, tastes exactly like Dr. Pepper. But it was more of a sorbet than an ice cream, and as such I liked it less. But I’m glad I tried it because where else can you get Dr. Pepper ice cream?

Downtown

These are restaurants in Downtown San Antonio, not in the River Walk, but not too far from it.

Mi Tierra

There is one restaurant I go to every time I am in San Antonio and that is Mi Tierra. It has good food and a great ambience. The restaurant makes you feel just like you are in Mexico.

Pete Cortez, an immigrant from Mexico, and his wife Cruz started Mi Tiera (“My Country”) in 1941 at the El Mercado in downtown San Antonio. The restaurant is still operated by the Cortez family, now the fourth generation. It is still located in the El Mercado.

The menu features many Mexican dishes such as Tacos, Chalupas, Enchiladas, Tamales, and Fajitas. Appetizers include Nachos, Quesadillas, and Chile con Queso. There is also an appetizer sampler called Botana Platter. Among the soup and salad offerings are the Mi Tierra Taco Salad and a Tortilla soup (Caldo del Mercado). Specialties of the House feature Mexican entrees like Chile Relleno, Costillas de Res Asadas (Baked Beef Ribs), and Carnitas de Puerco (Baked Pork Tips).

For my entree, I had the Chile Relleno. The Chile Relleno is a classic Mexican dish consisting of a stuffed and deep fried Poblano pepper. Normally it is stuffed with cheese. Not at Mi Tierra. Their version is stuffed with seasoned ground beef. A fabulous interpretation of this great dish.

The other dishes our group had were the Enchilada Dinner and the Deluxe Mexican Dinner. The Mexican Dinner consists of Fajitas, a Chicken Enchilada, a Crispy Beef Taco, and a Tamale. Normally the Enchilada Dinner is either beef or chicken, but my companion got one of each for a small up charge. Both of my companions said their food was very good.

As good as the food is, what makes Mi Tierra special is the atmosphere. The lighting, decor, and music make you feel like you are in Mexico. Mariachi bands are wandering through the restaurant, performing at tables. The walls have some beautiful murals. I was excited to see one with Pope Francis and a background montage of every San Antonio Franciscan mission. I had visited each of the missions earlier in the day. Mi Tierra is a delightful place to have a meal.

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Rosario’s Comida Mex & Bar

Rosario’s Comida Mex & Bar has been a staple of the Southtown San Antonio, serving Mexican cuisine for over 30 years.

Rosario’s is technically outside the downtown area, but is pretty close to it (about 1/2 mile south of the River Walk). In 1992, Lisa Wong took ownership when the restaurant was in bankruptcy. After a few years, she outgrew the original space and moved to the current location. Rosario’s was Lisa’s second restaurant; she has since become a staple of the restaurant scene in San Antonio.

Rosario’s menu has all the Mexican dishes you would expect: tacos, enchiladas, and chalupas. Appetizers include Nachos, Mexican Street Corn, Ceviche, Guacamole Fresco, and Palmoitas de Coliflor (Mexican style cauliflower). Specialties include Chile Releno, Pollo a La Maria (charbroiled chicken with cilantro pesto), and Guisado de Lengua (beef tongue). Rosario’s is known for their fish tacos and the Enchiladas Mexicanas. We were unaware of that and ordered other dishes.

I ordered a chicken mole dish called Mole Casero, while my companions ordered the Enchilada Mole. Rosario’s mole is a sweeter than most moles. Our waiter told us that a head of time, so that was expected. Nevertheless, I had recently had mole in Mexico and, in comparison, Rosario’s was a little bland. Neither myself nor my companions thought highly of these dishes.

However, after seeing another table order the chips and salsa, we decided to do so as well. The dish is called Fire Roasted Salsa and Chips. The salsa is amazing! Spicy and with great depth of flavor, both my companions and I loved it. The chips are very crispy as well. A great vehicle for the salsa. This was the highlight of the meal.

I decided to try a dessert. The choices were flan, Arroz Con Leche (rice with milk), and a Tres Leches cake (3 milks cake). I went with the Tres Leches. This, too, was amazing. It was not a large cake, but it was full of flavor. It also had plenty of fruit. The flavors all blended together quite well, forming a unique and delicious taste.

Rosario’s has an upscale atmosphere. But not too fancy; more like a lounge. The colors are bright and the paintings on the wall give the place a classy feel. My companions gave positive remarks on the look and vibe. Our waiter was prompt and attentive and regularly stopped by to check on us and refill our drinks.

Pearl District

The Pearl District is a relatively new development in San Antonio, created about 10 years ago. Built on the site of a local brewery, the Pearl Brewery, it is a mixed use residence and real district a few miles north of the River Walk. While not on the River Walk, there is now a walkway along the San Antonio river that connects the two areas. One evening, I met a friend for dinner and he showed me around Pearl.

La Gloria’s

My friend took me to a Mexican restaurant called La Gloria’s. Of all the Mexican restaurants I went to in San Antonio, Gloria’s has the best food. If you cannot make it to Pearl, they also have a location in the San Antonio airport.

Opening in May 2010 by Chef Johnny_Hernandez, La Gloria’s must have been one of the first restaurants to open in Pearl. Johnny is a native of San Antonio and a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. He has gone on to launch several restaurants in San Antonio.

The concept behind La Gloria’s is Mexican Street Food. The menu consists of Tacos, Tlayudas (Mexican Pizzas), Tortas, Quesadillas, Panuchos, Sopes, Ceviches, Molcajetes, Tamales, and Pescado Del Dia (Fish of the Day). Many of these items are street foods that I was not aware of before going to La Gloria’s.

As an appetizer we had Chorizo Con Rajas, which is Chili con queso with chorizo sausage and roasted Poblano peppers added. The cheese was rich and thick; the sausage divine. The Poblanos were flavorful, but not . very spicy. Overall, it was a heavy appetizer. But delicious.

I have had Molcajete before, elsewhere in the southwest. They are not not common in the northeast, so I decided to have one for my meal.

The Molcajete dish contains a mixture of meats and spices and is served in a stone bowl, which shares the Molcajete name. I chose Arrachera en Adobo: strips of beef in a spicy chili sauce. The beef was extremely tender; the spices subtle and complex. Brimming with flavor, I absolutely loved this dish.

My companion had Tacos Al Pastor. This is a pork taco, served with vegetables and chunks of pineapple. I had a small taste. The pork was tender and well seasoned; the pineapple sweet but not overpowering. A great taco.

La Gloria’s has a very laid back, casual atmosphere. There is a fair amount of indoor seating and an even larger amount of outdoor seating. The outdoor seating has good views of the river. As we were there on a humid summer day, most people were eating indoors. There is a cocktail menu with a decent variety of Margaritas. The waiters were prompt and attentive. Service is fast. Extremely fast. From entering to leaving, we were able to finish our meal in under 45 minutes. However, we were not rushed at all.

For great Mexican food in a casual but scenic environment, you can’t go wrong with La Gloria’s.

Lick Honest Ice Creams

Lick Honest Ice Creams is a “farm to table” (or should that be “farm to scoop”) ice cream shop. They use fresh local ingredients and milk sourced from regional dairy farms.

Lick is the brainchild of Anthony Sobotik and Chad Palmatier. Anthony is from Texas while Chad is from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They met in New York. On trips to Lancaster, Anthony developed an appreciation of the small town ice cream shops found in Pennsylvania. Together the pair decided to bring that tradition to Texas.

Anthony and Chad opened their first Lick Honest Ice Cream in Austin in 2011. The shop in the Pearl District was their first location in San Antonio, opening in 2014. There are now three locations in the city and, with locations in College Station and Houston, nine throughout Texas.

Lick’s menu is relatively small, featuring 8 regular flavors, 2 seasonal, and 4 dairy free. Their regular flavors have a decidedly local spin. Some highlights are: Hill Country Honey & Vanilla Bean; Roasted Beets & Fresh Mint; Caramel Salt Lick; and Goat Cheese, Thyme, and Honey. The seasonal flavors were Blueberry Crumble and Blackberry, Lime & Basil. The dairy free options are similarly exotic: Grapefruit Paloma, Pecan Joy, Peachy Colada, and Chocolate Chocolate.

I chose two flavors: Fresh Mint Chocolate Chunk and Dark Chocolate, Olive Oil & Sea Salt. The ice cream in both are rich and creamy. The Dark Chocolate has a deep, complex chocolate flavor. The mint flavor is noticeable, but not too strong. The Fresh Mint ice cream has a mild base, contrasting well with the richness of the Dark Chocolate ice cream. Together, the two turned out to be a fantastic combination.

The Pearl Street location was crowded, but the waiting time was short. Most of the indoor seating area was filled, but there was a couple of spots available. The servers were friendly and helpful. All in all, it was a fun dining experience and the ice cream is out of this world.

Other Parts of the City

There are many fine restaurants outside of the downtown area and its immediate surroundings. It is worth it to venture to these areas and check them out.

Rudy’s Country Store and Barb-B-Q

There’s one place I go to every time I am in San Antonio and that is Rudy’s Country Store and Barb-B-Q.

Rudy’s started in the 1800s by Rudolph Aue in Leon Springs Texas, which is a small town a little north of San Antonio. Back then, it was a gas station, garage, and grocery store. Bar-B-Q was added in 1989 and the rest is history. Rudy’s has locations throughout Texas and several other states: Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and even one in Florida. I went to the one in Westover Hills, near Seaworld.

Rudy’s serves Texas style barbecue. In Texas style, you go to a butcher’s counter and order your meats by the pound. Any sides or drinks are also ordered at the counter. What’s unique about this style is that the meats can be ordered in any combination and in any size. I’ve been to “Texas style” barbecue outside of Texas, both in the States and in Europe, and there is never that flexibility. You have to order preset amounts of meat, either by itself or in set combinations. Not in Texas.

The meats on Rudy’s menu are all the classics: Brisket, Turkey, Ribs, and sausages. Standard sides include Cream Corn, Beans, Cole Slaw, and Mac-N-Cheese.

I ordered 1/4 lb each of the brisket and the Pork Ribs. The brisket was tender and moist and the ribs had good flavor and texture. At Rudy’s, all the tables have big bottles of barbecue sauce. It’s a good sauce, but I find the barbecue is good enough that you do not need it. My favorite side at Rudy’s is the cream corn. Kernels of fresh corn served it a thick, creamy white sauce. Delicious!

My companions shared the half chicken. I had never had the chicken before and now know that was a mistake. It is my favorite dish of the three. Not only was it tender, but it also had a strong smokey flavor. My companion also loved that smokey flavor, remarking that really taste the oak.

Rudy’s has a rustic atmosphere. The tables are all long, wooden picnic tables. There is indoor seating, but I’ve always sat outdoors. It’s a great place to have a relaxing meal.

Smoke Shack BBQ

One restaurant is on all the lists for best barbecue in San Antonio. So we had to check Smoke Shack BBQ out.

Chris Conger opened the Smoke Shack restaurant on Broadway back in 2014. He had been running a successful food truck, Conger’s Smoke Shack, for several years. Since opening, Smoke Shack has been winning awards for best barbecue. Besides the original location on Broadway, there is a Smoke Shack in the San Antonio airport.

Smoke Shack is also a Texas style BBQ place, where you place your order at the counter. Here, though, the food is brought to your table. The meat options are the classics: Brisket, Pulled Pork, Sausage, Turkey, Ribs, and Chicken. Sides are also classics. Among them are Mac N’ Cheese, Pinto Beans, Spicy Cream Corn, and Fried Okra. There is also a combination platter with 1, 2, or 3 meats; 2 sides; and a roll.

I ordered the two meat and two side combo. The two meats I chose were the brisket and the sausage. I loved both of them. For the brisket, you have a choice of lean or marbled. I chose marbled. It is moist and flavorful. The sausage I chose has cheese mixed in. It isn’t spicy, but it has a strong cheese flavor. It is very moist. More moist than most sausages I’ve had elsewhere. Fantastic! For my sides, I choose the fried okra and the Mac N’ Cheese. I liked both. The Mac is more liquidy than I am used to, but it has a smokey flavor that made it special.

One of my companions had both the lean and marbled brisket. He reports that both were fantastic. Other meats ordered by our group included the pulled pork and the chopped brisket. I had a taste of the chopped brisket. It has good flavor, but is very greasy. I prefer the sliced brisket that I ordered. I also had a taste of the beans; they are slightly spicy and have a good smoke flavor as well.

The Smoke Shack is a popular place and it was crowded the whole time we were there. There was a line, but it moved quickly. We also had no trouble finding a seat. The service was quick and the wait staff regularly attended to our needs. While we weren’t rushed, it was a quick meal and felt like it.

Original Donut Shop

When I heard that there was a place in San Antonio that served both tacos and donuts, I knew I had to check it out. As it is only open for breakfast and lunch, it was tough to squeeze it in. But I am glad I did.

The Original Donut Shop has been around since 1954. I’ve read conflict reports as to whether Patrick Morris opened it then or took over in the 1960s. In either case, back then it was just a donut shop and had the name Hot Donuts. It was a huge success. Tacos were added to the menu in 1978. As far as I can tell, the restaurant is still owned by Morris’ family. It is still in the same location on Fredericksburg Rd in the Maverick neighborhood of San Antonio.

I arrived a couple of minutes before opening. I was surprised to see a short line had already formed at the door and a long line of cars waiting at the drive through. I decided to get in the line for tacos. The menu has other items — Enchiladas, Chalupas, Fajitas, Flautuas, and breakfast plates such as Huevos Rancheros — but I was interested in the tacos. There are almost 3 dozen varieties to choose from. All made with tortillas freshly cooked right behind the counter.

I decided on getting two Chorizo and Egg tacos. The line moved quickly and in about 5 minutes I had my breakfast. The tacos were packed and dense. The eggs and chorizo are thoroughly mixed together, blending the flavors into one solid, delicious taco. They are also quite filling.

After finishing my breakfast, I got in line for a donut. There were about a dozen varieties available. Upon the advice of the person ahead of me in line, I got the Apple Fritter. He is a local, who no longer lives nearby, but was in the area visiting family. He had also recommended the Chocolate Filled donut, but those were in the process of being made and were not available yet. The fritter was so fresh that it was still hot when I got it. It was also a little greasy, but not overly so. More importantly, it was moist and full of flavor. To top it off, there were big chunks of apple in it. A great recommendation.

While the lines were long, the service was quick. There is a good amount of indoor eating space, but most people were taking their orders to go. I saw signs for a patio, but I did not venture there. The people I encountered were friendly and helpful. It felt like a place where everyone knew each other. I now consider The Original Donut Shop a “must visit” place whenever I am in San Antonio.

Not this time

There are many great restaurants in San Antonio that I was not able to visit on this trip. On the top of my list is Curry Boys BBQ, a place that combines Texas barbecue with Asian curry. Another place that serves Asian cuisine is Best Quality Daughter. Multiple people have recommended this Asian Fusion restaurant, located in the Pearl District . A place that I did not make it to this time, but have been to before, is The Guenther House. Located in the historic King William District, it is a restaurant in the former house of a wealthy mill owner. It is only open for breakfast and lunch, serving American fare but with Tex-Mex influences.

San Antonio’s Book

As readers of this blog know, I have a tradition of picking up a cookbook whenever I visit someplace new. I had been to San Antonio before, so I was not planning on buying a book on this trip. But in the airport, I saw Los Barrios Family Cookbook. I found the family history inspiring and immediately picked up the book. Located in the heart of San Antonio, Los Barrios is a Tex-Mex restaurant. It was founded in 1979 by Viola Barrios in a garage. Her husband had passed away and, needing income to pay some debts, decided to do what she knew best: cook. Word of mouth began to spread and people starting lining up to eat at the Mexican restaurant in a garage. Los Barrios is no longer in the garage but is still serving Mexican food in the Northmoor neighborhood. The book (and, I gather, the restaurant) has home cooked dishes not typically found in Mexican restaurants, at least in America. I’ve already made two of them: their salsa, and Pollo con Calabacita (chicken with summer squash). I look forward to making more. And to visiting the restaurant.

I also want to mention a “cookbook” I got on a previous trip. Cookin’ with Tequila is more of a pamphlet than a book, but it has some great recipes. There’s two I have made many times. The first is Red Peppers and Green Beans and the second is Enchanted Scallops, a spicy pan-seared scallops recipe. I picked it up in the El Mercado by Mi Tierra.