A Map of the Best New Restaurants in San Antonio (April 2024)

By Sara Branstetter | April 1, 2024

Over the last 15 years, we have watched San Antonio work its way up from a middle of the road food city to a gastronomic heavy hitter, even earning the coveted UNESCO creative city of gastronomy award in 2017. With a fusion of cultures and flavors, chefs that are willing to get a little adventurous with food, and a population that just plain LOVES TO EAT, the city has proven to be the perfect petri dish in which to develop a thriving food culture. SA now boasts a number of internationally recognized chefs and award-winning restaurants, and, given the sheer volume of new eateries opening their doors, it looks to continue that upward culinary trajectory in the years to come.

With new places hitting the food scene all the time, it can get a little overwhelming trying to stay on top of what’s trending, so we have created a list of some of the best new restaurants in San Antonio. Each of these places is new or relatively new, having opened within the last 24 months, and definitely worth a visit.

As we will be updating this list frequently, plan to check back on the regular for new restaurant ideas and recommendations.

New Restaurants In San Antonio

Rooster Crow Bakery

(Opened December 2022)

Just a few years ago, residents of Shavano Park and beyond were saddened by the news of the retirement of the owner of the beloved bakery, Sol y Luna. This neighborhood bakery had been a north central San Antonio staple for many years and its closing, and subsequent loss of flaky, buttery pastries, rippled across the area.

Thankfully, the pastry catastrophe was only short-lived as pastry chef Jenn Riesman (former pastry chef at the Hotel Emma and the Silo Restaurant Group) saw a great opportunity and jumped at it. She moved into the space left vacated by Sol y Luna and opened up her delicious Rooster Crow Bakery, effectively putting an end to the collective croissant withdrawals.

While the croissants at Rooster Crow are certainly worth a mention, Riesman is definitely more than a one-trick pastry pony. Muffins, cakes, pies, and sundry savory bakes fill the coolers as you walk into this brightly colored little bakery. Feel free to grab a goody to enjoy later, or order a slice of pie and a latté and take a seat at one of their tables to enjoy your food in-house.

But whatever you order, enjoy it you will. The pies, in particular, are something to write home about. The Boston Cream pie is large and fluffy, and beautifully decorated with pops of gold in the tempered chocolate that lies on top. The Chocolate Cream pie is creamy and delicious. And the muffins strike the perfect balance of moist and sweet.

While I know the sweets are oh-so-enticing, you don’t want to miss out on the savory bakes either. We tried the chicken and sausage pot pie with a biscuit crust and found our mouths to be in utter food heaven.

Rooster Crow’s excellent variety of fantastically executed baked goods more than lives up to the offerings of its predecessor, definitely making it one of San Antonio’s best new restaurants.

WEBSITE | 4421 De Zavala Rd, San Antonio, TX 78249

Hook Land & Sea (at the Creamery District)

(Opened Jan 2024)

This one is kind of a twofer. San Antonio has seen a recent explosion in new developments (the SA Yacht Club and the Make Ready Market to name a few) looking to house mixed retail, business, and dining space. The newest kid on the mixed development block, The Creamery District, is now up and running and open for dining.

Located just two blocks north of the Pearl Historic District, the Creamery is aiming to bolster the area’s reputation as a cuisine powerhouse. With a coffeehouse, seafood restaurant, and three bars on tap, the Creamery is a one-stop shop for an evening of great food, drinks, and entertainment.

The Creamery is nestled right next to the San Antonio river’s flood control tunnel and offers really great views of the dam and river.

The beautiful white stucco building and gorgeous outdoor patio make for a lovely venue to enjoy some outdoor sunshine while sipping on some coffee from Créme, noshing on a plate from Hook Land & Sea, or sipping cocktails from Amelia.

The forthcoming rooftop bar, Lunatique, and underground jazz lounge, Easy Baby, will round out the dining options in the near future.

While the Creamery offers no small number of choices in the immediate vicinity to get your drink on, there is really only one option for dining - the fusion seafood restaurant, Hook Land & Sea.

Upon arriving, guests are instructed to order their food at the counter/bar, and then take a number to a table to be served. Quick service, counter-style seafood restaurants haven’t exactly wowed me in the past, so I was expecting this to be an underwhelming culinary experience. Thankfully, I was proven very wrong.

Once seated, our food was brought out and we had the opportunity to try a number of entrees including the shrimp aguachile, grilled octopus, fish chicharron tacos, ahi tuna poke bowl, and the carnitas bowl. Everything, and I do mean everything, was delicious. Colors were bright, flavors were bold and fresh, textures were spot-on, and our tastebuds were utterly delighted.

The fusion of Mexican, Asian, and seafood flavors at Hook Land & Sea is a masterclass, and an affordable one at that. Entrees average $15 and portion sizes are solid. We didn’t leave hungry or feeling like it was just another overly fried seafood diner.

If there aren’t already enough boozy options for you at the Creamery, Hook Land & Sea also has a sizable cocktail list that includes house cocktails, adult slushies, wine, and beer. Be sure to check out their happy hour where you can enjoy a variety of their adult beverages for just $5.

WEBSITE | 875 E Ashby Pl Bldg 2 & 3, San Antonio, TX 78212

Greenhouse Olmos Park

(Opened Jan 2024)

It seems that whatever the owners of SA restaurant, Mixtli, put their hands to, success follows. And that is definitely the case with the brand new coffeehouse concept, Greenhouse Olmos Park.

Located at the intersection of Hildenbrand and McCullough Ave., GOP is already turning heads with only a few weeks of operating under its belt.

Just days after opening, Greenhouse was named to the Express New’s top 10 list of best coffee shops in San Antonio - which was probably more of a nod to the Mixtli powerhouse behind the brand, but after a brief visit there myself, I think they are definitely on to something.

Greenhouse Olmos Park is not only one of the best new restaurants in San Antonio, but perhaps the best new coffee shop as well.

Much like Mixtli, Greenhouse Olmos Park doesn’t aim to wow with fancy new concoctions or cutting edge preparation techniques, they simply wow by doing normal food, in this case coffee, the best way possible.

Drinks at GOP were simply on point. There’s really no better way to put it. The traditional latté and matcha latté that we sampled were among the best we have had before. And in a coffeehouse experience, that’s all anybody is really looking for.

But they do more than coffee really well. Greenhouse Olmos Park also offers homemade pastries (all of which are gluten-free), and a small lunch menu of salads, quiches, and sandwiches.

We tried both sweet and savory options - highly recommend the chocolate brownie and a quiche/sausage ball crossover that had bacon and zucchini in it. Both were delicious and gluten-free, which you would never guess by the taste.

Greenhouse Olmos Park’s one drawback is a notable absence of seating. The shop is teeny, with only about five tables that each sat two people. As everything was full when we got there, we ended up having to take our food to go, which wasn’t our first choice.

It does appear that they may end up having some outside seating on a deck along Hildebrand in the future, but as it had been raining, there weren’t any tables or chairs set up. So while I definitely recommend the coffee, just be prepared to take it to go, or get there early and stake out a seat.

WEBSITE | 223 E. Hildenbrand Ave., Ste. 101, San Antonio, TX 78212

SA Yacht Club

(Opened Nov 2023)

Beer, food, retail. Pretty much all you need to survive. And now all can be found at San Antonio’s newest, and quirkiest, retail center, the SA Yacht Club.

Located just two blocks west of the Pearl Brewery, the SA Yacht Club is an eccentric place to enjoy some of the best San Antonio has to offer. This really is an odd place. The buildings are recycled shipping containers and there’s a bright orange VW Beetle parked in front as a sign.

The location is a bit random with one side of the street filled with brand new buildings and designer townhomes while the other side is occupied by old (read: falling apart) houses and buildings.

And the Yacht Club businesses themselves are a mashup that don’t make a lot of sense. Tacos, coffee, Filipino food, leather goods, and vacation rentals. But in the case of the SA Yacht Club, weird works and odd is more than agreeable.

If you’re coming for food, you are coming for the right reason. One of San Antonio’s best taco joints, Naco 210, just closed up its shop at Los Patios (for which we are shedding a few tears - that place was gorgeous!) and decamped to the Yacht Club. They rebranded and are now Naco Grayson.

The menu is the same and the tacos haven’t lost a step. And for those of us mourning the loss of the Los Patios location, you can still catch their taco truck which is parked at 410 and Nacogdoches. Either location is a stellar taco option.

Other food options include the outstanding Filipino food truck, Jeepney Street Eats, where lumpia, pancit, and sisig rule the roost, and Drippy’s and Sippy’s, places to get your coffee and booze respectively. The SA Yacht Club rounds out its offerings with the Bexar Goods Co, a leather maker with a brick and mortar airstream for browsing, and upper level Airbnb vacation rentals.

Given the food and laid back vibe at the SA Yacht Club, it is definitely worth a visit for a chill lunch or evening.

But beware the parking situation. The only options for parking in the area are surface parking along the streets. Given that this is both a residential and industrial neighborhood, parking is tight and has the potential to be an irritant to local homeowners and businesses. So it’s best to be conscientious when parking and be prepared to walk.

WEBSITE | 310 W Grayson St, San Antonio, TX 78212

Idle Beer Hall and Brewery

(Opened Oct 2023)

In preparation for the coming new food hall at the historic Cavender Cadillac building, the Make Ready Market, Idle Beer Hall and Brewery has thrown open the doors on their indoor/outdoor space in the adjacent building in San Antonio’s River North area.

Idle joins veteran vendor Mila Coffee to meet all the liquid needs (caffeine and alcohol) of the coming crowds to the future MRM.

Idle’s 15,000 sq ft space offers ample room for people to relax, enjoy a drink with friends, or bask in the sun-drenched outdoor patio area.

Indoors, guests to Idle will be enthusiastically greeted by the super-friendly brewery dog, Everest, who patrols the open-concept beer hall looking for pets. The high ceilings and steel beams give the entire room an industrial, though not cold, feel. There are lots of seating options including couches and tables, as well as a few ski ball machines and a pool table. Outdoors, Idle has picnic tables, Adirondack chairs, and a ping-pong table.

Idle has a solid list of craft beers that are brewed in house and seem to rotate based on what’s available at the time. A few canned options as well, as house cocktails for the non-beer drinkers, round out the brewery’s menu.

Idle’s happy hour, which occurs daily from 12pm to 6pm, boasts a fantastic half-pour of any of their beers on draft for the pint-sized price of just $3. While they don’t currently offer a flight, for $12, you can get four half-pours during happy hour, and some good exposure to their products.

Parking is the only major challenge for Idle. and it’s only set to get worse once the Make Ready Market opens and the crowds show up. There is some public parking at the corner of Avenue B and 8th Street, but Avenue B is now a one way street with only minimal street parking.

If possible, plan your upcoming visit for a weekday between 1pm and 4pm. There should be street parking available during those hours (pay by downloading the SA Park app) across Avenue B from the CPS headquarters.

WEBSITE | 414 Brooklyn Ave, San Antonio, TX 78215

Paladar Fusion Mexico Cuba

(Opened September 2023)

“A bit from both sides.” And an apt description of one of San Antonio’s best new restaurants, the Mexican/Cuban fusion restaurant, Paladar.

Marrying the spicy flavors of Mexico to the colorful and often bold flavors of Cuba, Paladar has absolutely nailed it in fashioning a delicious, unique menu that honors the flavors of both countries, while at the same time creating something brand new - especially for a city awash in Mexican food.

Paladar’s menu does a bang up job of giving patrons a bit of everything. The menu is subdivided into neat little sections including appetizers, Cuban dishes, Mexican dishes, fusion dishes, and the requisite sides/drinks/desserts/kids stuff.

Familiar Mexican dishes such as enchiladas and tacos are available to those looking for some local comfort food, while Cuban dishes of sauteed shrimp and slow-cooked pork check the boxes of traditional Cuban cuisine.

During our visit to Paladar, we sampled the Cuban ceviche and the Sandwich Paladar, a mouthwatering blend of Cuban and Mexican flavors with marinated piglet and Oaxaca cheese.

Both dishes were outstanding. The ceviche, which is made to order, along with everything else at Paladar, was fresh and vibrant. The strong citrus flavor provided a great balance to the red snapper and avocado. The sandwich, on the other hand, was an absolute work of art with perfectly blended flavors and savory yucca chips on the side.

Paladar may be a bit different than what the typical San Antonio palette has come to expect, but that difference makes for a fantastic addition to the landscape of SA’s cuisine. Highly recommend making a visit and trying something brand new. It may sound like a risk, but if the rest of Paladar’s cuisine holds up to what we experienced, it’s actually not a risk at all.

Paladar is located across the street from the Witte Museum’s parking garage. While you can enter the parking lot from Broadway, it’s easiest to locate the restaurant from Avenue B, or the parking garage.

WEBSITE | Garage, Parking, Storefront facing Avenue B, 3615 Broadway UNIT 4, San Antonio, TX 78209

Nineteen Hyaku

(Opened Sept 2023)

Busy (so busy!) restaurateurs, Houston and Emily Carpenter, have done it again with the successful opening of their 5th San Antonio restaurant, and quite possibly their most ambitious project.

Nineteen Hyaku is located off of Broadway, just east of the Pearl Historic district and only about a block away from the couple’s popular southern eatery, and another of the best new restaurants in San Antonio, Restaurant Claudine.

Nineteen Hyaku officially opened its doors on September 27 and welcomed guests to its GORGEOUS indoor eating space that features high ceilings, wicker accents, and a white marble sushi bar that spans the entire length of the restaurant.

The decor is rounded out with pops of yellow, chinese lantern-style lighting, and an attractive full service bar with an eye-catching modern light fixture. The space truly has the “wow” factor in abundance.

Nineteen Hyaku’s menu works to keep pace with the interior by turning the spotlight on their Japanese inspired cuisine. But to just call it “Japanese inspired cuisine” is a vast understatement.

Nineteen Hyaku’s flavors are certainly traditionally Japanese, but they have a refined twist, resulting in elevated dishes you won’t find anywhere else in San Antonio.

The menu is broken down into categories including rolled sushi, hand rolls, hot and cold shareable plates, nigiri, and fire-roasted skewers.

While the extensive menu will leave you wanting to try EVERYTHING, try starting with the Ebi Toreado roll with shrimp tempura, cucumber, avocado, and green grapes, the wagyu gyoza with squid ink and ponzu, and the spectacularly delicious mushroom skewers.

Hungry and adventurous guests will be pleased to know that Nineteen Hyaku is offering omakase, or a trust-your-chef experience for $150/guest.

Those who choose to order this will have the chef personally curate dishes, and many of them at that, to fill you up and expose you to just about everything that Nineteen Hyaku does well. And if my experience is at all standard, there isn’t much they don’t do well.

Protip: While there is ample parking near Nineteen Hyaku at the Pearl, I recommend you park at the Oxbow Parking Garage in the Credit Human building. You park there for up to 3 hours at only $5, and it is about a one minute walk from the entrance to the restaurant.

WEBSITE | 1900 Broadway Suite #119, San Antonio, TX 78215

Blush Cocktails and Eats

(Opened Mar 2023)

Creme Brûlée French toast at Blush San Antonio

Our most favorite meal of the day (brunch, of course!) has a new home in San Antonio’s Southtown. Blush Cocktails and Eats opened their doors in March of 2023, bringing to Southtown a whole host of brand new dishes and baked goods.

Located in what was formerly the comedy club, Jokesters 22, Blush’s renovation now boasts a charming and super-cute aesthetic with brightly colored, floral wallpaper, dark green paneled walls, and original hardwood flooring. The attached bakery with scratch-made pastries and outdoor dining patio round out the restaurant, making Blush the whole package when it comes to brunching in SA.

Husband and wife owners Efren Moreno and Tanya Benavides wanted to bring something totally unique to the Alamo city with Blush, so their menu utilizes flavors from Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines while throwing in some caviar and a dash of truffle here and there. The results are outstanding - delicious food in an alluring setting.

Blush’s menu offers a solid mix of brunch items and lunch items, as well as a number of cocktails, wines, and beers - if you want boozy, Blush is all about it. To get a feel for their food, we went both savory and sweet with an order of their King Williams Benedict and their Créme Brulee French Toast.

The Benedict defied convention by replacing the traditional ham with sous vide short ribs and the English muffin with toasted focaccia. Topped with hollandaise and a tangy sharpness from the infused vinegar, and the benedict JUST. PLAIN. WORKED.

The french toast was equally unique and delicious, featuring a créme Anglaise stuffed brioche, fresh berries, brown-butter crumble, and wild honey. It truly tasted as if pillowy-eggy French toast had been coated in creme brulee and then was perfectly caramelized.

The eatery's combination of atmosphere, design, food, and service makes it a welcome addition to the food-forward Southtown area where Blush is definitely one of the best new restaurants in San Antonio.

WEBSITE | 713 S Alamo St, San Antonio, TX 78205

Pink Cappuccino

(Opened Feb 2023)

What do coffee, the color pink, Instagram, and a kidnapping in Mexico have in common? If your answer is Stone Oak’s newest coffee shop, Pink Cappuccino, then you would be correct. Pink Cappuccino opened up in February 2023 on Valentine’s Day and has been a social media hit ever since.

Pink’s owner, Roxana Jimenez, has a colorful story. After surviving being kidnapped in Mexico, she moved to the United States, and decided to throw her energies into something that would empower and encourage other women (coffee being the obvious “empowerment” choice here).

She found a space just off of 1604 and Stone Oak, bedecked it in all things pretty and pink, and started welcoming guests eager for both the food and the selfie options.

And options there are. Nearly every wall at Pink Cappuccino is an instagrammer’s wonderland. There’s a pink flower colored wall, a wall covered in stickers of Valentine’s heart candy, and adorable neon signs everywhere. Flowers, chandeliers, and black leather furniture round out the picture-perfect atmosphere.

Pink’s food is equally as fun as the shop itself. While you can have just about any typical coffee drink you like, Pink’s specialty drinks are really where it’s at. And appropriately enough, many of them are bright pink.

We tried the Unicorn White, the Pink Matcha, the Pink Glam Iced Latte, and the Venetian Hot Chocolate (for the non-caffeiners) - all tasty and fun. Also recommend the crepes and bubble waffles, both of which are absolutely sweet and decadent, and the perfect accompaniment to the perfect pic for your social media page.

WEBSITE | 238 N Loop 1604 E Ste 102, San Antonio, TX 78232

Leche de Tigre

(Opened Feb 2023)

Leche de Tigre, Southtown’s newest hotspot, is a Peruvian cebicheria (not cevicheria in Peru!) and pisco restaurant. Located in what was formerly a 1,400 sq ft. home, Leche de Tigre has transformed the space from an aging house to a fully developed, trendy restaurant complete with a cocktail bar and outdoor patio.

The namesake of the restaurant, which directly translates as “tiger’s milk,” is the name for a spicy, citrus marinade that is used to cure fish in Peru and is ubiquitous in the cebiches and tiraditos (Peruvian raw fish dishes) that fill the menu.

Guests can sample everything from classic cebiche, to Nikkei cebiche (Japanese-influenced cebiche), to the unique Amazonico cebiche with striped bass and plantains, all of which highlight the delightfully tangy flavor of the leche de tigre and may leave you wanting to drink right out of the serving bowls.

For those hankering for something on the heavier side, Leche de Tigre also has a decent list of Peruvian Fuertes, protein dishes, that include the excellent, smoky Lomo Saltado, a fried rice and Chinese sausage Chaufa, and the Pulpo Anticuchero with grilled octopus.

No visit to Leche de Tigre is complete without a visit to the cocktail bar for a nip of Peru’s national spirit, Pisco. Pisco is a grape brandy that has been distilled in the wine regions of Peru since the 1500s and tastes faintly of a more mild version of tequila.

Today, the much-loved liquor is included in a number of Peruvian cocktails and is the star of Leche de Tigre’s cocktails and sours show.

For those interested in the traditional route, we recommend Peru’s national drink, the Pisco Sour, a creamy sour of pisco, lime, and egg whites. For those on the cocktail route, try the Chilcano, a blend of pisco, ginger ale, and bitters.

And if you happen to be a teetotaler, the non-alcoholic Chicha Morada is just for you. While not quite a mocktail, this super popular Peruvian drink holds its own with the perfect, refreshing blend of sweet and spicy flavors.

And did we happen to mention the fun color? It is a beautiful bright purple, getting its tint from the dried Peruvian purple corn that is used to make the drink.

Given Leche de Tigre’s quasi-residential location just down the road from Dos Sirenos Brewing, parking is quite limited. The vast majority of guests will need to park along Cevallos street or down one of the side streets. Friday and Saturday nights, in particular, are a challenge given the lack of public parking spaces in the vicinity, so leave some time to walk in your plans.

WEBSITE | 318 E Cevallos St, San Antonio, TX 78204

Go Fish Market

(Opened Jan 2023)

In January 2023, busy restaurateurs, Houston and Emily Carpenter, saw their fourth new San Antonio eatery Go Fish Market open for business and are now planning a fifth (and newly teased sixth!) restaurant, scheduled to open later this year.

The combination seafood retail market and cafe is housed in a simple warehouse space located a few blocks west of the Pearl Historic District. And while their space may be simple and modest, the food at Go Fish Market is anything but.

Fresh, high quality seafood is the singular concept at Go Fish Market and is evident the minute you walk in and place your order at the seafood retail counter.

Caviar, oysters, unique takes on sashimi, and rotating fish and chips are the primary offerings at Go Fish, and guests can enjoy these in a variety of ways.

We recommend starting with the jumbo shrimp cocktail which was indeed quite jumbo, chilled to utter perfection, and served with a splendidly tangy cocktail sauce. Follow it up with the flavorful hiramasa pastrami on sourdough, an open-face amberjack sashimi sandwich topped with pimento mayo and fish roe, all served on fresh sourdough bread.

Go Fish Market also offers an extensive wine bar with more than 60 options to choose from. So whether you are “in the market” (literally, in this case) for a quick king fish burger lunch, or a heftier evening meal complete with wine and oysters on the half shell, Go Fish Market is a great option for those looking for quality seafood in a non-coastal city locale.

WEBSITE | 125 W Grayson St, San Antonio, TX 78212

Beacon Hill Market and Deli

(Opened Dec 2022)

Beacon Hill Market and Deli opened its doors in February 2023 in the cute Blanco Centre shopping complex in Beacon Hill (just a hop, skip, and a jump away from one of the best coffee shops in San Antonio, Bright Coffee).

While it isn’t fancy, this east coast style deli is already drawing attention with its fantastic sandwiches and soups, landing them on many lists for the best new restaurant in San Antonio. After visiting, we can say that the accolades are well deserved.

BHMD is unique among San Antonio delis as it operates much like a top-tier BBQ joint. It is only open four days a week, Thursday through Sunday, from 11 am to 4 pm or whenever they sell out - and sell out they do! So it’s best to arrive as early as possible to avoid the disappointment of being denied some of the best sandwiches you will ever have.

Crowd favorites at BHMD include the Italian hoagie, pastrami reuben, and cheesesteak. We tried the hot pastrami sandwich and fell head over heels in love with the fresh rye bread, hot and tender pastrami, gooey cheese, and zesty mustard. Truly big flavors for such a small counter.

Beacon Hill Market and Deli may be located in San Antonio, but it can go toe-to-toe with any New York deli, any day of the week.

Parking at BHMD is limited with a few spots along the front of the shopping complex it is located in. But depending on availability, plan to do some circling or some side street parking along Elsmere or Fulton. And while there is no indoor seating, there are a few outdoor picnic tables for guests to dine at.

Our suggestion: take your sandwich to go or pop over to Bright Coffee, order a creamy, iced banana milk latte, and enjoy your sandwich with a side of caffeine.

WEBSITE | 1717 Blanco Rd, San Antonio, TX 78212