A Map of the Best New Restaurants in San Antonio (August 2023)

By Sara Branstetter | August 3, 2023

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 18 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

Pink Cappuccino

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). So 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

Beacon Hill Market and Deli

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). And while it isn’t fancy, this east coast style deli is already making waves in SA 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

Blush Cocktails and Eats

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

Leche de Tigre

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

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

Up Scale

Husband and wife team and restaurant heavy-hitters, Houston and Emily Carpenter, are the brains behind Southtown’s newest fine dining establishment, Up Scale. With the addition of Up Scale to their already impressive resume - Little Em’s Oyster Bar, Restaurant Claudine, the new Go Fish Market, and the forthcoming Nineteen Hyaku - the Carpenters have more than made their mark on the culinary scene of the Alamo city with consistency and quality being a highlight in every restaurant they have opened.

Up Scale is exactly what its name implies - an upscale restaurant located in the building previously occupied by the popular and idiosyncratic Southtown restaurant Feast, which closed its doors in 2019. After removing all of the unusual and sometimes wacky contemporary touches of the previous occupant, the Carpenters redesigned Up Scale by zeroing in on understated elegance. With blush pink velvet booths and barstools, and modern tiered chandeliers, Up Scale’s design perfectly echoes its name.

When it comes to the food, Up Scale delivers big on exquisite dishes that also live up to the name. One way they accomplish this is by offering caviar on EVERYTHING. Seriously, it’s nearly omnipresent in the dishes including being on the desserts - Caviar Cheesecake, it’s a thing! A few menu standouts at Up Scale are the luscious Deviled Eggs with white truffle oil, caviar, and gold leaf, the wonderfully tangy Nigiri, and the creamy Lobster Tagliolini (with caviar, of course). For dessert, we suggest you polish it all off with the decadent flourless Chocolate Cake, which just may be the star of the show.

WEBSITE | 1024 S Alamo St, San Antonio, TX 78210

Restaurant Claudine

Restaurant Claudine, an upscale southern comfort food restaurant located near the Pearl district, serves cocktails, wine, and elevated southern food with French influences in a (truly adorable) renovated bungalow house.

From the same owners behind Little Em's Oyster Bar, Restaurant Claudine wows with the decor and design, but is absolutely perfect with regard to the food as well. Expect standard southern favorites with a twist. For instance: the cornbread is served with smoked wallflower butter, made with real edible flowers on top. (Just try to eat that without taking a picture first...)

Entrees include reasonably priced plates in the $20ish realm, like a sweet/spicy fried chicken with fermented honey, hot honey and pommes puree, and an absolutely delicious gumbo with andouille, shrimp, chicken, and okra.

Perfect for: date night, a cute lunch date, dinner with a group of girlfriends, or a fun outdoor dining experience on one of those beautiful sunny autumn/spring days in San Antonio.

WEBSITE | 517 E Grayson St, San Antonio, TX 78215

Carriqui

The Pearl Brewery has seen a slew of new restaurants and eateries open up in recent months including the uniquely titled, Carriqui (pronounced KHER-ih-key, and the local name of the Green Jaybird). This much-anticipated restaurant opened in September 2022 and is housed in a lovely old saloon that dates back to 1890, and previously held the SA landmark, Liberty Bar, from 1985-2008. After a painstaking renovation, the building has been restored to its original glory, minus the trademark tilt of the previous occupant.

And while the building and location are stunning, it’s not just the setting that is worth a visit. The service and food are also top notch. The menu is based on the flight path of the Carriqui bird which begins in south Texas and follows along the east coast of Mexico down into the Yucatán. As such, you will see everything from BBQ and nachos to ceviche and achiote grilled chicken. If you can’t decide what to order, try one of their botana platters which include an assortment of appetizers and entrees from their main menu, so you get a little bit of a whole lot. Why pick just one thing when you can pick 7 or 8?

As with all of the Pearl restaurants, there are lots of options for parking. There is street parking with meters near the restaurant, or you can head to the Pearl garage about a 5-minute walk away (the first two hours in the garage are free). Surface parking is also available for a fee in front of La Gloria or underneath 281.

WEBSITE | 239 E Grayson St, San Antonio, TX 78215

Krazy Katsu

Krazy Katsu recently took up a food trailer residence in July 2022 at the Yard Shopping Center in Olmos Park. Their sandwiches were so immediately popular that they sold over 900 pounds of chicken within the first two days of opening, and business hasn’t slowed down since.

Their concept is Japanese-style fried chicken – herb brined and breaded in panko crumbs – served up on freshly made Hawaiian buns. Did we mention the size? The chicken sandwiches are enormous! Guests can pair one of their ten crowd-pleasing, big-as-your-face sandwiches with a side of their seasoned, crinkle-cut fries, or smaller Katsu chicken bites.

We recommend trying the Original, with Kung Fu sauce and pickles, or the Last Samurai, with Japanese pickled cucumbers and teriyaki bourbon sauce. But if you can’t decide, order their sliders and try up to three different sandwiches on a much smaller scale than the normal ones. You’ll still get plenty to eat, and you will be able to narrow down your options for next time because you are definitely going to want to come back.

WEBSITE | 5257 McCullough Ave, San Antonio, TX 78212

Full Goods Diner

The new brunch restaurant, Full Goods Diner, made its debut in September 2022 at the Pearl Brewery. Owners of Austin’s popular brunch restaurant, Paperboy, have set up shop in the space formerly held by Green Vegetarian Cuisine where they are aiming to slip right into the climate of the Pearl by offering a relaxing experience, friendly service, and good food.

The menu centers on breakfast, brunch, lunch, and cocktail options with a blend of Mexican and US flavors. All food is scratch-made in-house using seasonal and local ingredients. Pastries are a feature of Full Goods with a few unique options including their pan de elote, Mexican hot chocolate muffin, and a cardamom knot. For something festive, shareable, and oh-so sweet, try their peaches and cream pop tart. If you aren’t jonesing for sugar, try Ruvin’s breakfast - a potato, egg, and cheese scramble, barbacoa, and refried beans all on delicious, fresh tortillas.

WEBSITE | 200 E Grayson St, San Antonio, TX 78215

Kura Revolving Sushi Bar

San Antonio’s very first conveyor belt sushi bar, Kura, opened up in February 2022 at the Quarry Market to great anticipation and excitement. Now 8 months in and with wait times that are frequently an hour or more, it’s looking like Kura is here to stay.

To call Kura “a sushi bar” may be true, but also feels a bit like the understatement of the year. Kura is more of a full-on Japanese sushi experience, embracing both the cuisine and the technology of the land of the rising sun. Guests will take a seat at one of their tables as a conveyor belt filled with sushi cycles by. You are welcome to pick and choose anything off the belt as it moves by your table. Don’t see something you like or prefer something other than sushi? Just place an order on the touchscreen computer mounted on the wall next to you, and a second conveyor belt will then speed your order directly from the kitchen to your table.

Need something to drink? Place your order and a robot will roll over in a few moments to hand deliver your beverage to you. Yes, you heard us correctly, a robot - kind of R2-D2-like in shape, with a shelf attached to its back to carry beverages on.

While Kura certainly has the technological wow factor going for it, the food can also stand on its own. Sushi, ramen, mochi desserts, and a number of sides can all be pulled from one of the two revolving conveyor belts. And with more than 140 different things to choose from, guests should have no problem finding something that they would enjoy.

*Download Kura’s app to order online, earn rewards, and most importantly, join the waitlist. Kura’s wait times have been on the longer side since opening, so guests can check in via the app, and keep an eye on their wait time in order to plan for when to arrive. While there are lots of stores you can browse at the Quarry Market while you wait, Kura does not have a seating area, so we highly recommend utilizing the app.

WEBSITE | 255 E Basse Rd Suite 384, San Antonio

Ladino

A New Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, Ladino, has taken over the Pearl Brewery space previously occupied by Andrew Weissman’s Italian restaurant, Il Sogno. Ladino is owned by the Emmer and Rye Hospitality Group out of Austin and Executive Chef Berty Richter is at the helm.

The namesake for the restaurant is the name of the Judeo-Spanish language that Chef Richter grew up speaking at home. And as one of Bon Appétit’s “Most Exciting New Restaurants in September 2022,” Ladino looks to go beyond its name and blend the unique flavors of the executive chef’s cultural roots in Turkey, Israel, Greece, and the Balkans.

At a glance, the menu at Ladino is heavily influenced by Mediterranean ingredients and flavors but combines the Sephardic tradition of cooking over a charcoal grill to create some very inventive and original dishes. Highlights include a range of dips and freshly baked pita bread, cold and hot mezes, and full-size entrees. We really enjoyed the Muhammara dip with a mix of peppers and Texas pecans as well as the hot meze, Arayis, with lamb and beef, spicy tomato, and whipped tahini. For the main dish, we recommend the pork souvlaki covered in creamy, garlicky tzatziki.

One con worth mentioning regarding Ladino, the music was on the louder side which could make it difficult to hear at times. If you or a member of your party are hard of hearing or sensitive to volume, this may not be the place for you. Ladino is a great option for those on a date night, for adventurous eaters, or for anyone looking for something brand new or very unusual.

WEBSITE | 200 E Grayson St #100, San Antonio, TX 78215

Bexar Kolache Co.

You’ve heard of Tex-Mex, but have you heard of Czech-Tex? At the popular Bexar Kolache Company, the flavors of the traditional Czech and Slovak pastry, the kolache, have been married to the traditional flavors of Mexican cuisine, and the results are a beautiful thing.

Open since 2020, the Bexar Kolache Company expanded to its second location in June 2022 off of Fredericksburg Rd where they offer a full menu of both sweet and savory filled kolaches. Offerings include your run-of-the-mill fillings like cheddar and sausage (made with sausage from local Kiolbassa Smoked Meats) to the more San Antonio-style carne guisada or chorizo, egg, and cheese.

On the sweet side of the house, you can find apricot, guava, Mexican hot chocolate, and mango and chamoy. Also, be sure to check out their seasonal options such as pumpkin spice and peppermint chocolate.

WEBSITE | 205 E Hildebrand Ave, San Antonio, TX 78212