17 Absolute Best Restaurants In San Antonio

San Antonio's hip Pearl district, a former brewery transformed into one of the most exciting culinary hubs in town, is home to Mi Roti, located inside the Bottling Department Food Hall. As the name suggests, this street food eatery offers a build-your-own menu centered around roti, a traditional Indian flatbread that made its way to the Caribbean with the influx of foreign settlers.

Diners can choose between roti wraps or bowls with their choice of protein, rice, and toppings or one of the combos, such as the jerk chicken salad or the Curry Up, prepared with curry chicken and coconut rice. Sides of masala fries and fried plantains complete the Caribbean street food experience.

The duo behind Mi Roti are chefs Nicola Blaque and Lionel Blache. After serving in the army for a decade, Blaque followed her culinary passion and landed in San Antonio's Culinary Institute of America. A couple of years later, she and her husband, Cornelius Massey, opened the doors of their first restaurant, The Jerk Shack, where Blaque honors her Caribbean roots. At Mi Roti, her mission continues alongside Blache, formerly the Executive Chef at MAX's Wine Dive.

A San Antonio staple for more than three decades, Rosario's has been delighting San Antonians with hearty, comforting Mexican fare. Located in the Southtown Historic District, this restaurant boasts an extensive menu with touches of local South Texas flavors. Menu highlights include albóndigas (Mexican meatballs in tomato-chipotle sauce); pozole (soup made with hominy and pork); and house-made mole served with chicken. There is a long list of tacos to satisfy every palate, from shrimp to pork in spicy cascabel sauce, plus several versions of nachos and queso to represent the city's Tex-Mex legacy.

Decorated in soft green and pink hues, the space is cheerful and warm. The definitive highlight is the rooftop lounge, with gorgeous views of Downtown San Antonio. Open during the evening, it's an unbeatable stop for a refreshing margarita. Aside from representing Mexican culinary traditions, Rosario's is also known for supporting local artists such as Chilean-born INTI, who painted the stunning mural that graces the restaurant's back wall and celebrates owner Lisa Wong's history of Chinese and Mexican background and her dreams for future generations.

When a restaurant promises to serve "the world's best pancakes," it's worth a visit. For more than two decades, the team at Magnolia Pancake Haus has been devoting itself to fulfilling that promise. Its story starts with Robert and Sheila Flemings, who dreamed of owning a restaurant that allowed them to share their love for food. After opening in 2000, the restaurant quickly became so popular among locals that the couple had to move their breakfast spot to a bigger location. To this day, it remains a family-run operation.

The menu is long and tempting, featuring numerous pancake options, including chocolate chip, bananas foster, and an authentic Bavarian dish made with Granny Smith apples, house spices, and powdered sugar, called apfel pfannekuchen. You can also choose from various types of French toast, omelets (including jambalaya or shrimp-and-avocado), and eggs Benedict. Magnolia's doesn't take reservations, so wake up early and show up with your entire party ready for a serious pancake feast.

Once known as "the Waldorf on the Prairie," the beautiful St. Anthony hotel opened in 1909 and was renovated in 2015, boasting a stunning look that honors its past and celebrates San Antonio's exciting present. As part of its dining options, Rebelle offers an upscale seafood experience inside an elegant room outfitted with modern chandeliers, a master wooden staircase, and marble bars.

The menu opens with fresh options such as a jumbo shrimp cocktail and oysters on the half shell, plus appetizers like seafood bisque and mussels in green harissa cream. If you're in the mood for a shareable feast, the spectacular seafood tower is not to be missed. On the entrée front, you can enjoy specialty shrimp and grits, a lobster roll, or a classic seafood cioppino. The impressive wine list features labels from the U.S., France, Argentina, and Spain, providing myriad options for pairing. You can also sip on an assortment of craft Texas beer and cocktails such as the Envy, made with Tito's vodka, St. Germain, lime juice, and pear purée.

Housed inside the renovated Firehouse #7, a historic building from the 1920s, Battalion is a stunner from the very first impression. Inside, the space boasts a warm atmosphere with low lighting, modern furniture, and the building's own historic elements.

Start your meal with a glass of wine from the extensive list or an aperitivo à la Battalion Spritz (Prosecco, housemade soda, and your choice of bitter liquor), then dive into the menu. Marinated eggplants (sesame, pickled fennel, lemon) and burrata with tomato crudo open the menu, followed by the house stars: the housemade pasta dishes. Orecchiette alla Campagnola features goat sausage, broccoli, and ricotta salata, and there's a wonderful vegetable-and-chevre lasagna. On the entrée front, you can find classics like eggplant or chicken parmesan and New York strip alla Florentine, prepared with lemon, rosemary, and fennel pollen.

A concept by chef and co-owner Jennifer Hwa Dobbertin, this Asian-American spot has earned buzz since it opened in late 2020. Dobbertin has worked at beloved San Antonio eateries,collaborated on Hot Joy (a pop-up-turned-restaurant), and opened Tenko Ramen, a fast-casual concept. She dreamed of creating a concept that placed the spotlight on Asian-American female chefs in Texas, which resulted in another series of pop-up dinners named Best Quality Daughter, now a restaurant in the Pearl District. The beautiful interiors boast flowered wallpaper and brightly colored booths.

The creativity-packed appetizers such as mochi-cheddar hush puppies, Taiwanese popcorn chicken, and super-garlicky noodle feature prominently. Entrées are served family-style. They include options such as orange chicken-fried skirt steak (marinated skirt steak with orange chicken gravy), Kurobuta pork belly ssam, and crispy tofu in a mapo sauce. Pair with the refreshing house cocktails or one of the boozy boba teas, like the I Used to Live in Thailand, with aged rum. For the perfect finale, don't skip the milk oolong ice cream sandwich.

The iconic San Antonio Riverwalk is home to plenty of restaurants, among which Domingo is a definitive highlight. A beautiful building that echoes a modern hacienda and a patio overlooking the river is the perfect setting to pay tribute to the flavors and flair of South Texas.

Meals at Domingo can start with creamy guacamole or wagyu taquitos, followed by tuna tostadas, green chile-and-chicken enchiladas, or a wagyu burger topped with bacon, cheese, and roasted poblano peppers. The grand finale comes with the toasted chile brownie or, on a hot Texas day, refreshing paletas (popsicles). As the name suggests, Sundays are particularly fun at Domingo, with a Sunday brunch featuring plenty of egg options and the house's special churro waffles. Go for the cocktails; a particular Mai Tai Mimosa (rum, Dry Curacao, lime juice, orange juice, orgeat, and sparkling wine) is especially fun.

Neapolitan pizza is known and beloved for its thin, slightly charred crust and fresh, simple toppings. To ensure its quality and uniqueness worldwide, the Association Verace Pizza Napoletana has several rules and guidelines. At San Antonio's Dough, these fresh ingredients and techniques are honored with every pie baked in the restaurant's two wood-burning ovens, named Il Cuore and Scintilla.

The pizza menu includes three Neapolitan-style pizzas: Margherita (with San Marzano D.O.P tomato sauce, housemade fior di latte, basil, and Locatelli pecorino romano), Vera Margherita (switching the fior di latte for mozzarella di bufala), and Marinara (with tomato sauce, garlic, oregano, and pecorino romano). There are also American-style pizzas, including pepperoni and cured prosciutto, plus appetizers including roasted olives and meatballs in marinara sauce. A selection of Italian wines and draft beers rounds up the experience. Dough has two locations in San Antonio and a third in Plano, all equally relaxed and welcoming.

Talk about a perfect blend of flavors and cultures. At this funky spot, smoked Texas BBQ joins forces with Southeast Asian curry, resulting in a delightfully eclectic menu. Developed by the team behind South BBQ and Pinch Boil House, Curry Boys occupies a bright pink house that cheerfully announces the bold flavors that await inside.

Start your feast with shareable appetizers plates of curry queso and chips, or pulled pork nachos topped with honey sriracha. The main event comes with the curry BBQ bowls; there's the Good Luck Cluck (smoked chicken thighs with yellow curry); the Tony Porker (smoked pulled pork with Penang curry); and the Magic Mushroom (marinated button mushrooms with green curry), among others. Sides of curry creamed corn and cucumber slaw keep the creativity coming and lead to the grand finale: the Flan Solo, a buzzy flan topped with cold brew and whipped cream.