Where to Eat

Where to eat in San Antonio right now: 5 hot restaurants for winter dining

Caution: Diet busters ahead. We know we shouldn’t, but we're doing it anyway. Here’s the guide to the five best restaurants in San Antonio to get your grub on in January. The good news is you can always have a salad at all of these fine establishments if you need to. But why would you want to when cold-weather comfort food awaits?

Folc
This foodie hub in Olmos Park is alive and well: Folc constantly creates the goodness. Whether you need to pop in for the crowd favorite pea and ricotta toast or the grilled quail with pork belly, apples, and sorghum syrup, Folc should make your list of January must-visits. We might also suggest a healthy journey through Folc with the house salad and dehydrated mushrooms.

Kimura
Why wouldn’t you ramen in this El Niño-predicted weather? Kimura is boutique dining at its best with amazing local and organic ingredients presented beautifully and creatively. The miso soup and yakitori was an amazing pairing for a quick bite. We loved the miso so much, we ordered the miso ramen with a soft boiled egg because the flavor profiles were too good to pass up.

Sustenio
Well, it does have a James Beard Award-winner’s name on it, so of course Chef Stephan Pyles' influence is felt on each and every dish. Dubbed the “wood-fired-meets-cast-iron” menu, Sustenio never disenchants with dishes like the chicken-fried buffalo steak or the mascarpone cheesecake. Bonus: The space also has a gorgeous bar to spend time in while you wait for the perfect table.

Bliss
"Food is bliss" is the motto here, and we couldn’t agree more. A well-suited theme for a restaurant that is practically an institution for great service and a warm and engaging atmosphere, we can never hide from the chicken-fried Gulf oysters, but the rack of lamb was also spot on. If you have the time, eat in the kitchen with nine of your friends; the chef's table has all the action and delectable dishes.

Market on Houston
This delightful farm-to-table restaurant and urban market is quite the lovely spot in downtown San Antonio. Market on Houston's philosophy is letting local fresh ingredients shine and it absolutely shows. The Thai beef flatbread and 1909 Burger are a must, accompanied by gristmill grits and bacon butter. Yes, exactly, bacon butter. Bacon everything, we say.

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Dubbed the "wood-fired-meets-cast-iron" menu, Sustenio never disenchants with its dishes.

Sustenio/Facebook

Dubbed the "wood-fired-meets-cast-iron" menu, Sustenio never disenchants with its dishes.

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HIDDEN WONDERS BELOW

Largest cavern in Texas excavates new tour for explorers in San Antonio

Photo courtesy of Natural Bridge Caverns

The new tour, Hidden Wonders, will open May 12.

Texan spelunkers now have a new cave to explore at the state’s largest cavern, located on the edge of San Antonio. Natural Bridge Caverns’ newest tour, Hidden Wonders, will open to the public on May 12. This new tour comes less than a year after the last expansion, so visitors who have not been recently have much to explore for the first time.

Development of this second cavern has been in the works since 2017. It was previously sealed under the Earth’s surface, perfectly encapsulating the natural environment and its beautiful, unique formations. The new tour will allow visitors to access an area that was previously accessible only by cavers.

“In developing this area of the cavern system, we have both pursued and established best-case practices for working in this delicate environment,” said Natural Bridge Caverns president Brad Wuest in a statement. “Our goal is to give visitors a stunning view of the cavern like never before, without impacting its beauty.”

The multi-million dollar expansion into never-before-seen areas of the cave will feature state-of-the-art lighting and a unique sound and light show. Public passageways expanded by 1,100 feet with a new stainless steel bridge that crosses the cavern’s deepest area.

Additionally, a new 5,700-square-foot dome chamber, entitled the Ballroom, has been constructed to serve as an event space. For the light show, a viewing area called the Box Canyon will serve as the show's natural theater.

Wuest explained that certain aspects of developing the cavern had been a challenge, such as the depth of the new touring area. Fortunately, they were able to construct a new exit tunnel "with minimal impact on the cavern."

"We used best-in-class techniques and developed new ones to make it work," he said. "We took the time to do it right. The result speaks for itself.”

To exit the Hidden Wonders tour, visitors will take a glorious ride on a pioneering conveyor system ride, the Belt Assisted Transport, to the surface through the newly constructed tunnel.

“We plan to showcase the science behind the beauty of this once hidden cavern on our tour,” said Wuest. “With Hidden Wonders’ many enhancements, we have an opportunity to both educate and entertain.”

More information about the new tour can be found on naturalbridgecaverns.com. The visitor's center at the caverns is located at 26495 Natural Bridge Caverns Rd, San Antonio.

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