Where to eat now
Where to eat in San Antonio right now: 7 restaurants with fresh options
It happens every year. You decide to kick off January with a commitment to more mindful eating, but it seems everyone else resolved to eat burgers at every meal. If you don’t want to spend the month eating solitary salads, you’re going to have to make some compromises. Fortunately, even San Antonio’s most indulgent restaurants have plenty of dishes that will help you stay on track. Let them eat steak. Here are some of our favorite places to keep everyone happy.
Bexar Pub
The place that brought back the Folc burger practically thumbs its nose at the Whole 30 crowd with a menu of loaded fries, nachos, hot fried chicken, and ham sandwiches. But we have always believed that moderation was the path to well-being. Bexar Pub’s fish tacos may have a drizzle of mayo-based Folc sauce, but they also have plenty of crunchy veggies and a white fish that is only slightly fried. It’s perfect for when you want a cheat day that doesn’t completely derail your diet. Order them with a side of ceviche.
Bohanan’s Prime Steaks and Seafood
Yes, we know that sauces ending with “-aise” hardly qualify as superfoods. And yes, we know that this downtown mainstay serves them with everything from asparagus to their famous chateaubriand. Dig deeper, however, and you’ll find dishes with half the calories and all the oomph. We love the pan-roasted chicken breast with preserved lemons, fresh herbs, and braised leeks and the seared tuna with a sesame seaweed salad (it stands up even without the Asian aioli). Both will leave you as satisfied as a juicy New York strip.
The Bottling Dept.
Okay, this is kind of a cheat. The food hall at the Pearl, after all, offers five distinct food concepts plus a bar. But we can’t think of a better place for Jack Spratt couples to ease tensions over the perpetual question of where to eat. Those who want something hearty can build a feast of Fletcher’s Hamburgers and Maybelle’s Donuts, while those watching what they eat can nosh on the Good Kind’s light-but-filling market bowls. Both will find something they like from the Cajun menu at Bud’s Southern Rotisserie or among the Japanese fare at Tenko.
Down on Grayson
On a recent visit, we were flabbergasted to find out that a place known for kicking up guacamole with a pimento cheese was also the place to find healthier options like bright kale salads with roasted chicken, grilled grouper with sautéed carrots and a spicy mojo sauce, and that stalwart for lean eaters everywhere — avocado toast. Who knew?
Grayze
Restaurants known for comfort food don't usually put a pep in your step. (Indeed if you order one of Grayze’s mac bombs or the five cheese Queso Clasico sandwich for dinner, you’re more likely to choose spending the rest of the day in bed than rather than hitting the gym.) But comfort doesn’t necessarily lead to coma at this Government Hill hot spot. Start with the Thai spiced Brussels sprouts (you can ignore the fried egg) or the roasted cauliflower in a tahini vinaigrette before moving on to fideo noodles served in a fragrant ancho lemongrass broth and topped with a farmers’ market worth of veggies.
Rebelle
Dinner and dancing may be a classic date night combination, but we rarely have the strength to cut a rug after gorging at most fine dining spots. Rebelle lives up to its name with offerings that rely on a world of flavors, not just fat and salt. We recommend sharing an heirloom tomato salad, with just a few sourdough croutons for crunch, then ordering seared halibut in a gazpacho broth as a main. You’ll be doing the Cupid Shuffle in no time.
SoLuna
Sure, the queso flameado at this vibrant Mexican restaurant will be tempting. But if you want to kill it at your next pilates class, opt for one of the many energy-boosting salads or seafood specialties. The lump crab with sliced avocado, tomato, and caviar feels decadent, but has a fraction of the fat of Soluna’s cream- and cheese-based plates. And the almohada (steamed snapper with shrimp, bell peppers, tomatoes, sliced lemon, serrano peppers, garlic, olive oil, and lime) is so flavorful, you’ll never feel like you're on a diet.
