Edible News

The 5 must-try menus of San Antonio Restaurant Week

Biga on the Banks San Antonio Restaurant Riverwalk appetizer sampler

San Antonio Restaurant Week, running January 18 through 23, takes place at over 70 participating eateries.

Photo courtesy of Biga on the Banks

For local foodies, the most wonderful time of the year is San Antonio's Restaurant Week. Thanks to Culinaria, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching San Antonio and promoting our city as a top food and wine destination, we're gearing up to eat and indulge January 18 through 23.

Here's how it works: Throughout the week, participating restaurants will offer preset three-course menus for lunch and dinner with two tiers to choose from. There are more than 50 tier-one restaurants offering lunch for $15 and dinner for $35, and six tier-two restaurants offering lunch for $10 and dinner for $25. You're not required to make a reservation to participate in Restaurant Week, but it's strongly encouraged to call in advance for a table.

We've already secured reservations for some of our favorite restaurants participating, including:

Ocho at Hotel Havana. We are looking forward to Ocho's beer-centric "Shiner prix-fixe menu" with Shiner Blonde beer-cheese soup, beer-braised venison osso buco, and black stout cake.
Sustenio at Eilan Hotel. Sustenio's interesting dinner menu is making our mouth water with a choice of sugar-roasted pear salad or crispy “buffalo” sweetbread to start, wood-fired Gulf Coast snapper for an entree, and a beet parfait for dessert.
Biga on the Banks. We're also dining at one of our city's classics, Biga on the Banks. The menu features shrimp bisque with red-pepper harissa, grilled beets, ricotta, arugula, and sherry; a choice between short ribs and seared natural scallops; and blood-orange cheesecake or dark-chocolate icebox pie for dessert.
Nao Latin Gastro Bar. For dinner later in the week we've chosen Nao, whose four-course meal for $35 features a winter squash soup, hamachi tiradito, braised beef cheeks or pork stew, and a pound cake.
Thai Topaz. Looking for a lunch spot? Thai Topaz is offering tom kha chicken soup, pad thai, curry, and homemade ice cream. Other top restaurants we're trying on the tier-two list include Bavarian Brauhaus, and Tacos and Tequila.

To see which of your favorite eateries are participating in Restaurant Week, visit culinariasa.org.

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PUMPKIN BIG

Gobble up the 2024 Thanksgiving feast at these 10 San Antonio spots

Bird Bakery/Instagram

Bird Bakery is doing dessert right for Thanksgiving.

Surely, planning the year's biggest feast between Halloween and Christmas seemed like a good idea at a time before LinkedIn updates and Real Housewives episodes ate up the nation's bandwidth. But today, it yields a cyclone of tension.

Breathe in (one, two, three, four). Thanksgiving doesn't have to provoke panic attacks. It's a day of togethership, not one-upmanship. Whether cooking the whole meal or just a few pies, plenty of San Antonio restaurants are willing to lighten the Turkey Day load.

Bird Bakery
The turkey may be the main event, but whoever brings the pie is the true hero. Bird Bakery has the baking covered, so you can take the credit. Either press your luck for a mini-pie in the store, or preorder a 9-inch pie by emailing bird@birdbakery.com.

Corinne
The flagship restaurant of the Plaza San Antonio Hotel and Spa invites guests to gobble up a prix fixe menu that includes a choice of smoked prime rib or cider-brined turkey and sides like five-cheese mac 'n' cheese.
Noon to 8 pm. $65.

Dorrego's
This River Walk restaurant's brunch is a good alternative for those who think turkey is for the birds. While it does get into fowl play, it also offers choices like prime rib and pomegranate-glazed salmon. Sides run the gamut from bacon jam Brussels sprouts to cornbread stuffing.
11 am-3 pm. $75 for adults, $29 for children 12 and under.

The Hayden
Two words: pastrami gravy. Both San Antonio locations of this Jewish-inspired diner offer a to-go meal that includes a citrus and herb-stuffed turkey, mini cheddar chive drop biscuits, and sourdough and rye stuffing. À la carte options are available for those making the entrée at home.
$14-185.

The Jerk Shack
The recent recipient of the Michelin Guide's Bib Gourmand is spicing up the holiday with meal bundles that include the option of jerk or fried chicken and two half-pan sides. Guests can also order entrées like oxtails or take home trimmings like brown sugar and orange yams à la carte. Preorders can be made by email (manager@thejerkshacksatx.com) or by phone (210-776-7780) with a 50 percent deposit.
$65-175, some entrées are subject to market price.

Kimpton Santo
The recently opened downtown hotel is activating its entire space, including Dean's Steak and Seafood and rooftop bar Tenfold. The main event, however, is a family-style meal in the San Juan Grand Ballroom, where guests can dive into a mashed potato bar, pineapple Bourbon-glazed ham, and pecan pie.
Seatings available 11 am to 2 pm or 2:30-5 pm. $80 for adults, $20 for children under 13, and free for kids under 6.

Landrace
Dash to this downtown hotel for a bountiful all-you-can-eat Thanksgiving brunch offering omelet, turkey, and dry-aged steamship round stations. If you can't move after all the savory dishes, don't worry. The desserts are wheeled around on a rolling cart.
11 am to 3 pm. $115 for adults, $29.99 for kids.

Perry's Steakhouse & Grille
A steakhouse atmosphere and a barbecue staple come together like any other unconventional family at Perry's Steakhouse. Smoked turkey is the star of the show on the big day, with pumpkin cheesecake adding a bit more razzle dazzle.
11 am to 9 pm. $49 for adults, $19 for kids.

Range
Jason Dady's downtown steakhouse offers two experiences during the big day. Guests can enjoy riverside seating during the Ford Holiday River Parade or devour a prix-fixe menu inside.
Noon-8 pm. $65-$135.

Two Bros BBQ Market
This barbecue joint is talking turkey with a heat-and-eat deal that includes everything from the salad to rolls and feeds 10-12 people. Guests can order the bird or sides like banana pudding or creamy coleslaw separately.
$49.95-$160.

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