Happy trails
New food trail takes diners on journey through San Antonio's essential restaurants
Over the last few years, Alamo City has seen an unprecedented burst of new restaurant and bar openings, but that is just a small part of what makes it such an exhilarating place to eat. The rich cultural mix of the city has created a regional cuisine as quintessential to San Antonio as the Spurs.
With the launch of the first three San Antonio Food Trails on March 19, local nonprofit Culinaria is paying tribute to the deep roots that led to San Antonio to be one of only two U.S. cities with a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy designation. The new initiative focuses is an official guide to three of the area’s most enduring offerings: tacos, margaritas, and barbecue.
According to a release, the foodie adventures were created in consultation with a large committee of restaurateurs and other food experts. Though now they're a simple list for independent explorations, the trails will soon be serviced by an app and guided tours.
"We feel San Antonio has a lot to offer," said committee member and celebrity chef Johnny Hernandez in a release. "We wanted to make it easier for visitors and locals to visit places they may have never experienced otherwise."
The select 30 restaurants — 10 in each category — represent both traditional and new-school cooking. Long-running spots like Garcia’s, La Fonda on Main, and The Barbecue Station are joined by relative newcomers such as Taquitos West Avenue, 2M Smokehouse, and Sternewirth. The result is a snapshot of where San Antonio food and drink is now.
To add to the fun, Culinaria drafted notable chefs like Supper’s John Brand, Cured’s Steve McHugh, and Jason Dady to publish their own personal lists. Although not voted on by the committee, they provide a look into the food that impresses the pros.
"The addition of the Food Trails component was a natural evolution of the dining scene in San Antonio," said Culinaria president and CEO Suzanne Taranto-Etheredge via release. She added that more trails will be added at a later date, including one that solicits community input.
Until then, the San Antonio Food Trails offers plenty to keep local diners sated. Check out the three lists here, then get eating.
