Sad shutters
Pioneering Pearl restaurant from famed San Antonio chef suddenly shutters
It’s the end of an era at Pearl. After almost a decade, Andrew Weissman’s Il Sogno will be closing on May 6.
When the Italian osteria opened in 2009, the Pearl had few occupants and the nascent development couldn’t have asked for a better ambassador than Weissman. At the time, his much-missed French showpiece, La Rêve, was one of the hottest tickets in Texas, helping him garner an impressive four-year streak as a nominee for the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest.
“Andrew was a pioneer at Pearl,” said Pearl's chief marketing officer Elizabeth Fauerso in an April 28 release. “If you didn’t see it with your own eyes it would be hard to imagine how different things were in 2009 versus today, and we are very thankful that he took this risk and this journey with us.”
The space has now grown to house some of San Antonio’s acclaimed restaurants, including Supper, Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery, and the Bottling Department food hall. The space also has a third campus of the Culinary Institute of America, where Weissman graduated top of his class.
For eight years, Weissman also operated the Sandbar Fish House and Market in the development. That site will soon be the location of the new student-run restaurant from the CIA, replacing its current eatery, Nao.
According to the release, Weissman made the decision to shutter Il Sogno jointly with the Pearl. The decision allows him the flexibility to develop other concepts and affords him more time to spend with his family. “Restaurants have seasons, and while it has been a long and successful run, I feel like the season of Il Sogno has come to end,” he said.
Even with the closure of Il Sogno, Weissman still has a full plate. His current restaurants include Big’z Burger Joint, The Luxury, Moshe’s Golden Falafel, and Signature.
