Sample San Antonio

Here are the 6 best food and drink events in San Antonio this week

Get your mimosa on during Brunch Fest.

Courtesy photo

For those ready to flock outdoors and enjoy the sunny weather and clear skies, this week's food and drink events will not disappoint. Ditch your AC, put on some shades, and head to these six shindigs full of carefree summer fun.

Tuesday, May 29

Woodford Reserve Pairing Dinner
Whiskey Cake and Woodford Reserve are teaming up to create a delicious farm-to-table five course dinner. From 7-10 pm, their talented chefs are rolling out tasty dishes like roasted beet salad and potato and leek vichyssoise, all made with fresh and locally sourced ingredients.

Thursday, May 31

Cocktails & Culture: Unlock 300 Years of San Antonio Secrets
Explore 300 years of San Antonio history with a cocktail in hand at the Witte Museum. The self-guided tour through the new Confluence and Culture exhibition will include a variety of activities for those over 21 and feature brews and cocktails by The Box Street Social. Tickets are $15, which also includes admission to the Naylor Family Dinosaur Gallery for ancient history buffs.

Friday, June 1

Skip Day at The Rustic
Friday is National Leave Work Early Day, a holiday we are more than happy to celebrate. Duck out of the office to hear rousing sets by Lonely Horse, Garrett T. Capps, and The Holy Knives. The free event begins at 4 pm, and music starts at 5:30 pm, but the Rustic is open all day for those playing hooky.

Saturday, June 2

EcoFest at the Pearl
Watch the Pearl turn green during this fest celebrating all things sustainable. From 9 am-6 pm, the Pearl Stable will host live music, top notch food trucks, and eco-minded vendors. The event also features workshops on sustainable living and energy efficiency, along with fun activities for kids and a raffle and silent auction to benefit community outreach center Eco Centro.

Harvest Festival at The Jackston Ranch
Harvest time comes early to San Antonio during this bountiful fest at the historic Jackson Ranch. On the four-acre estate, green thumbs and local farmers can peruse a fresh harvest market or enjoy classic farm games and activities, a petting zoo, food booths, and local craft vendors. The event begins at 11 am, with all-day live music and performers, including a special performance of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream performed by Crystal Sea Drama Company.

Sunday, June 3

Brunch Fest at the Block SA
Celebrate the most important meal of the week during this special event. Seven food trucks will be whipping up a diverse assortment of brunch classics. The event is free for all ages, but for $15, you can sample from all trucks and recieve two mimosas. Bands will be playing throughout the event, and for those more spirited brunches, they’ll have $12 bottles of Champagne.

brunch cocktails dinner

Burger Birthday

Hill Country bar famous for its burgers is throwing 30th birthday bash

The Taproom/Facebook

The Taproom is turning 30 at the end of this year.

The Taproom, a longtime San Marcos bar and eatery, is celebrating 30 years with a 90s birthday bash. A party on December 28 — three days before the actual anniversary on New Year's Eve — will have Central Texans partying like it's 1994. It's all going down at 129 E Hopkins St. from 11 am to 10 pm.

With so much to do, it's hard to know where to start, but the bar is a safe bet. The first 100 guests will get a commemorative 30th anniversary pint glass.

True to form, The Taproom will be serving up hourly drink specials that feature specific breweries or distilleries including Starbase Brewing, Saint Arnold’s Brewing, Meanwhile Brewing, Altstadt Brewing Company, New Belgium, Shiner, and Garrison Brothers Whiskey, according to a release. There will be some tastings and glass giveaways, too.

Plenty of food will keep the energy up for the all-day party, including "throwback retro menu items," says the release, plus birthday cake and a chance to win free burgers for a year. Hopeful burger-lovers can get started now by signing up for the Taproom newsletter, but they'll have to wait until the live drawing at 8 pm on December 28 to find out if they won.

On top of those base offerings there will also be a 90s photo booth, 90s R&B and hip hop courtesy of DJ Chief and TheDoomsdayDevice, flash tattoos, and a game of Wingo Wango Bingo Bango, in which guests can win prizes from breweries and Happy Clouds Smoke Shop.

Finally, The Taproom is welcoming two guests of honor: bartender and original Taproom owner David Dishman and the bar's first "regular" Kenneth Fitzgerald, who installed the draft lines that helped get business started.

The Taproom is now owned by Samantha Strahan and Sara Chavez, who purchased it in late 2021.

Just a couple of blocks from Texas State University, this bar became popular with college students. However, it's more than a college bar, especially thanks to its reputation for a great burger. On the other end of the building is The Porch, a sister space for live music that opened in 2013. The Porch is hosting an afterparty for late-night anniversary revelers.