Holiday News

Festive Christmas pop-up bar puts San Antonio on its nice list

Christmas cocktails are coming to town.

Photo by Melissa Hom

A festive holiday tradition featuring cocktails returns: The famed Christmas-themed pop-up bar Miracle is coming back to town, with installations at 90 bars across the U.S., including San Antonio.

Miracle takes over existing bars and transforms them into a temporary Christmas-time bar with festive decor, serving holiday-themed drinks. The Miracle on Houston Street will take over Jet-Setter beginning November 23 and through the month of December.

The idea for this annual takeover was conceived in 2014 by New Yorker Greg Boehm, who owns a bar supply company called Cocktail Kingdom.

In a statement, Boehm acknowledges that the mood in 2020 is different.

"It has undoubtedly been a tough year for everyone, and our industry has been hit hard, so some holiday cheer is in order," Boehm says. "We feel incredibly lucky to welcome back so many of our dedicated partner locations and even welcome new ones across the world, with the safety and enjoyment of our guests as our top priority."

Select locations will offer to-go cocktails, and outdoor seating areas will be set up where possible to practice social distancing.

Cocktails by Joann Spiegel employ holiday flavors and are served in playful mugs and glassware from Boehm's supply store, which they also sell. How convenient.

New cocktails for 2020 include:

Jolly Koala with Gin, Vermouth, and Pine-Cardamom-Sage Cordial
On Dasher, with Bourbon, Mezcal, Sweet Vermouth, Spiced Hibiscus, Burlesque Bitters, and Lemon
Fruitcake Flip, with Brandy, Jamaican Overproof Rum, Amaretto, Fruitcake, Cherry Bitters, and a Whole Egg

Along with the Jet-Setter, the bar is popping into the following bars in Texas:

Austin: Miracle on 5th Street (at The Eleanor by The Roosevelt Room)
Dallas: Miracle at 2010B Greenville Ave.
Frisco: Miracle at the Aussie Grind
Fort Worth: Miracle on South Main
Galveston: Miracle Daiquiri Time Out
Houston: Miracle at Johnny’s (at Johnny’s Gold Brick)
Waco: Miracle on Austin Ave (at Dichotomy Coffee & Spirits)

cocktails holidays

Green Light

Healthy-casual Dallas restaurant makes San Antonio debut on Broadway

Bellagreen/Instagram

Bellagreen is now in San Antonio for the first time.

A fast-casual restaurant from Dallas called Bellagreen has sprouted in San Antonio, as of Tuesday, November 12.

The mini-chain's first San Antonio location is at 1900 Broadway St., Ste. 112, and it's giving out a couple of freebies to get things going on opening day. Customers on Tuesday will all get a free craft soda or tea with their meal. Active military and veterans will also receive 15 percent off, but that's a daily policy throughout the year.

Bellagreen is known for its healthy image, which comes from scratch-made dishes and a generally light menu featuring lots of salads, a strong veggie presence, and a protein lean toward poultry and fish. Rotating seasonal menus keep things fresh.

“The decision to open Bella here was easy," said San Antonio location co-investors Sameer Mumtaz and Mark Huffstutler in a press release. Mumtaz continued, "San Antonio shares our values of family and good, wholesome, quality food.”

With nine locations across Texas, much of its popularity also comes from an ease of catering to different diets and preferences, from brunch (with $10 mimosa carafes) through dinner. Many meals are customizable and can accommodate gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, high-protein, and other needs.

“We’ve wanted to bring Bellagreen to Central Texas for years and finally found the perfect spot," said Huffstutler. "Downtown residents, employees and tourists have a wonderful new dining option, and we can immerse ourselves in San Antonio’s vibrant culture.”

The roughly 150-seat restaurant with a patio is located in a popular area for dining, a few blocks from the Pearl neighborhood and next to Nineteen Hyaku (for a very different kind of meal).

"We believe in living a balanced life, and our menu reflects that with delicious and abundant options,” said general Cristian Garcia in the release. “With made-for-you dishes, quick and friendly service and charitable ties, our guests can feel good about their dining choice.”

While the fall menu is in service, those charitable ties lead to Bexar Branches Alliance, an urban forestry nonprofit that will receive a portion of profits from those seasonal items. So far, according to the release, Bellagreen has donated more than 45,000 seedlings to the Texas Trees Foundation and Trees for Houston, the city where most of its locations are, even though it's based in Dallas.

Bellagreen is open weekdays from 11 am to 10 pm, and weekends from 10 am to 10 pm.