Drink and be merry

The best restaurants in San Antonio open for Christmas Day 2018

Hotel Emma's Supper is decked out for the holidays.

Photo courtesy of Supper

There may be no place like home for the holidays, but the big meal takes hours of cleaning, grocery shopping, prepping, and cooking on a day that should be more about cheer than chores. This year, take it easy on yourself at these six great San Antonio restaurants. We promise the kids won’t miss Aunt Edna’s fruitcake.

Fogo de Chao Brazilian Steakhouse
We can think of no better yuletide treat than having skewer after skewer of delicious grilled steak, pork, chicken, and lamb delivered to our table while sipping a glass of red wine. Sure, there’s a selection of seasonal salads, soups, and fresh vegetables, too, but Fogo really gets to the meat of what we love about the holidays. $52.95 for adults, half-price for children 7 to 12, and complimentary for children 6 and under. 11 am-9 pm.

Oro at the Emily Morgan
One of San Antonio’s most beautiful hotels also has a stunning signature restaurant. The golden eatery is giving its holiday brunch a Texas twist with a lavish buffet that includes dishes like Gulf oysters with a chipotle remoulade, herb-roasted prime rib, guajillo-maple glazed salmon, and pecan-crusted chicken breast in a mushroom Marsala sauce. Be sure to save some room for desserts like adorable decorated petits fours. $64.95 for adults, $24.95 for kids 12 and under, and free for children under 5. 11 am-4 pm.

The Palm Restaurant
This classic downtown steakhouse will be open regular hours for Christmas Day with its regular a la carte menu — and a special treat. The chefs will be roasting a traditional prime rib served with au jus and horseradish cream for $59. Pair it with delicious sides like Brussels sprouts with shallots and lemon zest or a rich three-cheese potatoes au gratin for an extra $9.50 each. It’s a bit of indulgence, sure, but ’tis the season. 11:30 am-10 pm.

Range
Let celebrity chef Jason Dady take care of the big day with his array of addictive dishes showcasing Texas ingredients. Start with a wild mushroom bisque or a freshly made Caesar salad before diving into duck confit with house orecchiette, a juicy 18-ounce ribeye, or a very fancy Lobster Thermidor. And be sure to toast the evening with a martini, prepared tableside with a choice of gin or vodka and all the classic accoutrements. 11 am-11 pm.

The Rustic
Quesadillas, burgers, fried chicken, and Southern-style bar snacks may not seem festive enough for the big day, but after nibbling on a dry turkey and multiple marshmallow salads, this homestyle grub may be just what you need. Besides, the place has an awesome selection of South Texas beer and cocktails that pack a punch. Excuse yourself from the family dinner table and really get into the holiday spirit. 5-10 pm.

Supper
The Pearl’s Hotel Emma is a can’t-miss stop for anyone looking to get in the Christmas spirit — especially since chef John Brand’s on-site restaurant makes the day extra merry and bright. Feast on hearty shareable starters like a lamb Bolognese with egg gnudi and ricotta salata or wintry dishes like pumpkin and apple soup with sunchoke chips and sage. And indulge in a margarita; this is San Antonio after all. Lunch: 11 am-3 pm; dinner: 5-8 pm.

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Merry Merry

Here's where San Antonio ranks among best cities to celebrate Christmas

Visit San Antonio/Facebook

San Antonio shines this time of year.

Standstill traffic, jam-packed store lines, and last-minute shopping frenzies have many locals in more of a seasonal panic than cheer. But it turns out that San Antonio is actually a festive place to have a holly, jolly Christmas.

San Antonio has been gifted a respectable spot in a recently released list of the Best Places for Christmas Celebrations. Personal finance website WalletHub compared the 100 biggest U.S. cities based on 31 key indicators of a “festive and affordable Christmas,” including metrics such as traditions and fun (events and attractions), observance (religious events), generosity (charitable giving and donations), shopping (Christmas markets and retail), and costs (spending for holiday entertainment).

San Antonio comes in as the No. 23 best city to celebrate the season. Overall, the city landed the 22nd spot on the list for traditions and fun, 21st overall for shopping, and 23rd for observance.

Proving that San Antonio might actually be a town full of Scrooges, the city ranked a lowly 71st overall in generosity.

The best Yuletide city is Orlando, Florida, which scored third overall for traditions and fun (Disney Christmas, anyone?) and No. 2 overall for shopping.

Elsewhere in Texas, Dallas topped the Lone Star State at an impressive No. 10 overall. Houston ranked No. 16 with Austin not far behind at No. 20. Fort Worth landed at No. 49, Plano at No. 62, and Arlington at No. 65. Further down the list are El Paso at No. 83, Irving at No. 85, Lubbock at No. 86, Corpus Christi at No. 89, and Garland at No. 92.

The worst place to spend Christmas in Texas, according to the report, is Laredo, which comes in near the bottom at No. 97.

So where do Americans most say “bah humbug” to the holidays? Grinch types should flock to Hialeah, Florida, which ranks last in observance, second-to-last in traditions and fun, and near the bottom (No. 95) for shopping.

wallethub lists reports