Dang, I’ve missed you, Alamo City. After a brief side quest in Austin, I jumped at the chance to return to the city as CultureMap San Antonio’s editor. I didn’t waste much time before stuffing my face.
The trouble is, I rarely had the chance to pause. 2025 brought a whiplash pace of new restaurant openings and closures— along with city developments like Project Marvel that will transform the 210 for better or worse. Still, a few everyday meals made their way through the data overload, keeping me going through all the cosmic shifts.
Turns out, we all need comfort, and San Antonio’s hospitality scene is always ready to give a warm hug. In no particular order, here are the 10 dishes I thought the most about in 2025.
Beef picadillo at Con Huevos Tacos
Yes, Austin is a taco town, but believe me when I say I sprinted to this East Side taqueria the moment my last moving box was unloaded from the truck. The Capital City doesn’t have a single flour tortilla that holds up to Con Huevos’ vellum-like wrapper with just the right amount of satisfying tug. Add ground beef, fork-tender potatoes, and a fruity habanero salsa, and it's eye-closing, a reverie folded into the present moment.
Magpie's butter cake is dessert for people who hate dessert.Magpie/ Instagram
Butter cake at The Magpie
I barely have a sweet tooth, and, when I do, it can usually be sated by a couple of bites of Rocky Road. Fold a metric ton of butter into the sugar, and now we’re talking.
Church Burger (hold the onions) at Church Burger
We all got caught up in the smash burger craze, perhaps as an excuse to yell a Hulk-like “smash,” but the flattened patties rarely lived up to the hype. This succulent, crisp wonder is what the trendsetters promised. Although the food truck can get mischievous with topping — most notable peanut butter and jelly — the patties don’t need any adornment. Just add the subtle pucker of housemade pickles and perhaps a High Life pony from the Palomino bar.
Soup For My Family at Jue Let
If a cocktail sips somewhere between consommé and clam chowder, is it a “dish?” And what if it’s served with tiny accoutrements like a tiny cube of pickled potato and a crispy pancetta chip? Personally, I don’t care. I’ve made a meal out of beverage director Lis Forsythe’s innovative savory martini more times than I can count.
Blue Corn Crispy Dog at Gimme Gimme
No dish divided San Antonio this year more than this Southtown bar’s take on the familiar crispy dog, wrapped in a blue corn tortilla from local tortilleria Ancient Heirloom Grains. While communities are rightfully wary of Columbusing — just look at the viral furor over British baker Richard Hart’s ill-advised remarks about Mexican bread culture — this lark of a dish ain’t it.
The unbearable lightness of a blue crispy dog.Gimme Gimme
Menudo at Burnt Bean Co.
When CultureMap Houston editor Eric Sandler suggested meeting in Seguin for Sunday breakfast, I wasn’t prepared for quite the feast. But with three of his food-savvy friends in tow, we went through towering pork chops, molleja tacos, and steak and eggs topped with Chef Ernest Servantes' shimmering salsa matcha. Somehow, the most humble dish cut through the embarrassment of riches.
Minus the Bagel focaccia at Tucker’s Italian
I’ve made many batches of focaccia this year, to the point of no longer using a recipe. While I will miss poking the dough to get those familiar ridges and divots, no more.
Roast chicken at Petit Coquin
Being a frequent habitue of Hands Down, I was primed to hate its sequel. I did have some words about why the formerly vibrant space was now so blindingly white. Chef Max Mackinnon shut me up with a perfectly crisped half chicken served with simple schmaltz-flavored rice. It’s a yoga session, a slo-mo moment, and an example of what happens when ingredients are first — and an antidote to the cluttered Instagram feeds trying to convince locals we only eat with our eyes.
Champignon quesadilla at Tacopolis
Chef Alex Paredes may be synonymous with carnitas in San Antonio, but more often than not, I go vegetarian at his new taqueria. The lamb barbacoa has adobo zest, the birria is luscious, but never count out the modest mushroom.
Chicken Sapporo ramen at Kaedama Battleship
I have a friend who craves soup regardless of how sweltering the San Antonio weather may be. If she’s reading, I hope she knows this downtown noodle shop will now be in permanent rotation. The culinary team of John Philpot, Alex Roth, and David Filler has created a ramen that transcends seasons. In winter, snuggle up to the warm nostalgia of chicken broth. In summer, appreciate the citrus pop in the meatballs and the verdant shishito peppers.
